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Jobless: the first 72 hours

by Hope Dlugozima

continued from page 1

Accept free lunches.
This email is sure to inspire at least a few offers of lunch or coffee because people will want to get the gossip. Accept all these offers and try to set them up for your first few days of unemployment. You’ll have a good story to tell. Use this power while you have it. By the way, don't slag off your former company unless it’s to a very good friend. Keep your worst work thoughts to yourself. It's more professional and reflects better on you.

Don’t panic.
Even if you couldn't wait to leave your old job, the first half-decent job offer that comes along in the first few days will seem very tempting. Resist the impulse to accept it. A few months from now you'll wake up and think, 'Why was I so worried? And why on earth did I take this job so quickly?' Give yourself about three weeks of not worrying about work. Use the time to really think about what you liked and disliked about your old job and what you'd like your new job to be. If anyone asks about your future plans, simply say, 'I'm considering a range of options and have decided not to make any firm decisions until the 30th of March'.

Plan an adventure.
If you know your first day of unemployment is, say, the 30th March then plan a trip, or something you don’t normally do, beginning the next day. It'll give you something to look forward to and help you to slip easily from your old working routine into your new life. I know one clever friend who planned a sailing trip, starting the day after his redundancy began. He was the envy of everyone else who got made redundant. If you have children and can't just take off, consider a special weekend away with the family to help put things in perspective.

Remember that unemployment is cool.
All the best people have faced redundancy, or a business failure, or a desire to chuck in their jobs and try something else. You've simply joined an ever-shifting crowd that includes thousands of intelligent people. Look on your new situation as a golden opportunity, which will open doors for you that you can't even imagine. Enjoy the ride!