What to do when things break down

Things will break, you know! And when you are in job search mode or unemployed, this is exactly when you don’t want things to fail.

My latest challenge

My new Samsung laptop is barely three months old and it decided to not work starting yesterday. My Technical support expert will be here around 1:30pm and I have gotten the HP laptop to work so I can stay connected and get some of my other work done. I was just starting to feel like I was sailing along on a smoother sea lately when this meltdown happened.

Storms happen, the unexpected happens, and almost always when you aren’t ready. You can, however, start a plan so you are ready for the next challenge.

Financial readiness

The past five years have been hard on everyone but here are a few tips to help you ready yourself for the next storm that needs funding.

• If you don’t have a savings account, start one. Financial experts tell you to at least have $1000 in a savings as your emergency fund. I used to figure that I couldn’t do this but now I make it a priority. If something happens, I borrow and then repay.
• Stop using credit cards.
• Develop a pay down plan and attack your debt. Since I started focusing on a debt-free future, I have made real headway. It will take some time yet but it is working. It means saying no to many things.

When You have a Technology Break down

I never used to have problems but I was never exposed to so many potential issues. Malware can sneak in from so many fronts and I am out there every day. What can you do?

• Find a reliable tech support expert you can trust when your computer breaks. I have always been blessed with people who came to the home office. Taking a computer out of the office for even three days is a business interruption I can’t afford.
• If you are in business or use your computer on a daily basis, when you get your next computer, keep the old one around. My old one is not quite three years old but I was really happy to see it load with all my familiar sites today. Or have two available, just in case.
• Use an online back-up or an external hard drive. I have used Carbonite since 2010. It already was used when the former laptop needed a reformat. Computers are with us to stay and you want to make sure your data stays safe and that means regular back-ups.

Preparing for Job Loss or Career Change

You may never have to face a job break down but you will feel better if you have planned ahead.

• Write your resume. Hire a professional resume writer to work with you so your resume is cutting-edge and details your best accomplishments.
• Familiarize yourself with job search strategies. Many people come to me in a panic because they didn’t realize how different job search is than five years ago. Hint: you really need access to a computer and email to conduct a successful job search.
• Explore tools like LinkedIn and social media. Make sure your profiles depict the person you want another employer to see.

For you to have peace of mind, you need to plan ahead, save, and perhaps spend a little in prevention to keep things safe.

Julie Walraven’s unique LIVE writing and coaching process can help you achieve results through the Design Resumes personalized job search and resume writing  strategy that takes the mystery out of the process. To find out how, simply click here!