They say you’re laid off, you say what?

What are your strategies for responding to being told that you are laid off?

Your Rant: Out of nowhere my husband was called into his boss’s office and told that he no longer had a job. You hear so much about how great the economy is, this is the last thing we ever thought would happen. Now he’s so bummed out he’s paralyzed and doesn’t know what to do.

911 Repair,

Did you know that a thousand years ago, Germans were so afraid of bears that they banned the word “bear” from their vocabulary? Kind of like what we’ve done today with “layoffs.” All we hear about these days is how strong the economy is. You’d never know that layoffs are still bulldozing their way through companies.

That’s not to make anyone worried. But just because change happens so fast these days, it’s a good idea to at least have a plan for what you’ll do if you’re ever told it’s time to move on. The tips below should help. For more, check out “Simple Money Solutions” by Nancy Lloyd (Times, 2000).

Ask for more money and benefits. Remember: their first offer isn’t necessarily their best. Don’t underestimate the power of guilt to squeeze a bit more out of your former employer. And don’t forget benefits-extended medical coverage, continued use of an office, adding extra years of service so you can qualify for a larger pension, etc. Your former company might be willing to sweeten the pot, but only if you ask.

Get a good reference before you leave. Most people think of a severance package in terms of cash and benefits. But unless you’re about to retire, don’t forget about a letter of reference. I’ve heard from a number of people who not only got great references, but whose former bosses actually let them write them!

Rehearse your referrals. Call everyone you plan to list as a reference and talk with them about what they’ll say. I don’t mean ask them to sing your praises. Tell them you’d like to discuss your strengths and weaknesses. You may gain some useful information AND you’ll guarantee that all your references are bullish on you. And don’t forget to keep them posted on your job hunt.

Avoid bad mouthing your boss. Many people who have been laid off carry a grudge against their company or their boss. Understandable. But it’s one thing to feel your pain and another to bring it up in an interview. Don’t.

Start networking. Now, I can sit around and feel sorry for myself with the best of them. But when you’ve been laid off, you need to get off your duff and start networking as quickly as possible. Contact friends, former coworkers-anyone who might have a lead on a potential job. There IS another job out there with your name on it. Let everyone you know help you find it.

Layoffs might be more than we can bear, but by following the tips above you should be able to add the word “employed” back into your vocabulary.

911 Pulse:

What are the odds that you could be laid off?

• Not a chance, 21.5%
• Greater than I’d like, 38.5%
• My resume is ready to go, 39.9%

User strategy:

The best thing that happened to my career was getting laid off. It forced me to leave dead end finance job. After taking full advantage of my ex-company’s professional resume/career consulting, I landed a job with a software company. I took my functional skills, twisted them and found a whole new world to play in. I’ve since changed jobs three times, with each job change bringing additional income (lots!), stock options and marketable job skills. One of the job changes was due to another layoff, but this time I wasn’t scared and in fact, had a new job within one hour. I’m currently working for a pre-IPO dot.com and have recruiters calling frequently. None of this would have happened if I hadn’t been laid off.