Word is out. Layoffs are coming in days, weeks, or both. With the cancellation of Constellation, Huntsville's Marshall Space Flight Center is going to be hit and it is going to be hard. There are going to be hundreds, maybe thousands of people all suddenly on the street, all at the same time and they are all going to be looking for a brand new job.

Other than pacing back and forth and wondering what to do next, it may make sense to take some action. Word has it, it will not be long. And as the old saying goes, it's just about time to play ball.

Here are the top ten, eleven, things to do when facing a layoff.

1. Update your resume, portfolio, and job application materials. Be sure to add any new training, special accomplishments, projects, and awards. A second set of eyes is a good idea with resumes.
2. Check your finances. Make sure your checkbook is balanced. What about your emergency funds, savings, and budget? Look hard at not just where you are, but what you need to do to get through the lean times and what you can realistically withstand.
3. Start a job search. Online is a really good place to start.
   
4. Network. Let folks know you are looking. Share contact information, job search information, and job leads. You are not going to be in this one alone. You may learn of a job that just might suit a former co-worker and vise-a-versa.
5. Update your address book. Make sure you have copies of any workplace contact information and addresses that you may need later. Make especially certain you have up to date contact information on your references. Then let them know you are looking, so they are not surprised when they get a call. Ask for recommendation letters before you leave.
6. Clean-up your workstation. Remove any non-work related material from your computer and other electronic devices. Take your personal files home.
7. Negotiate your termination agreement. If you are presented with a termination/severance agreement, it is a good idea to take it home and sign it later. You will probably be so stressed, you will not likely be thinking as clearly as you would like. You want to be able to look objectively at what you are presented. There may be any number of terms and you want to know exactly what you are signing. Also be aware that severance packages are often negotiable. Things that maybe negotiable include: the last day of employment, the amount of severance pay, and how long your benefits will last.
8. Check your re-transition benefits and rights. Many companies have job retraining and transition programs already in place. Take advantage of any services you have available. There may be options to extend and ease the transition and they may also be negotiable.
9. File for unemployment insurance. Many states allow you to file online. Alabama is one of them. Here is a listing of unemployment offices by state.
10. Take care of yourself.  Emotionally and physically, a layoff can be difficult. Take the good with the bad. At the end of the day, this is just one more storm in the journey of life. You may well find that after the rain clears and the sun shines again, life is much better than ever before. You have new opportunities ahead, and a very real opportunity to make some changes that may not have been an option before.

There is always opportunity in any time of major change. But you need to be ready for that as well. Whether you expected or in any way wanted it, now is definitely the time to go for it. As the old saying goes, "Seize the day." For all the sadness and loss you experience: that is normal, you can expect and accept that. Honor your feelings. But you also have the opportunity to think, reevaluate and once more take a chance and evaluate brand new opportunities. They are there, and now is the time to choose a new path. Is your life really what you want? What would you change if you had the chance? In a lot of ways, this is it. It's your choice now. Take it like this: You have one more shot at making your life exactly the life you want.

With that,  last but not least #11 is get out there and "Go for it."

Also see:

• Alabama State Employment Office  -- It is a good place to start on the job search.
• Alabama Department of Industrial Relations -- Go here to file for your unemployment insurance claim.
• The Magic Stream Jobs page also has other job search, self-help and support resources.

This article is part of the Exploring Huntsville Examiner Series. Your comments and suggestions are welcome. Subscribe to this feed and get an email update each time a new article is published.

Copyright 2010 Regina Garson. All rights reserved.