How to Cope When You've Been Laid Off

Sept. 7 -- More than 1.1 million people have been laid off so far this year. That's almost the entire population of Idaho.

And with the economy in the doldrums, that number shows no signs of slowing. So if you've been or think you're about to be laid off, the experts say it's just as important to deal with the emotional impact of this loss as the financial.

The Stages of Grieving

Losing your job may not be the end of the world, but getting laid off can have the same psychological impact on you as losing someone close to you. Many employment consultants say those who have lost their jobs experience stages of grieving similar to the ones people go through after a loved one has died.

These stages, popularized by psychologist Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, include a wave of emotions that run from shock and denial to anger, bargaining, depression and finally, acceptance. They key to weathering a layoff is not only realizing that these emotions may sprout up, but also knowing how to deal with them, say job counselors.

"People need to understand that this is an extremely emotional experience," says Damian Birkel, founder of Professionals in Transition, a nonprofit support group for job seekers based in Winston-Salem, N.C. "You need to give yourself time and space and the privacy to go through the process and look at what's happened to you to kind of adjust and recuperate."

Ideally, most employees should not hit the shock phase, but they do. Employment counselors say by realistically looking at trends in their industry, the economy and what's happening in your company, workers should be able to see the writing on the wall when it comes to layoffs.

"You should know how your company is doing and how you stack up," says Bernadette Kenny, executive vice president of global outplacement and career services at placement firm Lee Hecht and Harrison. Being excluded from meetings or ignored by management are two signs that you may be on the outs, she says.

The Angry Phase