Layoffs can make your future look grim.  Take a positive step and look for new career strategies. If you have been caught in the cross-fire of job change and are not ready for retirement or are too young to retire, consider doing the following:

Evaluate your talents and values, be brutally honest with yourself when you do this. Remember there is no such thing as “They can’t get along without me.” The truth is the company won’t fail if you are not there. Keeping this in mind, think about your real talent and value to your work place. Talk to people you know well and those who you know well. Talk to co-worker’s and friends, ask them to be honest. You may be surprised to find out what other people think about your professional skills and what they feel your weaknesses are.  Armed with this information , hopefully, you will be able to find a good job/career match for your talents.

Update your skills. People often fail to update their job skills, particularly their technical skills. If you only learn what you need to know to get the job done you may be woefully lacking the skills to get a job elsewhere. You must be willing to spend money and/or time to upgrade your skills and knowledge. Attend company learning classes if offered. Don’t be offended if your boss suggests that you take a course on organizing, or being a good gatekeeper, it does not mean that you are doing a poor job (however, it is something to think about) It may mean that your boss sees potential for something bigger. Whatever the case, update your job skills and let higher ups know that you are doing so.

If you are still working but want to make a change, do a lot of research before saying goodbye. If a particular career appeals to you, investigate it to the fullest. Talk to people already in the field, and find out what they like and don’t like about their work. Get on the Internet and do a deep search by typing in the name of the career and move on from there. 

Make it a point to promise yourself that this time around you will enjoy your work rather than just put in hours. Do something you love, and let yourself enjoy the work.

See  Learning a New Skill