Lost your job during the pandemic? Here are 12 tips.

Businesses and people are having to make tough decisions during this COVID period of uncertainty. A record number of people have filed for unemployment in US this year. Many of these people have families to support, mortgages and other financial commitments

1. Firstly let us say, our heart goes out to you if you’ve lost your job. We are here if there is anything we can do. Please just let us know?
2. You do have a choice, stay down or…. rebound! We strongly suggest the latter but to do so, you will need to take a few steps to help you get back on your feet.
3. Get into a calm state of mind and think logically. This is not personal, layoffs happen all the time and we are here to tell you, everybody we know finds another job.
4. Connect with your family and friends, a problem shared is a problem halved. DO NOT isolate yourself.
5. Sit down and do some financial planning. You will need to tighten your budget. Scrutinize your credit card bills, utility bills and anything you can cut.
6. Calculate your monthly burn rate so that you know how long you can survive for. Try to extend this out for as long as possible, this means you don’t have to accept the first job that comes along.
7. Are you entitled to any benefits? Perhaps the government can help or the company you just left has a benefit you’re not taking advantage of?
8. Apply for social welfare.
9. Develop a long term plan. You need to create a recruitment plan. Your recruitment plan should include:-
   1. Contact someone at Ascent Global Partners immediately.
   2. Use your personal network to catch up with people who can help, advise or even possibly introduce you to a new career. We would advise you to call and meet them in person.
   3. Job search in industries that are experiencing growth in hiring.
   4. Have a laugh. Remember, it’s important to have fun and stay calm at all time and especially now. There is plenty of free material online (YouTube etc.) that can help.
   5. Find out what the most in demand skills are and see if you can learn some of them. When an employer asks you what you’ve been doing during your time off, tell them you learned how to program python or brushed up on your SQL skills.

We hope this is of some help to you. Please come to see us if you need someone to talk to.