Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2008 1:42 pm
First, as one who has been laid off twice, my sympathy. Even if not a surprise (for me, one was, one wasn't), it can be a difficult, painful time and requires adjustment.
The first time it happened in spring, and I knew potential hiring would be slow in the summer, so we ended up taking a month long trip out west, while keeping things as CHEAP as possible. We weren't rolling in money, I would need work before long, but we had a great time. My kids were young and we all enjoyed a trip that is not normally possible with most jobs due to the amount of time off, we still talk about it.
Had such a good time that 13 years later (to the DAY!)when it happened again, my wife and I decided that since our layoff tradition was to take a month out west, the two of us did just that in the summer. We were in much better financial shape at this point, thanks in part to the wake up call of the first layoff (live below your means, save/invest/repeat), so money wasn't as big an issue.
In the long run, while I had some short term loss of income, things worked out and I'm happier, and have done things I would never have had the nerve to try if it would've involved giving up a paycheck or an adjustment on my outlook on the importance of work/home life balance.
While you'll hear guidance along this line from outplacement counselors, I believe Alexander Graham Bell summed it up best:
"When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us."
My advice - look around at some of those open doors, and consider ANYTHING and EVERYTHING no matter how crazy! Look at the pros and cons of the trip, how much would you really save, etc.
Good luck, whatever you decide,
irbgolfin
The first time it happened in spring, and I knew potential hiring would be slow in the summer, so we ended up taking a month long trip out west, while keeping things as CHEAP as possible. We weren't rolling in money, I would need work before long, but we had a great time. My kids were young and we all enjoyed a trip that is not normally possible with most jobs due to the amount of time off, we still talk about it.
Had such a good time that 13 years later (to the DAY!)when it happened again, my wife and I decided that since our layoff tradition was to take a month out west, the two of us did just that in the summer. We were in much better financial shape at this point, thanks in part to the wake up call of the first layoff (live below your means, save/invest/repeat), so money wasn't as big an issue.
In the long run, while I had some short term loss of income, things worked out and I'm happier, and have done things I would never have had the nerve to try if it would've involved giving up a paycheck or an adjustment on my outlook on the importance of work/home life balance.
While you'll hear guidance along this line from outplacement counselors, I believe Alexander Graham Bell summed it up best:
"When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us."
My advice - look around at some of those open doors, and consider ANYTHING and EVERYTHING no matter how crazy! Look at the pros and cons of the trip, how much would you really save, etc.
Good luck, whatever you decide,
irbgolfin