{"id":16325,"date":"2026-08-28T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-28T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/?p=16325"},"modified":"2026-08-29T03:40:41","modified_gmt":"2026-08-29T08:40:41","slug":"you-just-lost-your-job-the-first-72-hours","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/2026\/08\/28\/you-just-lost-your-job-the-first-72-hours\/","title":{"rendered":"You Just Lost Your Job: The First 72 Hours"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One day you have a job. Then somebody calls you into an office, schedules a meeting, or gets on the phone and tells you that you don&#8217;t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Maybe you were laid off. Maybe you were fired. Maybe they called it being let go, restructuring, downsizing, eliminating your position, or something else entirely. The words matter later. Right now, the result is the same: you walked into the day employed and came out of it wondering what you&#8217;re going to do next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I&#8217;ve been there more than once. Sometimes the economy turned and people were laid off. Sometimes companies changed or bought out or had to close. Every time, I did what I thought I was supposed to do. I started looking for another job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Looking back, I wish I had approached those first days differently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If this just happened to you, I&#8217;m not going to tell you to have your life figured out by tomorrow. You probably have bills coming. You may have severance and a little breathing room, or you may have walked out with nothing but your final paycheck coming. Those are two very different situations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The first thing is to find out exactly where you stand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Before you start sending resumes everywhere<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your instinct may be to open the laptop, pull up your resume, go to LinkedIn or Indeed, and start applying. I understand that instinct because I&#8217;ve done it over and over again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Open the laptop. Look at the jobs that are out there. Pull up your resume. But don&#8217;t convince yourself that you have to solve unemployment in one afternoon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">First, read your resume as if you haven&#8217;t seen in a while. If you haven&#8217;t evaluated it in years, it may describe a person you were several years ago instead of the person you are now and your aspirations. Ask yourself what it says about you. Does it show what you actually accomplished? Does it show how your responsibilities grew? Does it tell somebody what you can do, or does it simply list where you worked?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Don&#8217;t worry about making it perfect yet. Make notes. We will come back to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Get the employment paperwork together<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Put everything you received from your employer in one place. Find out when your final pay is coming, what happens to your benefits, whether there is severance, and whether there are deadlines buried in the paperwork.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you&#8217;re given an agreement you don&#8217;t understand, don&#8217;t pretend you understand it. Read it. Ask questions. Get qualified help when you need it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Also, don&#8217;t decide for yourself that you aren&#8217;t eligible for unemployment benefits. Eligibility depends on the circumstances and the rules where you live. Check with your state&#8217;s official unemployment or workforce agency and let the agency determine whether you qualify.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Health insurance and other benefits deserve the same attention. Find the actual end date of your coverage and learn what continuation or replacement options are available to you. If you have a retirement account through work, don&#8217;t make a frightened decision with it simply because you suddenly need money. Find out what your options are first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Now look at the money<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This part can be uncomfortable, especially if there isn&#8217;t much in savings. Do it anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What money do you have right now? What money is still coming? What bills are due in the next seven days? What is due in the next thirty? Which expenses can be reduced or postponed? Which ones absolutely cannot?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You aren&#8217;t trying to create the perfect household budget for the rest of your life. You are trying to see the ground underneath your feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Be careful what you do while you&#8217;re angry<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Losing a job can make you angry. Sometimes you have every reason to be angry. But anger doesn&#8217;t need access to your keyboard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Don&#8217;t spend the evening attacking your former employer online. Don&#8217;t send the message you will wish you could retrieve tomorrow. Don&#8217;t take company information that doesn&#8217;t belong to you. Save your own legitimate records and contacts, but leave proprietary information where it belongs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You have enough to deal with. Don&#8217;t create another problem for yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A short first-72-hours check-in<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Take out a notebook, print this section, or answer these questions in a document on your laptop. Don&#8217;t overthink them. This isn&#8217;t the big career questionnaire we&#8217;ll work through later. This is simply a way to get yourself centered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>What exactly happened to my job?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What paperwork did I receive, and what questions do I still have?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How much money do I have available today?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What income, final pay, severance, or other money may still be coming?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What bills must be paid during the next seven days?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What bills are due during the next thirty days?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>When does my health coverage end?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Have I checked my state&#8217;s official unemployment or workforce agency?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>When did I last update my resume?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What is one thing I did particularly well in my last job?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What do people regularly ask me for help with?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Who are three people I can contact without feeling as though I&#8217;m asking them for a job?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What is the single most important thing I need to handle tomorrow?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That&#8217;s enough for now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What happens after the first 72 hours?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is where I wish I had done things differently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Every time I lost a job, I concentrated on finding another job. I applied and applied. When the answers didn&#8217;t come, or the answer was no, the time started wearing on me. Meanwhile, the bills didn&#8217;t stop because I was unemployed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I eventually found another job. I always did. But I didn&#8217;t spend enough of that time asking what else I could build, what else I could learn, or how I could make myself less vulnerable the next time a company or an economy changed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That&#8217;s what we&#8217;re going to do differently here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We&#8217;re going to look for work. But we&#8217;re also going to look at what you know, what you&#8217;ve done, what you might be able to earn outside a traditional job, what you want from the next part of your working life, and how you can use this time instead of letting it use you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On Monday, we&#8217;ll start looking forward.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Whether you were laid off, fired, or simply told your position was over, the first 72 hours can feel like everything needs to be solved at once. It doesn&#8217;t. Start by getting steady, gathering the facts, and figuring out where you stand.