Helping a friend through job loss

The news on the job front isn’t good. The Washington Post reported this morning that the unemployment rate rose to a 15-year high – tough news for those employed at some of the organizations that announced layoffs this week. Many folks wonder what to say or do when someone they know has lost their job. When my friend Mark was laid off a few months ago, he didn’t wait for others to ask; he immediately sent everyone in his network an e-mail and was very specific in how others could help. Here’s what he said:

Dear Alex,

As you know, I’m a contract employee at the Deputy Mayor's Office and my contract will end in August. I am not a D.C. resident and, therefore, don’t meet the residency requirements of the position. For this reason, my contract will not be renewed and I’m
now looking for a job.

If you have any leads on employment opportunities that may be a good fit for me or, if you could help me network within the education policy arena, I would really appreciate it. I am attaching my resume and I encourage you to pass it along.

Thanks,
Mark

Mark got the help he requested and found a new job through a connection he made as president of his neighborhood association. Whether he approached guys from his neighborhood pool, fathers of his kids’ play groups, or neighbors he worked with on the citizen’s association, people were responsive. Mark shared some of the helpful things people did so others might learn how best to lend a hand:

1. One friend updated his resume.
2. Acquaintances and good friends forwarded his resume to their HR departments.
3. Colleagues recommended him to their previous or current organizations.