Fear of unemployment can be a good motivator

Being laid off is stressful, but there are resources available if it happens. (Ric Francis/associated press)

Q. I work for one of the investment companies in town and I am just waiting for the shoe to drop. I am sure there will be a huge layoff. We lost tons in the mortgage crisis. I am sure my job is in jeopardy. I am paralyzed. I don't know what to do if I do get laid off. I have an apartment that I love, student loans, and bills, bills, bills. Help. I am overwhelmed.

A. It is scary, I know, but it is important not to panic. See if there isn't someone at work who will be square with you and tell you what he or she knows to date. One of management's misconceptions is that no news is good news, but I think people want to know what is happening. Communicating what you know is helpful, even if it isn't much. Otherwise, the rumor mill works overtime, and the company may lose some great people because they think the worst.

Understand that if you are laid off, you will be eligible for unemployment insurance. The amount of your benefits and the number of weeks you can collect is based on your earnings during the 15 months prior to filing your claim, and the current maximum benefit amount is $600 a week. There is also a $25 dependency allowance for each child who meets legal requirements. This may not be as much money as you are currently making, but it will help you keep up with some of your financial obligations.

Linnea Walsh, communications director at the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, added, "Readers may be interested to know that on Monday, June 30, Congress passed a program allowing states to extend unemployment insurance benefits. Governor Deval Patrick has taken action to make this extension effective immediately in Massachusetts. This means . . . individuals will be able to collect up to 26 weeks of regular benefits and up to 13 weeks of extended benefits for a maximum total of 39 weeks. However, individuals who have collected more than 26 weeks of benefits prior to the start of the extended benefits program may also be eligible for up to 13 weeks of extended benefits."

Today, signing up for unemployment insurance is fast and painless, so you will have money coming in fairly quickly. You may also be eligible for some severance pay.

There are things you can do now that will make you feel better. For example, if you don't even have your current job on your resume, it is time to tweak it. Think about your major accomplishments on the job. Get them down while things are still fresh.

Think about who you would use as references. The ideal situation is to have a pool of people you can use as references depending on the particular job. Think of at least one previous boss who you could use as a reference. Customers make good references. Subordinates make good references as well, especially if you want a management job.

Most important, if you haven't started an emergency fund, start stashing away part of your salary in to a money market account that is earning more interest than your checking accountThe more you can put into your emergency account, the better you will feel that you can handle any emergency that comes up.

I do not want to downplay a layoff. It is a very stressful time. However, if you are proactive now, you can do much to prepare for the worst. Know that there are resources available to you as well. Be sure you locate the closest One-Stop Career Center in your community. These One-Stop Centers give universal access to all job seekers and have many resources available such as labor market information, job openings, counselors to assist you, and job search workshops. (Go to mass.gov. Click on For Residents. Click on Jobs & Unemployment. Click on Find Unemployment Offices and Career Centers under Online Services.)

A. I wish you had mentioned if this is the job you and he accepted or whether this job evolved as this product was rolled out to the company.

In the first situation, your colleague and you accepted the job knowing there were late hours involved. In the second scenario, neither of you signed on for this job initially but have agreed to support it. In either case, you should have created a schedule that was fair to both of you and stuck to it. Having a family is not the issue.

I suggest that you set up a meeting with your colleague and say this schedule is creating havoc with your life and that you are hoping that he would be willing to split the evenings with you. That way, no one is overtaxed.

If he is unwilling to do this, I would speak to human resources to see if they can negotiate a solution. If this does not work, or if your colleague is unwilling to negotiate with you, I would go to your boss and let her or him work something out. Clearly, you are getting the short end of the deal.

A. There is no wrong or right here. Understand that even if your parents did set you up with an information interview, it is you who has to sell yourself to the interviewer. In most cases, the contact will only get you an interview, rarely the job. Frankly in this job market, I would be happy to use any contact I could to get an interview.

Go in to each interview prepared, research the company's products and services, search the company's job postings for a job that you are interested in and one that you could do, and walk in with some appropriate and thoughtful questions. Have that one-minute "Tell Me About Yourself" presentation well rehearsed. Never assume you will be hired. The contact will only get you an interview, the rest is really up to you.

A. You are not alone. There are plenty of people in your situation. I would ask one of your kids to help you find the closest One-Stop Career Center in your community. They can find this on the Internet under mass.gov. Go in and ask to speak to one of their counselors. They will try to connect you with an appropriate trainer. You may have to pay for the training yourself since you will not qualify for one of the Workforce Investment Training vouchers that are given out to people who have recently lost their jobs. However, it is possible that the training vendor has some scholarship money and may be willing to give you a scholarship so that you can get retrained.

Joan Cirillo is the executive director of Operation A.B.L.E., a nonprofit that provides employment and training opportunities to mature workers 45 and older.