Job loss & job hunting

You may miss your coworkers, your routine, your role and the person you were at work. Feeling sad, angry, numb or relieved, sometimes all in one day, is a normal response to loss and change.

Many people blame themselves, even after a company-wide layoff. Try to notice harsh self-talk like “I’m a failure.” Accept that some things are outside your control, and remember that circumstances change.

Try instead

• “Getting through today is enough.”
• “I have skills that matter.”
• “This is a hard season, not a forever.”

Money worry can hurt sleep and mood. And when you feel low, looking for work can feel even harder. It can become a tough cycle, which is why looking after your mind matters during this time.

The 2009 review found unemployment was linked to more distress for men and for people in blue-collar jobs, and the harm was greater in countries with weaker unemployment protection.

If your job was a big part of who you are, or you were the main earner for your family, the loss can feel especially heavy. That is understandable, and support can help.

Uncertainty makes us feel powerless. NHS advice is to focus on what you can do right now and break things into small, manageable steps. You can’t decide whether layoffs happen, but you can take small steps that make you feel more ready.

Things you can control

• How you look after your sleep, food and movement
• Keeping in touch with people in your field
• Learning one new skill
• Making a simple budget and, if possible, a small savings cushion
• Updating your résumé and a list of your achievements

In uncertain times, rumors fill the gaps. Constantly talking about “what if” can keep everyone’s stress high. It can help to question worried thoughts: what do I actually know, and what am I guessing?

What can help

• Ask your manager or HR directly what they can share
• Limit how often you check news or chat threads about the company
• Notice when you’re catastrophizing, and name it: “That’s a guess, not a fact.”
• Spend time on things that stay steady, like friends and hobbies

If you keep your job while others lose theirs, you may feel relief and guilt at once, plus worry that you’re next. Often there is more work spread across fewer people too. These mixed feelings are a normal response to loss and change.

What can help

• Give yourself permission to grieve the team you had
• Reach out to coworkers who left. A kind message matters
• Talk honestly with your manager about a realistic workload
• Use your EAP if the stress builds up

Even without layoffs, frequent changes can wear people down. Building a steady routine outside work, like a regular walk, bedtime and time to unwind, gives you a sense of control when work keeps shifting.

Think about what helped you through hard times before, and use those tools again. Recognizing when you need extra support is a coping skill too.

In the U.S., a law called the WARN Act requires some employers to give 60 days’ notice before a qualifying plant closing or mass layoff. The rules are complex, but one basic threshold is a layoff of 50 or more workers at a single site.

Each state also has a “Rapid Response” team that can help workers facing a layoff with information on unemployment insurance, health coverage, job search and training.

Unemployment insurance is a joint state-federal program for eligible workers who become unemployed through no fault of their own. Each state sets its own rules.

What to know

• Claims may be filed in person, by phone or online
• Contact your state’s program as soon as possible after losing your job
• Generally, you file with the state where you worked
• You can find your state’s office through CareerOneStop

COBRA lets workers and their families who lose health benefits choose to keep their group health plan for a limited time. It generally applies to employers with 20 or more employees. You may have to pay the full premium, up to 102% of the plan’s cost.

Losing job-based coverage also lets you sign up for a Marketplace plan outside open enrollment. You can qualify if you lost coverage in the past 60 days or expect to lose it in the next 60 days.

Making a simple budget can help you feel more in control. If you are struggling with rent or a mortgage, talk to your landlord or lender early. Get free advice about debt as soon as you can, before it builds.

Also ask your former employer about

• Any final pay or unused vacation pay
• Health insurance options and deadlines
• Retirement plan options
• A reference or letter confirming your dates of work

Every state has a network of American Job Centers. They bring many services together, from résumé help to job search, placement and other support. State Rapid Response teams also offer career counseling, job search help and training information after layoffs.

If you think you were let go because of a mental health condition, for asking for an accommodation, or for reporting a problem, that may be illegal. Deadlines to file a complaint can be short.

Getting up and going to bed at about the same time gives your day shape and purpose. If you are job hunting, treat it like part-time work, with regular breaks and something you enjoy each day.

A simple day

1. Get up at your usual time and get dressed.
2. Spend a set block on job searching or learning.
3. Move your body: a walk, a stretch, a bike ride.
4. Connect with one person.
5. Do one thing just for enjoyment.

Try to notice harsh self-talk like “I’m a failure.” Accept that some things are outside your control, and remember that circumstances change.

Kind things to tell yourself

• “A no is about fit and timing, not my worth.”
• “I am allowed to rest.”
• “I have got through hard things before.”

Long-term uncertainty can feel overwhelming. Break problems into smaller chunks and focus on what you can do right now. Start with easier tasks if you feel low.

Talking to friends or family can help, and so can a counselor. Staying connected also replaces some of the social contact you lost with your job.

When someone asks “What do you do?”, job loss can sting. But you are still a friend, a parent, a neighbor, a learner, a person with values and skills. Hobbies, faith, volunteering and family all help hold who you are.

