I’m Done!

By Robert P. Poindexter

Job loss is a devastating time in anyone’s life–even if you hate the job; even if you had started making plans to leave the job long before you finally did; even if you chose to leave of your own volition. While few things can match the feeling of telling a boss you are not entirely fond of to shove his job where the sun don’t shine, by the time you make the drive home a harsh reality will have set in.

You are among the unemployed!!!

Sure, you have a little money in the bank. Your spouse has a job that will handle the household bills for awhile, and you’ve been wanting to spend a little extra time at the park. But that check you depended on is not going to be getting deposited anymore, and whatever you have is all you have.

Your work friends said they would stay in touch as you walked out the door. But, will they really? You’ve hardly pulled into the driveway, and you are already missing the free coffee and donuts.

“What now?” you ask yourself. “What will become of me? I can’t live on macaroni and cheese for the rest of my life. Oh, for the love of all that is good and decent, WHAT HAVE I DONE??!!!?”

Take it from one who has been there and done that, you will survive. Someone, somewhere will want you to be a part of their team. Take a deep breath, and prepare to move ahead. You are a new person. You get another chance to be happy and fulfilled. You get to reinvent yourself and become the you you couldn’t be under the iron rule of ‘old what’s his name.’

Once you’ve settled into this new life, have a coffee and make a connection with a professional resume writer. A friendly voice on the other end of the line who sincerely cares about your future aspirations will help you gain traction and get your head back in the game.

But until you’re ready to make that important step, I suggest the following recipe to help keep up your strength for the next interview:

• 1 box of macaroni and cheese (in the black and white box) prepared per the instructions.
• 1 package of the least expensive wieners available at your local food warehouse.
• Now, slice the wieners about 1-inch thick and mix them with the prepared mac n cheese.

Voila, dinner is served.