For finance professionals, it's "deja-vu all over again," says Linda Stewart (inset), chief executive officer and founder of executive consultancy EPOCH.

The financial crisis's impact on the job market might resemble what happened in the early 90's, when the Bank of New England, among others, also failed, she says. During that time, many in financial services lost their jobs, forcing workers to reinvent themselves and their careers.

Here are eight steps from Stewart 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.