• Allison Miles •
• Originally published January 13, 2009 at 11:45 p.m., updated January 13, 2009 at 11:45 p.m.

A single announcement can change everything. Just ask Janie Sanchez.

One minute, Sanchez, 43, was nearing 15 years at Crossroads Youth & Family Services' emergency shelter, where she helped at-risk youth in the region. A minute later, she was told she had 10 days until the shelter closed.

"I was laid off Nov. 28," she said, tucking a black strand of hair behind her ear.

Sanchez was among about 40 people who attended the first day of "Surviving a Layoff," a two-day seminar hosted by Workforce Solutions of the Golden Crescent.

The seminar ends Wednesday.

Being unemployed is a new - and scary - experience, she said, and at first she was unsure even how to file for unemployment.

"I understand it now, but I needed the money a month ago," she said. "There's no income coming in."

Workforce solutions has hosted seminars in the past but, with today's economic situation, it made sense to host another, said Henry Guajardo, the center's executive director.

More than 1,200 people have applied for unemployment insurance with the center since Oct. 1, he said. Although he didn't have an average number of applications he would have received in that timeframe, he described it as a substantial increase.

During the first day, MeLisa Rogers, a certified career coach and resume writer, displayed a Texas map.

"What can you tell me about Amarillo?" she asked.

"It's dry," came one reply. "Windy," said another. "Beautiful sunsets," came a response from the side of the room.

Rogers explained that, if she hadn't asked that question, she wouldn't know anything about the city. And she encouraged people to apply that logic when considering a job.

There's nothing wrong with sitting down with someone who works in a field you're interested in and asking about their job, she said, stressing people shouldn't use the next job as career exploration.

She encouraged people to consider nontraditional ways of working, such as taking on two or three jobs.

If you like to clean houses, sometimes collect scrap metal or maintain a rental property, do it, she said. It's a way to bring in just that much more income.

That may require swallowing some pride, she admitted, but can be well worth it.

The No. 1 way people get jobs is through networking, Rogers said.

Linda Parker, who was laid off in June from her bookkeeping and accounting position, said she attended the seminar as a chance to pick up some extra information.

This is her second layoff.

The 62-year-old grandmother of two said it can be frustrating and a little scary being in the job market again. Even when she does go in for interviews, she believes she faces age discrimination.

"They like the resume, but when I walk in, you can tell," she said. "I'm good at reading people."

Parker said she found it hard to compete with younger, college-educated people but said hiring more mature individuals has its advantages, too.

They're often more independent and reliable because they've worked all their lives, she said. And since they're past the child-rearing days, employers don't run into issues trying to schedule around babysitters.

Debbie Bauman was recently laid off from a job in the manufacturing industry that she had for about 15 years.

One of the most difficult things for her, she said, is figuring out what to do and where to go. Even looking for job openings in the paper can be hard, she said, because the descriptions aren't very detailed.

By the end of the seminar's first day she said she'd picked up some useful tips, such as how to do a resume. In the nearly 16 years since she's had to write one, things have changed, she explained.

"I actually got a lot more out of it than I thought I would," she said. "(Rogers) did a good job of telling it like it is in the real world. I'll be back tomorrow."

Sanchez said the main thing she took from Tuesday's seminar was the importance of computer skills. She's already registered for a couple of workforce computer classes for this week.

And she's trying to keep a positive outlook.

"You can't allow yourself to just be bitter," she said with a broad smile. "You just have to move on. I know God will provide."

• 10 tips to make the layoff easier:

  Don't feel guilty. People who are laid off did nothing wrong. Instead, their position was closed - usually because there isn't enough work.

  Tell your family. Layoffs are emotional and you'll want to ...

• SHOW ALL »

10 tips to make the layoff easier:

Don't feel guilty. People who are laid off did nothing wrong. Instead, their position was closed - usually because there isn't enough work.

Tell your family. Layoffs are emotional and you'll want to talk about it. So, explain what happened.

Don't make any important decisions for a few days. Don't cash out your retirement fund. Instead, take several days to get over the shock of losing your job.

Do the things you want to do. Spend some time with your family. Take a day trip. Read a novel.

Sign up for unemployment benefits. The government requires that employers buy unemployment insurance for their employees. Call to see if you are qualified to receive benefits.

Extend your health care coverage.

Conserve your money. Pay by check or use cash. Stay away from restaurants and malls.

Call your creditors. Tell them that you have been laid off. Ask them to reduce your monthly payments until you find another job.

Work on your resume. Read the help ads and job postings to see which skills today's hiring managers want.

Line up some job interviews. Don't rely on the Internet alone to get a job interview. You should also network with friends and relatives, mail your resume to employers, phone the hiring managers, answer some help-wanted ads and register with an employment agency.

Source: "Surviving a Layoff" by Harry DahlstromLEARN MORE

Workforce Solutions of the Golden Crescent has other workshops planned for the near future. Those include:

"Staying out of the red"

How to talk with creditors and pay your bills on limited funds. 1 to 4 p.m., Jan. 22

"Be your own boss"

Learn what it takes to turn your skills into a successful business. 9 a.m. to noon, Jan. 26

Windows XP computer course.

8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Jan. 15 - 16

Microsoft Word computer course.

8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Jan 21-23

Microsoft Excel computer course.

8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Jan. 28- 30

For more information or to register for a class, call 361-578-0341.

Source: Workforce Solutions of the Golden Crescent Web site

• Print
• •
• Share
  • Share this item

    Send this to a friend

    Share on FaceBook

  • Grab the link

    Copy and paste the link:

  • Blog about it

    Blog about this page.

  • Close
• •
• Post a Comment
• •
• Favorite
• •
• Report error
  • Thank you for your submission.
    Error report or correction

    Contact name (optional) Contact phone/e-mail (optional)  

    
  • Close
• •