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The importance of bonding with and supporting others in the same boat ? even if it’s Just an impromptu game of touch football at lunch with other Job seekers at the center ? is something he learns to appreciate. For more on using your friends and network to find a Job, read: Staying Healthy Through Troubled Times Job Hunting and Networking for Introverted Job Seekers Be honest with yourself Bobby is initially in a daze of denial about the reality of ongoing car payments, the mortgage, daily expenses and credit card bills.
He continues to play golf at his country club and clings to a lifestyle he can no longer afford. “l need to look successful,” he tells his wife (Rosemary DeWitt). “L can’t Just look like another a-hole with a resume! To which she replies: Mimi are another a-hole with a resume! ” Don’t pretend nothing has changed for you when the world around you has. The realities of your Job predicament and its financial consequences need to be faced and, while they may be scary, it is better to confront them head-on ? and earlier rather than when it’s too late.
For more on the mental health affects of unemployment, read: Stop Job Loss from Stealing Your Confidence and Your Identity Job Search Anxiety: Warning Signs Emotional Stages of a Job Loss Be honest with family and friends Ashamed, Bobby instructs his wife not to tell family or friends that he is out of work ND looking for a new position. “l don’t want to tell anybody until I get another Job,” he says. The wife of Chris Cooper’s character, Phil, makes him leave the house in a suit with a briefcase every morning to convince the neighbors nothing is amiss.
Networking is one of the most successful ways to find a new Job. Friends, family and neighbors know your background and skills and should be among the first people you approach for Job leads. Bobby also avoids telling his children what has happened. As a result, his young son’s confusion grows and leaves him with the misconception that his parents’ marriage is failing. Children old enough to understand the consequences of Job loss should be told so they can process the changes in their lifestyle that may follow. For more on family life during the Job search, read: Should You Tell the Kids You Lost Your Job?
Holding Hands Through Layoff Season Two Layoffs, One Family: When a Household Is Out of Work Don’t mistake pride and arrogance for confidence Bobby has a very positive Job interview for a Northeast regional sales manager position and is devastated when he calls back to find that the position has been filled. His last paycheck arrives. The Propose is repossessed and he moves his family in with his wife’s parents. But he continues to refuse help from his brother-in-law (Kevin Costner) who offers him part-time work at his small construction business.
In order to make ends meet, Bobby eventually swallows his pride and accepts the carpentry Job. Taking on menial labor or temporary work that pays the bills while you continue to search for a Job that meets your skill set has become a reality for many job seekers. For Bobby, it boosts his morale and is a way for him to reconnect with family while also allowing him to reassess his desire to work in sales. For others, an interim Job can help expand your network of contacts and improve your skills.
For more on making ends meet, read: A Move Down the Job Ladder Might Give You a Leg Up Career Advice from Outlanders The best employers and recruiters in the country for you I can tell you when the recruiter has read your resume Employers hiring for August 2014 When you look in the mirror, I smile Never burn bridges Shortly after losing his Job, Gene (Tommy Lee Jones) “calls in markers” for Bobby. They meet for lunch but, angry that his former boss couldn’t save his Job, Bobby snatches way the list of contacts ? and storms out of the restaurant.
Later, Bobby is kept waiting for a Job interview, and when he is offered less than half his former salary, he explodes at the HER manager, effectively ending any future cooperation. The temptation to vent your frustration may often seem overwhelming but the temporary satisfaction gained from telling off someone can never outweigh the fact that the person sitting opposite you may be able to help you sometime in the future. It’s better to build your network and remain gracious and grateful for someone’s time than burn any bridges.
For more on the protecting your reputation and your network, read: How to Leave Your Job with Grace How to Write an Effective Resignation Letter Rediscover and reinvent yourself Phil (Cooper) also ends up at the Job placement center with Bobby. He takes the advice of the Job counselor to remove references to his military service in Vietnam from his resume as they belie his age. Upon her recommendation, he also spruces up his image and tries to make himself appear more youthful. But Phil remains isolated from the others. He locks himself away in his private office at the center and eventually stops trying to look for work.
He cannot see a way forward to reinvent himself or his career. Gene loses his Job too. Around the same age as Phil, Gene is, by contrast, able to reconnect with what motivated him to enter the shipping business in the first place and rediscover his passion for entrepreneurship. Unemployment sometimes presents the gift of freedom, allowing you the time to reassess your priorities and to find a new career path and direction in life. For more on reinventing yourself and changing careers, read: Bridge Over Troubled Industries Karl Rosemary is a general assignment reporter for Outlanders.