ITWORKS: 7 steps to take if you’ve been laid off (step 5)
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You’re looking for a new job and need expert advice on how to handle a job search and your finances. Congratulations…you’re in the right place. Whether you are planning to stay in the education field, or investigate other areas of work, ITWORKS will help you focus on your next steps and energize you as you take action.
Check out Step 4 here.
Step 5. “R”: Remain flexible.
In any plan, there should be an element of flexibility, which lets you remain open to the unexpected. It also allows you to ‘think outside the box’…where sometimes the best opportunities are!
Financial ‘to do’: A little flexibility can go a long way towards helping you stay within your budget and stretch your dollars. Try buying less meat (often one of the more expensive items on your grocery list). Have a garage sale of items you don’t need (we all have those). Start a book club to read new books (get them from the library!) and meet new people. Online, you’ll find many ideas on how to live on less—from exploring your hometown on a ‘staycation’, to inviting friends over for a night of board games rather than eating out.
You might consider taking a part-time job. Not only will it help with the bills, but it will also provide you with social interaction and possible networking opportunities. Just make sure to leave time for your more important job—that of finding a new, full-time position.
Job search ‘to do’: Think outside the box, and consider jobs in different fields. As mentioned in other steps, talk to friends in fields that interest you.
Consider volunteering while you’re looking for your next job. It could give you a glimpse at another industry, provide additional contacts, help you gain new skills…and it looks great on a resume. Volunteers come from all positions and all walks of life… you may be surprised at the connections that volunteering could provide. (Bonus: it gets you thinking about others who may be less fortunate than yourself.)
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Ideas for ‘staycations’: Volunteer positions: |
And remember, at Educators Financial Group you have the support of a team of financial experts and an organization that has worked with the education community for over 45 years.
