How to Survive a Lay Off or Recession

I gave up driving even the short distances I usually drive for 30 days in order to avoid a month of foot-high ice, to exercise further, and to better acclimate to the colder winter we were experiencing one winter.

I’ve met many people that are finding ways of handling recessions, including walking more often and taking the bus instead of driving. Some began biking to their destinations.

This article will provide useful advice for surviving and prospering in a recession, including job search, events in the workplace, salaries, financial literacy, ways to save money, and low-cost recipes to help feed your family.

Some motivational materials at the end will bring you a boost as well.

Recently I spoke with a middle-aged gentleman waiting on a bus connection and carrying a folded card table with him. He had taken an additional weekend job of providing samples of new sandwiches at a local grocery chain. I had no idea that samplers in the groceries needed to provide their own tables and was rather shocked.

However, the gentleman was happy, because he had carried a heavier table through ice, snow, sleet, and two bus connections the day before and felt today’s experience was much easier. He was thankful for the job and the improving conditions.

His other joys were avoiding driving in ice obstructed traffic, a free meal at work, extra income, and free bus fare from our transit system as long as we are in a Level One or higher Snow Emergency.

An accountant I know always works a second job, 12-15 hours a week - 15 years so far. In just three evenings a week, or two evenings and a half-day on a weekend day, he has accumulated paid vacation and sick leave, with additional health insurance for his family and himself.

In addition, he has been able to invest his income form his second job wisely. If his full-time work is ever impinged by a recession, he and his family will suffer much less than some other families.

The two people I mentioned above are recession-proofing themselves. While it seems that all they do is work, this is not the case. Each schedules free time for himself and enjoys hobbies as well as time with friends and family. Not everyone can find one job, let alone two, but this option is something to consider. To assist you with this, please available yourself of the resources below:

Under WIA, unemployed and underemployed individuals may qualify for training funds. Check your home state at this link for training providers (including colleges) that are approved: http://www.careeronestop.org/WiaProviderSearch.asp.

Check the CareerOneStop in your locality for the job services office nearest you (usually under a county listing). You may find these facilities listed under WIS (Workforce Development Act), county Jobs and Family Services, or Employment Services.

Additional Recommendations:

• How to Find Your Best College
• Online Education Resources - Full Listings and Reviews - Find free courses or full academic programs for credit on your Internet connection.
• How to Find Tech Training, Online Classes, and Small Business Financing

• How'd You Score THAT Gig? – Top high paying careers for young professionals and how to land them.

• How would you like to work for the CIA? – Television ads for open CIA positions are playing frequently in my area. This may be an option for you. Certain age and other guidelines apply. Checking their career information page yields a substantial number of openings at The Job Fit Tool: https://www.cia.gov/careers/opportunities/job-fit-tool.
• Enlist with the National Guard or Air National Guard – Basic training, one weekend a month, and two weeks each summer provide extra income and marketable skills. They chance of being called to combat action is transparent. Look in the government pages of your phone director or search online for each branch of the service. For information, click on
• Travel Nursing – There is long-term a nursing shortage and certain states are looking for nurses outside their own boarders. Patients are still being seen – they are covered by Medicaid, Workers Compensation, Healthy Children government sponsored coverage, SSI/SSDI, and private insurance. Nurses and other medical staff may need to be be willing to move temporarily, but rent and transportation for the move are PAID for them, along with higher than standard wages and other perks. You can actually work in your own city as a "traveler" if there are travel positions open in it.
• Seasonal and Entry Level Jobs for College Students and Adults
• Find a Job Through a Great Internship
• Vocation Vacations

For Senior Citizens:

Ask if programs like this one operate in your city:

• Senior Citizen's Employment Programs in Texas

• Reduce Your Living Expenses Now - Beat the Recession!
• Personal Qualities that Avoid Job Loss in a Recession
• How to Change Careers

• Quick and Inexpensive Meals
• Easy Lunches For Work
• Fast Lunches for Work

• Companies That Hire During a Recession
• How to Find a Job During a Recession
• How to Get a Job When You Are Pregnant

• Top 30 Cities for Jobs - Researched and awarded by job search engine CareerBuilder.Com, one of the top search engines for employment in America.
• Top 10 American Cities for Retirement Jobs - Also see the link for Senior Job Bank above. Additional Senior Employment programs and initiatives are available in various cities and counties. Check with your local labor department or Workforce Investment entity, usually a county jobs office.
• How to Establish Residency in Another State - During a recession, workers may need to move in order to accept employment. In the case of Travel Nursing, the "traveling" agency can assist with all of these details.

Resume Writing and Distribution

• Resumes, Their Formats, and Their Specific Uses
• How to Negotiate Your Salary

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• 100 Top Interview Questions
• 10 things you should NEVER say during a job interview