We want to hear from you on this one.  Personally I, Garrett, am changing fields into the digital world, but not necessarily industries, most likely building off of my experience in entertainment.  My counterpart Jose however, is looking to stay in asset management - loved his job and would like to continue his path in finance.  Are you taking this downsized situation to make a career change? Join the discussion and let us know below! Click the post title to see all of the answers/Tumblr notes.

If you’re like me, the journey you’ve taken following your termination involves as many distinct emotions as Elizabeth Kübler-Ross’ famous five stages of grief in death and dying.  Kübler-Ross classified the stages in the cycle as denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.  I’m not exactly sure that I understand the bargaining phase and how it might relate to the loss of a job and not a person, but I experienced the four other emotions in spades.  The depression bit, unfortunately, lasted the longest.

Luckily, in dealing with unemployment unlike death, there are still major feelings to go through after acceptance.  You know that you have to start looking for another job and that in this economy it will probably take a quite a few months, but you are also seized by the desire to do something utterly fantastic that you most likely wouldn’t have done while gainfully employed.  Helpful friends and relatives tell you that you will regret spending this time focusing only on your job search, and that this can be a wonderful period of self-exploration and adventure.  Perhaps getting laid off will be the best thing ever to happen to you! You wrack your brain trying to remember what your true destiny was supposed to be, while all around you your unemployed friends and former colleagues seem to be doing amazing things with their now free schedules.  You go from envying your still employed friends and their steady paychecks (and they keep telling you that they are miserable anyway) to wondering why you can’t take advantage of your liberation in the same way your seemingly flourishing 405er friends are.  What should this stage be called?

Continue Reading “The Best Things I’ve Done While Unemployed” by Janet Raiffa —>

To catch up on our featured series “Janet Raiffa’s Recessionals” click here or on the link on the left sidebar.

If you’re like me, the journey you’ve taken following your termination involves as many distinct emotions as Elizabeth Kübler-Ross’ famous five stages of grief in death and dying.  Kübler-Ross classified the stages in the cycle as denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.  I’m not exactly sure that I understand the bargaining phase and how it might relate to the loss of a job and not a person, but I experienced the four other emotions in spades.  The depression bit, unfortunately, lasted the longest.

Luckily, in dealing with unemployment unlike death, there are still major feelings to go through after acceptance.  You know that you have to start looking for another job and that in this economy it will probably take a quite a few months, but you are also seized by the desire to do something utterly fantastic that you most likely wouldn’t have done while gainfully employed.  Helpful friends and relatives tell you that you will regret spending this time focusing only on your job search, and that this can be a wonderful period of self-exploration and adventure.  Perhaps getting laid off will be the best thing ever to happen to you! You wrack your brain trying to remember what your true destiny was supposed to be, while all around you your unemployed friends and former colleagues seem to be doing amazing things with their now free schedules.  You go from envying your still employed friends and their steady paychecks (and they keep telling you that they are miserable anyway) to wondering why you can’t take advantage of your liberation in the same way your seemingly flourishing 405er friends are.  What should this stage be called?

A few weeks back we asked you to write in with the best things you’ve done while unemployed.  Having spent nine years at an investment bank prior to moving to a law firm, I’m in the fortunate (in that I like having company) or unfortunate position of having a large number of former colleagues who were laid off or otherwise displaced in 2008. To assess my progress in using my extended vacation from employment productively, I reached out to a group of Goldman Sachs alumni from New York, London, and Japan to describe their “best things.” All of them have taken advantage of their time off to make positive changes in their lives.  Here are their responses to the question of the best things they did, or are doing, while unemployed.

Candy*(US):

Went to the gym six times a week and lost seven pounds, tried yoga, spent quality time with friends and family, made a huge life change by moving to DC from NY and starting fresh.

Candy was unemployed for 4.5 months.  She recently made the transition from corporate recruiting to university career services, and started an academic position in Washington, DC.

Desi (US):

Spent three weeks in the United Arab Emirates, passed the Level 1 CFA exam, got divorced.

Desi, a banker, was unemployed from July 2008 through February, 2009.  He is now working for a boutique merchant banking firm.

Jen (US): Spent a month in Dubai visiting friends and looking for opportunities there, went to Mexico to celebrate New Year’s Eve, visited Italy and London

Jen’s travels have slowed down considerably since 2004-2005 when she spent a year between jobs and visited 25 different countries.  She is currently interviewing between trips.

Kaori (Asia): Caught up on 10 years of sleep, took classes to get a Career Development Adviser License, joined facebook and caught up with friends I haven’t spoken with in years.

Kaori lives in Japan, and has been studying, translating for a rugby team, and job hunting since leaving her full-time position in November of 2008.

Ros (Europe): Trained for the Edinburgh marathon, started work on a business plan for Edinburgh’s first private karaoke bar, moved from London to Edinburgh.

Ros is beginning a new job in Scotland.  Although I’ve had former colleagues change cities for a new job, she is the first I’ve seen who has moved to a new country.

Scott (US): Travelled to four continents (Asia, Australia, South America, Africa), visited 14 countries and did a three week West Coast road trip.

While looking for a full-time job Scott has done some substitute teaching and consulting.

Steffen (Asia): Studying intensive Japanese and spending more time with my son.

Steffen, an American living in Japan, is job hunting.

*Not her real name, but she’s as sweet as the pseudonym suggests.

-By Janet Raiffa, Contributing Writer, Member & Recruiting Manager

Read all of “Janet Raiffa’s Recessionals” here.

Tell us the best thing you’ve done since unemployed in our Ning forum.