Most job hunts involve many “no”s and lots of silence before a “yes.” Each rejection can sting. Try to treat it as information, not a verdict on who you are.

What can help

• Ask for feedback when you can
• Celebrate effort: every application is a step
• Set a daily or weekly goal you control, like “5 applications,” not “get a job”
• Take breaks from job boards, especially at night

Feeling nervous before an interview is normal. Your body is getting ready to perform. A little preparation and some slow breathing can help the nerves work for you, not against you.

Before an interview

1. Practice answers to 3 common questions out loud.
2. Prepare one story about a time you solved a problem.
3. Plan your route or test your video call.
4. Right before: breathe in for 4, out for 6, five times.

Many people feel like they are less capable than others think, or that they will be “found out.” This is sometimes called impostor syndrome. It is very common and can be worked through.

What can help

• Ask a friend what strengths they see in you
• Notice when you compare yourself to others, and pause
• Write a list of things you have done well, with real examples

In the U.S., employers generally can’t ask medical questions, including about mental health, before making a job offer. Many people wait until after an offer to ask for an accommodation, because unfair treatment before an offer is very hard to prove.

In an interview, you might ask

• “How does the team handle busy periods?”
• “How do managers give feedback?”
• “What are the usual working hours, and are people expected to reply after hours?”
• “What do you like most about working here?”
• “What support is there for well-being, like an EAP or flexible work?”

The 2009 review found that programs for people who are out of work were moderately helpful in easing distress, even for people who stayed unemployed.

Free help is available through American Job Centers, including résumé preparation, job search help and other support.

Volunteering adds structure, purpose and people to your week. A Cleveland Clinic psychologist notes it has been linked to lower stress, depression and anxiety. Learning a new skill can also build confidence.

Ideas

• A free online course or library class
• Helping at a food bank or community group
• Skills-based volunteering that adds to your résumé
• Teaching or mentoring someone else

Every few weeks, ask

• Are there related roles or fields I haven’t looked at?
• Could a short course or certificate open doors?
• Is my résumé getting interviews? If not, who could review it?
• Who in my network haven’t I told I’m looking?

If you feel hopeless, stop enjoying things, or can’t get out of bed most days for two weeks or more, please talk to a professional. It’s a common reaction to a hard situation, and help works.

Change takes energy. NHS advice for times of change is to focus on today, break tasks into small steps, and notice your achievements, however small. Getting through your first week counts.

Gentle reminders

• Asking questions is part of the job, not a weakness
• Being tired after work in the early weeks is common
• Nobody expects you to know everything in month one
• Write things down. Your brain is taking in a lot

Unclear roles are a known work stressor. Early on, ask your manager what they most want from you, how your work will be judged, and how they like to communicate.

Good early questions

• “How do you like updates: chat, email, or a weekly meeting?”
• “What are the top two or three priorities for my role?”
• “What would a great first 30 days look like?”
• “Who should I get to know?”

NIOSH encourages workers to build close relationships with coworkers and to make use of in-person contact where possible, especially if you work remotely a lot.

Ideas

• Ask coworkers about their roles. People like to be asked
• Find out if there is a buddy, mentor or employee group you can join
• Offer to help with something small
• Say yes to a lunch or coffee invite in your first weeks

In a new job, many people try to impress by staying late and answering every message at night. That can quickly become what everyone expects. Starting with a steady routine is easier than trying to pull back later.

Try to

• Find out about your EAP and benefits early, before you need them
• Finish work on time most days
• Keep up the things that keep you well: sleep, movement, friends
• Take your lunch break

Try

• “I’m sorry. That’s a lot to take in.”
• “Do you want ideas, or do you just want me to listen right now?”
• “This doesn’t change how I see you.”
• “Want to go for a walk later?”

Try to avoid

• Asking “Any luck yet?” every day
• Blaming them or their old boss
• Comparing them with others who found jobs fast

Ideas

• Help make a simple shared budget, if you share money
• Introduce them to people in your network
• Invite them to things, so they stay connected
• Offer to read their résumé or practice interview questions

If they seem hopeless, withdraw from everyone, stop enjoying things, or struggle to get up for two weeks or more, gently encourage them to talk to a professional.

Supporting someone through job loss can be tiring, especially if money is tight. Keep up your own sleep, friends and outlets, and talk to someone you trust about your own worries.

American Job Centers bring many services together, from résumé preparation to job search, placement and other support. Many also host workshops where you meet other job seekers.

Libraries, community centers, faith groups and alumni networks often run job clubs. Sharing leads, practicing interviews and swapping stories with people in the same boat can ease shame and keep you going.

Ideas

• Ask for short chats, not jobs: “Could I hear about your work?”
• Join a professional association or online group in your field
• Let friends, family and former coworkers know what you are looking for

Giving to others creates positive feelings, a sense of purpose and stronger connections. Volunteering can also help if you are between jobs, by adding structure and people to your week.