Take a deep breath - don’t panic!
You can make it through this. There is help!
Listed below are some ideas on what to do now:
File for unemployment insurance benefits. If you lost your job
through no fault of your own, you may be eligible for unemployment
benefits. Benefits usually last for up to 26 weeks, but with high
unemployment benefits may possibly extended.
A more information is provided on a different page in this resource.
Compose yourself. Grieve briefly; embrace your family, friends and faith. Dust yourself off so you can move on with a positive outlook.
Set emotions aside and maintain a calm and professional demeanor with
your employer. Seek a positive referral letter as part of your
separation. Find out what options and benefits and assistance are
available through your former employer.
Get organized. Clear some work space at home and create files to help keep track of your finances, benefits and job hunting materials.
Get Help! Do
not go through job loss and the transition of finding new work alone.
There are lots of resources - many free to help you cope with
unemployment and to help you seek a new job.
* JAM - The Church at Battlecreek Job Assistance Ministry
* Workforce Oklahoma
Watch Your Money! Gather
recent bills and receipts and look at your bank accounts to sort out
where your money has been going. Keep track of your spending. Several
worksheets have been included to help you find out where you are
financially.
* Balance Sheet
* Spending Plan
* Creditor List
If your drop in income jeopardizes your ability to keep up with debts, consider contacting your creditors. Consider contacting:
* Crown Ministries at TCABC for a money map - 918-355-3699
* Christian Credit Counseling Service - 918-492-5585
Preserve Your Retirement Savings. Fight the temptation to fund your layoff with your pension or 401(k).
Take care of your health. Use your job loss as a motivation to establish a healthier lifestyle.
If you lost your medical insurance with your job, see if you can get
coverage through your spouse’s employment or Cobra if you have existing
health problems.
The State of Oklahoma has Insure Oklahoma that is available to those
who are drawing unemployment benefits. Visit www.insureoklahoma.org or
call 1-888-365-3742.
Represent yourself. A good place to begin in your job search is to reflect on and articulate what you have already accomplished.
Get ready for job hunting by creating a resume as well as a “personal
commercial”, a brief pitch that you could make for yourself if you
happen to meet a hiring manager in a networking environment. You have to
sell yourself as a job prospect in 2 minutes or less.
* Personal Commercial worksheet is enclosed
Network
The best way to find a job is through personal connections - if not
someone you already know, then someone who knows someone you know.
Exchange information on job leads and contacts. Circulate yourself as a
job prospect and see how you can help others.
* Socialize, Volunteer, Attend events and networking groups
* Get involved!
Connect or Reconnect to God…
The benefit of having some time on your hands is doing what we put off
doing when things are going on normally. Stop see where you are with God
- Start reading your Bible - Start a quite time every morning - praying
for your family, your needs and where you need to go from here… God can
use this for good in your life.
* Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren
* One Year Bible
* How to Have a Quite Time (enclosed)
——————————————————————–
Unemployment: How do I apply?
You can file an unemployment claim by phone or on-line.
- To be eligible for unemployment you have to be unemployed through no fault of your own.
- Normally, unemployment benefits last up to 26 weeks in any 12-month period.
- Benefits are paid in the form of direct account deposits or debit cards. Paper checks are no longer issued. Those choosing a debit card should expect to wait at least 7 to 10 days for delivery.
- To file an unemployment claim by phone, call 1-800-555-1554
- To file an unemployment claim on-line, go to www.unemployment.ok.gov
- An unemployment application claim includes:
- Name
- Mailing address
- Residence address (if different)
- Telephone number
- Social Security number
- Work history for the past 18 months. Work
history includes the names, mailing addresses, telephone numbers, and
dates of employment for all of your employers for the last 18 months.
- If you are not a U.S. citizen, you will need your alien registration number or Visa number.
www.workforceok.org
Workforce Oklahoma
is the generic term for the workforce development system where business
leaders, educators and employment professionals are working together to
achieve job growth, employee productivity and employer satisfaction.
Within this system is a network of statewide offices where employment,
education and training providers are integrating services to assist
customers in finding jobs and qualified workers, making career decisions
and accessing training opportunities. Please see their website or call (918) 796-1200 for additional information.
————————————————————————-
Services to help you!
- Dial 2-1-1 Helpline for Health and Social Services Information.
- Access online resources at www.211tulsa.org
- Financial Assistance
- Housing
- Counseling
- Health Care
- Insure Oklahoma Subsidized Health Coverage
- Broken Arrow Neighbors - 918-251-7781
- Uninsured, low income, no fee
- Medical care
- Prescription assistance
- Residency requirements: Broken Arrow and Coweta areas
- Tulsa Dream Clinic - 918-660-3614
- Uninsured, low income, no fee
- Medical care
- Dental
- Good Samaritan Health Services - 918-493-7884
- Uninsured, Underinsured
- Medical care
- Morton Comprehensive Health Services, Inc. - 918-295-6102
- Uninsured, Underinsured
- Medical care
- Neighbors Along The Line - 918-584-1111
- Uninsured, Underinsured
- Medical care
- Mental health
- Prescriptions
- Other services
- Xavier Medical Clinic - 918-583-7233
Uncommon $ense: 10 Tips When You Suddenly Find Yourself out of Work
Because there is nothing more uncommon than common sense. - Will Rogers
1.
