Ambition is not a Dirty Word

Home Away From Home

Dear Debra: After being laid off, I started a small web design business. It’s great commuting to my office (my couch) in pajamas. I have paying clients. But some days it’s hard staying motivated, disciplined, and organized. –Solo in New York

Get out of bed on the right foot. Even if you know you’ll be working from home all day, get up, shower, and put on clean clothes; sweats are fine but no pj’s. Don’t work in socks or bare feet: there is something about wearing shoes when working from home that is grounding and legitimizing.

Sample the Goods Before Buying and Land Your Dream Job

Dear Debra: I’ve been laid off from a job I hated with six months’ severance. I want to think carefully about what I want to do next. Advice?

Volunteering or interning is a great strategy if your goal is to avoid simply filling time or gaining irrelevant experience that does nothing to move you toward meaningful, challenging work.  Volunteer to sample a new company or industry. If you love the work, leverage it into a paid position. Here’s how.

How to Navigate your Annual Review in This Bleak Economic Enviroment

Dear Debra: My annual review is next week.  Should I negotiate for a raise or just be glad to have a job?

Always negotiate.  What's the worst that happens?  You learn there's a freeze on raises or bonuses, so you negotiate for non-monetary perks: an updated, more prestigious title that adds more cache to your resume; an opportunity to take over as editor of your company's industry newsletter or head up a project you have stars in your eyes for; working one day a week from home to cut out two hours a week of commuting time and cost.

The First 10 Things You Should Do When You Get Laid Off

1. Take a deep breath. Put aside emotions. Think rationally about practical questions you need to ask in the here and now. Go into calm, problem-solving crisis mode. Take notes. Say: “I want to jot this down because I’m sort of in shock and want to be able to remember what we discuss.”
   
   
2. Negotiate your severance package. If your employer offers two weeks, negotiate for two months based on stellar performance. Can you cash in unused vacation or sick days to be included on you final paycheck? Will your lay-off package provide outplacement services such as career coaching?
   
   
3. Offer to be an independent contractor on an hourly or project-based rate; your soon-to-be-former employer may become your first consulting client.
   
   

Feeling Scared on Main Street

Dear Debra:  I'm feeling increasingly anxious about the economy and the job market.

Two of my friends recently lost their jobs. Everyone at work is freaking out. Some nights I can't sleep and then I'm wiped out at work the next day which just makes me more afraid that I'll screw up, get fired, won't be able to find another job and pay the bills. How cn I manage my stess when the bottom seems to be falling out? -Stressed to the max 

Rebound from a Layoff By Forming Your Own Advisory Board

Dear Debra: I’ve been blindsided by a layoff. No job offers in sight and a marketplace that’s imploding. I feel disillusioned and rejected. How can I get a leg up on competitors? —Stuck and scared

 

Convene your own advisory board—a cost-effective, fast-track resource for breaking the isolation you’re feeling, landing your next job, and advancing your long-term career objectives. Follow these six steps starting right now (don't procrastinate!):