Sudden job loss can be difficult and stressful—to both the person let go and his or her family as well. In Upsizing in a Downsizing World, author Jeannette Chau describes her personal journey from job loss to employment, providing useful job search advice she learned along the way.
Upsizing in a Downsizing World follows the entire process, from the moment of downsizing to landing a job again. Chau describes her experiences and discusses the important lessons she learned, including
- • telling family;
- • handling the job loss emotionally;
- • dealing with finances;
- • putting out a resume;
- • utilizing networking;
- • creating a personal brand;
- • employing social media;
- • learning the art of interviewing;
- • changing careers;
- • going back to school;
- • maintaining perseverance.
Chau provides a thoughtful look at the many tools, choices, and opportunities available to one after experiencing job loss, and she gives encouragement and empathy to those who face the same situation.
DOWNSIZED. RESTRUCTURED. RE-ENGINEERED. LAID OFF. What words these are. These words are designed to make it seem less nasty, that it was just business. These words really mean you have been let go from the company, and you don’t have a job anymore. It happened to me. I didn’t think it would. Oh, I knew the possibilities were there. I had survived numerous downsizings at my company before, both large, companywide significant ones and smaller, departmental ones. Always, it was someone else. I was valuable, or so I thought, so if they had to let someone go, it wouldn’t be me.
JEANNETTE CHAU is a baby boomer who was downsized after almost twenty years with a company and who learned to cope and grow through the experience. She is a multi-talented wife, mother, and professional who juggles her time between work and family; she currently resides in Ontario, Canada.