• Tame your fear, develop a plan. Panic gets you nowhere and keeps you from thinking creatively about your situation, Patricolo said. “You've got to find a way to mitigate the panic.” Put a financial plan together. Figure out what's coming in, what's going out, and where you can cut back and save money. In short, treat your transition like a business and continue to look for ways to cut costs. Begin living more simply, Mininni said. For example, bundling several services on your phone bill might help you trim costs and give you a flat, fixed rate that's easier to plan for when it's time to pay the bills.
• Be kind to yourself. Losing a job is similar to any other loss, Mininni said. “There is a separation, and it is like a death.” Expect to go through some of the same phases as you would experience with such a loss. Bereavement, denial, anger – are normal responses, she said. Honor where you are at in the process. Losing a job can be particularly difficult if your identity has been strongly tied to your career. It is helpful to remember that a lot of qualified, conscientious people get laid off. And when the timing seems right, get creative and consider having some kind of a letting-go ceremony, Mininni said. Got items with company logos still sitting around the house? Stash them in a shoebox and bury them in your backyard. Still have some negative feelings? Put pen to paper and toss your written vent into the fireplace.
• Market yourself – you're the product. “People put more planning into their vacations than they do their careers,” Patricolo said. After you've completed your skills inventory, start developing a marketing plan. Write down five or six skills that can translate into other fields of interest, and then develop materials that will highlight those unique abilities to prospective employers. “I think it's really important to look at yourself as a product that has those features and benefits,” Patricolo said. Take those features and highlight them in a brochure. And always, always keep your resume updated.
• Inventory your skills. Look back over your career and make note of the common threads, Mininni said. People often forget who they are and what they have to offer because they've spent so much time trying to align with company missions and goals. By creating a skills inventory and a career timeline, you'll start to notice some key patterns. It also is helpful to write down answers to questions like these: Who am I really? What motivates me? What comes easily to me? What do I most enjoy doing? What am I most proud of? Of the skills, that I possess, how do I do them in a way that is unique and different than others? What kind of value do my talents bring to a company?
• Hunt smart. Most job seekers gravitate toward more traditional ways of finding jobs like Monster.com and newspaper ads, Patricolo said. And while it is possible to find jobs this way, the reality is, you then become one of thousands of people looking at the same open positions. Use more traditional job search methods as part of a multifaceted approach, he said. And consider this: 70 to 75 percent of job seekers generally find positions through networking. Think about people you know in different fields who can help you brainstorm about your next career move. Don't put these people on the spot and ask them if they know of any jobs or open positions. Ask them if there are any jobs in their industry that might utilize your strengths and skills. Be sure you know how to talk about yourself and your skills in a succinct way before you begin networking. Develop a two-minute elevator speech about your background, skills, and abilities.
• Be patient. Even though Michigan's economy is in a slump, you can still find a job here, Patricolo said. The key is to be patient because “things don't happen real quickly in the employment world.” Also, continue looking for work even if you're waiting to hear results from an interview. Don't quit looking until the day you start your new job. And don't get discouraged, Patricolo said. In the past couple of years, a majority of those laid off from positions in the automotive industry have successfully moved on to other careers and positions. Fifty-five percent have matched or bettered the amount of money they made in their previous jobs. About 68 percent of those laid off from the automotive industry in the last couple of years found jobs in Michigan.

-- Written by Jenny Cromie, certified human resources specialist (CHRS)