Turning a Layoff Into Lemonade

Since January, more than 1.9 million Americans have lost their jobs. About 533,000 of those jobs were lost in November alone, according to Friday's Bureau of Labor Statistics report. Last month's losses amounted to the largest single month drop since December 1974. - NEWSWEEK

clipped from www.newsweek.com Once you've decided to go for it, both she and Sedlar say that networking is essential. Ryan adds that about two-thirds of all jobs are found through networking. "Get out and meet people. Talk to your friends and former co-workers and bosses, colleagues and neighbors," she says. "Anyone who can help you make connections." Landing an internship or part-time job in your target field are good ways to gauge if you'll really like the job, says Sedlar. For those with more discretionary income, companies like Vocation Vacations let you test-drive a variety of coveted occupations—chef, event planner, bed and breakfast innkeeper, actor, etc.—for a week or so by arranging experiential working vacations in your chosen field. That way, she says, you don't sink time and money into a transition that turns out to be worse than where you started.