Valley PR Blog

Do you have a plan?

By Charlotte Shaff on July 1st, 2009 In Advice

Not a lot of good news for some of our friends in the media and at the state. As we hear more about staffers at the Tribune getting paycuts and possible layoffs at Gannett this week, I can’t help but wonder how many people are planning for a pink slip.

I don’t like to talk about negatives, but instead how you can make lemonade out of these lemons. In this economy and with so many people losing jobs, you really need to think for the worst and make a plan. What exactly WILL you do if you lose your job? Have you been putting money aside? Are you looking for alternative ways to make money?

I hear the fear in the voices of many of my friends in the media and PR. But, many of them don’t seem to have any idea of what to do if they do find out today is their last day.

Here are a few bits of advice that I would like to offer as someone who left a job in media (on my own terms, but without a plan.) I have learned a lot and think life turns out ok if you don’t let fear and negative feelings infest you.

1. Don’t hide your head in the sand. Plain and simple, a possible paycut or pinkslip could be coming. No one is safe anymore. Be aware of what is happening around you.

2. No slacking. Sure, you may have more to do with less and you figure “Who cares if I do it half-ass”. So maybe you will get cut, but that doesn’t mean you stop doing a top-notch job. Show your worth and find a new project or goal if you have the time. Would your next employer want to hear you slacked off in your position at any time?

3. Add to your resume. Have you updated your resume? What accomplishments have you made in the past year that could bolster your experiences and qualifications? Now is the time to get that resume polished up.

4. Start networking! You don’t have to go out there saying “I am doing this because I think I am gonna lose my job.” Get out there and meet people. Don’t go out and have happy hour with the same five co-workers you’ve had drinks with for the past five years.  Open your minds to new people not in the industry. Learn from them. Maybe find a connection that could help you branch out to a new line of work?  Its also refreshing to learn from others who aren’t in the same field as you. They may offer some insight to the job world you weren’t aware of. I was at happy hour with a local tv producer and she said she took a career test and it came back saying her ideal job was a producer. But then, she’s never done anything else. The PR gal I was with offered up the advice for her to network outside her media circles or join a leadership group. She said they may see strengths you may not know could be good for another kind of job.

5. Stop saying this is all you know. I ran into a guy I used to work who has been in the same job for more than a decade. He said he was scared about losing his job and when I asked if he’s been thinking about what he’ll do if that becomes reality, he just said “No, this is all I know.” Learn some new skills. Find a new way to do what you do. Adapt to new technology. Don’t pigeon-hole yourself.

6. You may have to take a step back before moving forward. If you lose a job, you may have to resort to retail or waiting tables. I left a promotion producer job and spent six months after that bartending and waitressing. It hurt. Financially and psychologically, but I was doing something and making plans. Eventually I found a part-time job doing Community Relations and I took it. I did the best job possible there while waiting tables at night and eventually I found a full-time agency job. I still wasn’t making as much as I did in TV, but I was back in an industry I knew I liked. I learned about new elements to marketing and advertising that blended well with my TV background. From there, I decided to start my own biz and do PR. And the people I met along the road from TV to my current work were still in my life and my biggest cheerleaders. They saw how I didn’t let a few down times get in my way. I made sure to be the best at every job I had because I knew my work ethic would speak volumes to future employers and clients. So, if you do lose your job, don’t be ashamed to take a job doing something you may have done in college or high school.

7. Learn from the Depression. Great ideas and companies came from some of our worst times in history.

8. I know “The Secret” is so passe, but I think positive thinking will go a long way. If you keep your chin up, you will get through this. Its not going to be easy. You are going to be scared. But if you have a positive outlook and keep an open mind, you will endure. I know a few people who have a big, gray cloud over their head all the time. They bring people down with their bad attitude. That will not bode well for future employment or friends.

9. Use social media. Express your feelings in a blog. Join a group that shares a similiar interest. If you do get laid off, let people know you are ok. Use Facebook or Twitter to look for job leads. Keep people updated on your progress. Inquire with others about their jobs and potential new interests. I’ve passed around resumes of people I liked who lost jobs. I’ve even met some people I only knew from online over coffee and offered advice and support because I could see they had a gung-ho attitude even when times were tough.

10. Don’t give up. We will endure. No one said life would be easy. Just stay positive and start making plans. I am sending you a big virtual hug!

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