Laid Off Land

2010-02-09T15:42:00.001-05:00

Don't Laugh -- Or Do This During a Job Interview

2009-09-29T11:30:00.003-04:00

Here are the top ten gaffes job candidates actually committed last year, according to CNN/CareerBuilder's latest annual survey of interview mistakes:

• Candidate answered cell phone and asked the interviewer to leave her own office because it was a "private" conversation.

• Applicant told the interviewer he wouldn't be able to stay with the job long because he thought he might get an inheritance if his uncle died - and his uncle wasn't "looking too good."

• The job seeker asked the interviewer for a ride home after the interview.

• The applicant smelled his armpits on the way to the interview room.

• Candidate said she could not provide a writing sample because all of her writing had been for the CIA and it was "classified."

• Candidate told the interviewer he was fired for beating up his last boss.

• When the applicant was offered food before the interview, he declined saying he didn't want to line his stomach with grease before going out drinking.

• An applicant said she was a "people person" not a "numbers person" -- in her interview for an accounting position.

• During a phone interview the candidate flushed the toilet while talking to hiring manager.

• The applicant took out a hair brush and brushed her hair.

Read the full article

How to Talk About Your Layoff

2009-08-27T01:06:00.004-04:00

Learn how and why to talk about being laid off in this article from the Silicon Valley Insider. READ MORE

Nine Layoff Free Companies

2009-08-27T01:00:00.001-04:00

Meet nine companies that have never laid off a worker and have made the commitment to never do so. READ MORE

One Layoff Leads to A Unique Opportunity

2009-08-27T00:51:00.002-04:00

From the Sacramento Bee, an article about how getting laid off provided a new opportunity for one woman. READ MORE

Even in ThisJob Market, You Can Still Stand Out

2009-02-21T09:57:00.003-05:00

Multiple, specific tips you may not have thought of on increasing your odds of getting hired, from Boston.com. Read more

Job Hunt Tip: Managing Your Online Reputation

2009-02-21T09:16:00.002-05:00

According to USAToday, "as millions seek new jobs to replace positions lost in the recession, keep in mind that the Internet gives employers unprecedented access to information about you." This piece details specific tips for uncovering, defending and managing your online reputation. Read more

Coupons Making Comeback in Bad Economy

2009-02-21T08:52:00.002-05:00

Newsday details how coupon clipping, newly popular again, can save more than 10 percent on purchases. Read more

Health Insurance Tip: Cheaper COBRA Isn't Always Best

2009-02-21T08:46:00.002-05:00

As reported in TheStreet, for workers laid off between Sept. 1, 2008 and Dec. 31, 2009, the new stimulus bill offers a 65% subsidy for the cost of coverage under COBRA, the law that lets workers keep paying for health coverage under their previous employer's policy.

But while the subsidy makes COBRA more affordable, it doesn't necessarily make it your best health insurance option. Read more

How the Stimulus Helps Laid-Off Workers

2009-02-21T08:39:00.002-05:00

Heard about these provisions in the stimulus bill for the recently unemployed? There's help with health-insurance bills, as well as bigger and longer unemployment benefits. Read more.

Extreme Job Hunting Tactics: Sending Meals, Wearing Sandwich Boards

2009-01-17T11:44:00.002-05:00

Call it "Job Hunters Gone Wild." From Oklahoma, a story about the extreme tactics being taken, such as sending breakfast every morning to a recruiter. READ MORE

8 Job Hunt Tips from Greenwich, CT Exec. Talent Agent

2009-01-17T11:34:00.003-05:00

Executive talent agent Debra Feldman offers 8 tips for successful professionals suddenly thrust into LaidOffLand. One: Differentiate and specialize . Trying to be something to everyone often results in being nothing to anyone. Illustrate your capabilities with examples of concrete solutions. READ MORE

Job Hunting Tips For Those Seeking IT and Other Contract Jobs

2009-01-16T21:32:00.002-05:00

From ITWorld.com, four thought-provoking job hunting tips applicable to IT contract jobs, as well as other kinds. READ MORE

Starbucks Becomes LaidOffLand Central

2009-01-16T19:21:00.002-05:00

LOLers nationwide are turning Starbucks into de facto unemployment offices, enjoy java with their job hunts. READ MORE

The Best Job in the World. Seriously.

