Part 1: Before You Lose Your Job

While you’re still employed, there’s no need to be a savvy job hunter, right? Not true at all. Even if you’re in an incredibly secure position and think “it’ll never happen to me” it just might. Follow these tips and you’ll be able to bounce back from any type of brick wall.

Network
Stay dialed into your network. Make use of your collection of business cards. Each week, I pick an hour to spend, going through my address book. Anyone that I haven’t talked to in a while gets an email or phone call. It’s easy, fun and makes the person on the receiving end happy, too.

Emergency Money
Not only important if you lose your job, but equally a must in the event of a medical emergency, auto disaster, etc. Stash a certain percentage of your paycheck each month. A safety net makes life so much easier.

Denial
Keep your eyes and ears open at all times, especially in an economy like this. People not talking to you at work? Are you not invited to certain meetings? Is your industry as a whole having trouble? They’re all signs that you could be on thin ice. I’m not typically a pessimist, but I do think it’s important to protect yourself at all costs.