Remember that God is your source; not your employer or your stock
broker. Everything in the heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O Lord is
the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come
from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength
and power to exalt and give strength to all. (1 Chronicles 29:11-12)
2.
Seek counsel regarding your career and finances. You may be tempted to
withdraw or isolate yourself during this time either because of
embarrassment or depression. Make sure that you stay connected to other
believers. Consider enrolling in a Christian financial study like
Financial Peace University or Crown Financial Ministries Life Group
Study. They way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man is he
that listens to counsel. (Proverbs 12:15)
3.
Assess your current financial situation. Complete a personal financial
statement or a balance sheet (list of what you own & what you owe).
Living in denial will only make the situation worse. In order to get
where you want to go, you first have to know where you are. Be sure you
know the condition of your flocks; give attention to your herds. (
Proverbs 27:23)
4.
If you don’t already have a monthly budget, sit down with your spouse
and prepare one. You must know both your sources and uses of cash flow.
Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down
and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it?
(Luke 14:28)
5.
If you do not already, track your spending so you know how well your
actual cash flow matches up with your budget. It is almost guaranteed
that if you are not tracking your spending, you are spending more than
you think. You can use pencil and paper or free online services like
www.Mint.com
6.
Dream big & live small. It is good to have big plans. But until you
can increase your income, you will have to adjust your standard of
living downward to fit your budget. I have learned to be content
whatever the circumstances. I have learned the secret of being content
in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living
in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me
strength. (Phil 4:11-13)
7.
Do not use credit cards or other forms of debt as a means to live above
your current cash flow. Just as the rich rule over the poor, so the
borrower is servant to the lender. (Proverbs 22:7)
8.
If you are unable to pay the monthly minimum amounts on your current
debt, you may want to meet with a Crown Money Map Coach or contact
Christian Credit Counseling http://www.christiancreditcounsel.com/ .
Many times an extended payment schedule or lower settlement payment can
be negotiated with creditors. The key is that you must have a plan and
communicate that plan to your creditors. The wicked borrow and do not
repay. (Psalm 37:21)
9.
Don’t be too proud to work temporarily at a job that pays less or you
might consider to have less prestige than your previous position. Don’t
be too proud to accept help from friends. You may be denying your others
an opportunity to minister to you. When pride comes, then comes
disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. (Proverbs 11:2)
10.
Sell excess stuff. Most people accumulate much more stuff and more
expensive stuff than we really need. Have a garage sale or put your
excess stuff on eBay. If you can’t pay your bills, you don’t need a
$30,000 car; you need a $3,000 car until your financial situation
changes. Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth
and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. (Matt 6:19)
Bonus Tip
Don’t worry. God has a plan and it’s a good one. Therefore I tell
you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about
your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and
the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air;
they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly
Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you
by worrying can add a single hour to his life? (Matt 6:25-27)
——————————
Career Point Institute 918-622-4410 Business, Medical, Technical, Computers
Community Care College 918-610-0027 Dental, Medical, Veterinary, Business
Platt College 918-663-9000 Nursing, Medical, Dental, Pharmacy
Wright Business School 918-628-7700 Computer, Medical, Business
OSU Tulsa 918-594-8000
ORU 918-495-6161
TU 918-631-2000
Rogers State 918-343-7777
St. Gregory’s 918-610-8888
Spartan School of Aeronautics 918-836-686
Tulsa Community College 918-595-7000
Tulsa Technology Center 918-828-5000
OU College of Allied Health 918-660-3255
OU College of Pharmacy 918-660-3570
American Broadcasting School 918-293-9100
American Institute of Medical Technology 918-496-0800
American Truck Training 918-834-6221
Victory Bible Institute 918-491-7600
Vatterot Colleges 877-468-3129 Computers, Web Design, HVAC, Electrical, Medical
WTI 918-292-8166 HVAC, Refrigeration
Tulsa Welding School 800-Weld-Pro Welding (7 months course)
Brown Mackie 918-628-3700 Business, Medical, Legal, Criminal Justice
———————–
Web sites for veterans:
www.vetjobs.com/
www.va.gov/JOBS/
www.nationalveteransfoundation.org
www.HireAHero.org
www.HelmetsToHardhats.org
www.veteranemployment.com/
www.arinc.com
www.jobcentral.com/vetcentral/
www.MilitaryHire.com
www.jobs4vets.com/
www.veteransgreenjobs.org/
http://jobsearch.usajobs.gov/veteranscenter/
www.usveteransjobs.com/
www.opm.gov/Veterans
www.recruitmilitary.com/candidates/veteran-jobs/
www.idealmilitaryhire.com/
http://www.job-hunt.org/veterans-job-search/veterans-affairs-jobs-resources.shtml
www.hirepatriots.com/
https://www.m4l.usmc.mil/
http://www.linkedin.com
http://www.tacom.army.mil/main/warren.html