What do you do if you suddenly lose your job? Tom Dolan, associate director of Texas Tech University at Abilene, shares five steps to take immediately upon receiving your pink slip.

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Transcript of Audio Discussion
Unemployment Lessons, Part 3: Sudden Job Loss
Tom Dolan

After 21 years of loyal service at a prestigious university, I suddenly lost my job in 2002. Needless to say, I panicked. After all, I had three teen-aged daughters and my wife had a modest job as a para-professional in special education in a local school. Fortunately, I checked in with the Texas Workforce Commission – better known as the unemployment office – and was connected with a mentor who helped me turn away the panic and take some purposeful steps which led rather quickly to my current job.

If you have lost your job or if you have heard rumors of pending job loss, you might be feeling a bit frantic right now. Even if you are not in danger of losing your music therapy job, I encourage you to file this conversation in the back of your mind to help hold back that flood of panic should anything come up in the future that threatens your job. I encourage people to consider taking five steps immediately upon losing their job.

Step 1. Do not burn bridges. Maintain a professional attitude. As tempting as it might be, avoid speaking angrily to anyone in your workplace, and avoid talking about people or agencies in a negative manner in public. You can vent in the privacy of your home. You never know who might be a new employer or employee or business partner. And you never know who will connect you to your next boss.

Step 2. Never consider yourself unemployed. As soon as you find yourself without a job, replace that work with a new job – the job of locating a perfect “next step” in your career. Set up a schedule that includes daily volunteer work, networking with prospective hiring managers, and other job search activities. Wake up each morning ready to go to work. Take a look at other short “Unemployment Lesson” segments for specific guidance about strategic volunteer work and targeted networking.

Step 3. Maintain insurance. Take what steps are necessary to maintain basic insurance – health, car, home – so you don’t end up hopelessly in debt in the event of an accident, illness, or disaster.

Step 4. Inform creditors. Contact the appropriate people to let them know of your job loss so you can make arrangements for your mortgage or rent, car payment, insurance, utility payments, and other monthly payments. My experience says all of these will greatly appreciate your efforts to make sure they’ll eventually get paid.

Step 5. Develop an income stream. Music therapists are in a good position for earning alternative income because of their training and musical skills. If you take a part-time job, make certain it leaves time for job search. Ideally, you could get volunteer position or a job in an agency where you want to get a job as a music therapist or develop a new music therapy position. Other speakers in this Job Solutions symposium share some great ideas, so listen carefully to their advice. It may be that you need to apply for unemployment compensation for the time being. Do not hesitate to do so if necessary. Your goal is to avoid panic and depression and to buy some time while you search for or develop a new job.

In summary, unemployment is tough. But if you take these five steps and listen to the wise advice of other speakers in the AMTA Job Solutions symposium, you will find a shorter and smoother path toward your new job.

I am Tom Dolan, the Associate Director of Texas Tech University at Abilene and a long-time technical advisor for companies, organizations, and individuals. You can contact me via e-mail at [email protected] Please feel free to comment on any aspect of this podcast, Unemployment Lessons, Part 3: Sudden Job Loss. Just enter your ideas or questions in the “Leave a Reply” box at the bottom of the symposium text, or send an e-mail to [email protected].

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