2009-01-16T13:48:00.005-05:00

Forget networking. How about working with nets ... and fish, coral reefs and sunshine? Eleven candidates for the job of caretaker of the Islands of the Great Barrier Reef, in Australia, will be flown to Queensland for interviews. You have until February 22nd to apply. islandreefjob.com

Laid Off Employee Sends Hoax E-mail

2009-01-16T13:34:00.002-05:00

File this one under things not to do when you'd like to network your way out of LaidOffLand: scam the CEO of your former employer. READ MORE

NY Mayor Offers New Biz Incentives to Members of LaidOffLand

2009-01-16T13:21:00.003-05:00

New York's Mayor Michael Bloomberg today unveiled a plan to offer $30 million of federal incentives for LOLers to open new financial firms. READ MORE

A Recruiter's Tips on Making A Great First Impression While Job Hunting

2009-01-07T18:35:00.005-05:00

A Q & A with a recruiter and co-author of "Guerrila Marketing for Job Hunters" spells out to make a great first impression while you're job hunting. READ MORE

High-End Help for Job Hunters: Does It Pay?

2009-01-07T18:29:00.003-05:00

The Wall Street Journal studies whether there's actual value in hiring expensive job hunters such as executive-marketing firms, executive agents and certified personal-branding strategists. READ MORE

7 Ways Laid-Off Baby Boomers Can Find Health Insurance

2009-01-06T15:40:00.003-05:00

From U.S. News & World Report, a well-researched report on strategies to help you hold out until Medicare kicks in at age 65. READ MORE

More Companies Are Cutting Labor Costs Without Layoffs

2008-12-22T21:38:00.001-05:00

The New York Times reports on how companies are toying with layoff alternatives: four-day workweeks, unpaid vacations and voluntary or enforced furloughs, along with wage freezes, pension cuts and flexible work schedules. Read more...

Laid Off at 50 - What Now?

2008-12-19T13:47:00.003-05:00

From CNNMoney.com, a feature about the unique challenges of getting laid off after 50. Read more...

Staying Afloat After a Layoff: 3 Do's and 3 Don'ts from SmartMoney

2008-12-19T13:40:00.003-05:00

If that trusty emergency fund — meant precisely for the kind of unexpected loss of income brought on by a layoff — isn't very well-endowed (or is, perhaps, nonexistent), here are some things you should do to stay afloat while awaiting your next job. Read more...

Laid off? Make your job search a business plan

2008-12-18T13:15:00.000-05:00

From the Boston Globe, read these eight steps from an executive consultant on how to get through the loss of a job because of the downturn, based on working with those who came out of a similar situation and are thriving today. Read more...

Survive Your Lay Off

2008-12-17T21:23:00.000-05:00

NEW YORK (AP) — More than half a million people lost their jobs in November, and the layoff announcements keep coming from companies in almost every industry.

If you're one of the unlucky many who recently learned you'll be out of work — or you fear a pink slip soon — there are things you can do to put yourself in the best financial position through the layoff.

The first step comes as soon as you learn the news. You'll want to talk with your human resources department about any severance package and your benefits. This includes asking about pay for unused vacation days and sick time. Read more...

Layoff Survivors Not Too Happy

2008-12-17T20:02:00.000-05:00

A new study finds that employees who survive mass layoffs are not working as hard as they used to work.

Seventy-four percent of employees who survived a corporate layoff say their own productivity has dipped since the cuts occurred, according to a survey by Leadership IQ.

And 69 percent say the quality of their company’s product or service has dropped since the layoffs. Read more...