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":132804860,"featured_media":16419,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_wpcom_ai_launchpad_first_post":false,"_jetpack_hide_featured_image":false,"_jetpack_featured_image_duplicate_dismissed":0,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":" The first 72 hours after losing your job \u2014 no one prepares you for this.\n\nHi friends,\n\nThere\u2019s a moment no one warns you about: the quiet drive home after you\u2019ve been laid off, downsized, restructured, or \u201celiminated.\u201d The words differ, but the impact is the same.\n\nI\u2019ve lived that moment more than once. And every time, I did what I thought I was supposed to do \u2014 immediately start applying for jobs.\n\nLooking back, I wish I had handled those first days differently.\n\nI just finished writing a piece for anyone who\u2019s standing in that space right now. It\u2019s practical, steady, and honest. It\u2019s the guide I wish I had when everything felt uncertain.\n\nIf you or someone you care about is navigating that first 72 hours, this is for you.\n\nRead the full piece here.\n\nhttps:\/\/wp.me\/p9vUsN-4fj\n\nWith care,\nAll About You","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"dois","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[785751925],"tags":[785752356,785752354,785752357,9986],"class_list":["post-16325","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-seasons-of-work","tag-career-transition","tag-job-loss","tag-resume","tag-unemployment"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9vUsN-4fj","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":12094,"url":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/2026\/01\/17\/ditch-your-resolution-day-why-we-make-them-anyway\/","url_meta":{"origin":16325,"position":0},"title":"Ditch Your Resolution Day: Why We Make Them Anyway","author":"myallaboutyou","date":"January 17, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Tired of making resolutions only to break them? Maybe Ditch Your Resolution Day isn\u2019t about giving up at all, but about understanding why we make goals in the first place. This reflection invites you to release pressure, rediscover purpose, and decide what\u2019s truly worth carrying forward.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Life Reflections&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Life Reflections","link":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/category\/life-reflections\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Open journal on a wooden surface with handwritten resolution ideas checked off, a feather pen resting on the page, a lit candle, a compass, and scattered coins, all glowing in warm golden light suggesting reflection and intention.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Resolutions.png?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Resolutions.png?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Resolutions.png?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Resolutions.png?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":11763,"url":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/2026\/01\/04\/the-gift-you-dont-remember-receiving\/","url_meta":{"origin":16325,"position":1},"title":"The Gift You Don\u2019t Remember Receiving","author":"myallaboutyou","date":"January 4, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Some gifts arrive quietly, before we know how to ask for them or even remember receiving them. This reflection pauses to consider the first and greatest gift already given, and what it means for how we see our lives, and each other.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Life Reflections&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Life Reflections","link":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/category\/life-reflections\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Soft morning light falls through a window onto a lit candle and a framed photograph of a sleeping newborn, resting on a wooden windowsill, suggesting quiet reflection on life and beginning.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Baby.png?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Baby.png?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Baby.png?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Baby.png?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10734,"url":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/2025\/11\/19\/trust-your-instincts-unless-theyre-weird\/","url_meta":{"origin":16325,"position":2},"title":"Trust Your Instincts (Unless They\u2019re Weird)","author":"myallaboutyou","date":"November 19, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Whimsical illustration of a squirrel holding a compass, surrounded by autumn leaves and wooden signs labeled \u201cYes,\u201d \u201cNo,\u201d \u201cMaybe,\u201d and \u201cSnacks.\u201d The image humorously captures the theme of indecision and playful self-reflection, aligning with the post\u2019s lighthearted take on trusting your instincts.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Humor&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Humor","link":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/category\/humor\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"A whimsical forest path with wooden signs pointing in different directions\u2014Yes, No, Maybe, Snacks\u2014surrounded by squirrels and autumn leaves, evoking playful confusion and lighthearted decision-making.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/a-whimsical-forest-p.png?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/a-whimsical-forest-p.png?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/a-whimsical-forest-p.png?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/a-whimsical-forest-p.png?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":17093,"url":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/2026\/09\/20\/the-fishermen-and-the-pilgrimage-god-charts\/","url_meta":{"origin":16325,"position":3},"title":"The Fishermen and the Pilgrimage God Charts","author":"myallaboutyou","date":"September 20, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"I began this post looking for John, son of Zebedee, but Peter, James, and Andrew kept appearing beside him. Somewhere among the boats, nets, miracles, failures, and different roads they would eventually walk, I realized I was not only studying the apostles. I was also beginning to see the pilgrimage\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Apostle Series&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Apostle Series","link":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/category\/apostle-series\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"A modern woman writes in a journal beside an open Bible while a biblical scene unfolds behind her, with Jesus and John nearby, fishermen with their nets, and the apostles farther along the shore.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/The-Pilgrimage-God-Charts-for-Each-of-Us.png?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/The-Pilgrimage-God-Charts-for-Each-of-Us.png?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/The-Pilgrimage-God-Charts-for-Each-of-Us.png?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/The-Pilgrimage-God-Charts-for-Each-of-Us.png?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/The-Pilgrimage-God-Charts-for-Each-of-Us.png?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":15133,"url":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/2026\/06\/26\/the-lantern-practice\/","url_meta":{"origin":16325,"position":4},"title":"The Lantern Practice: The Alibi and the Confession","author":"myallaboutyou","date":"June 26, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Sometimes the sentence we use to defend ourselves is the very place truth is waiting. The Lantern Practice helps us look gently at the confession hiding inside the alibi, so what has been covered can come into mercy and begin to heal.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Faith Reflections&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Faith Reflections","link":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/category\/faith\/faith-reflections\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"A person kneels with a glowing lantern and gently lifts an old covering from a wall, revealing warm light and new green growth beneath.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/A-glimpse-of-hope-in-ruins.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/A-glimpse-of-hope-in-ruins.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/A-glimpse-of-hope-in-ruins.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/A-glimpse-of-hope-in-ruins.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/A-glimpse-of-hope-in-ruins.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7623,"url":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/2025\/06\/25\/diffusing-anger-uncovering-the-real-reasons-behind-your-frustration\/","url_meta":{"origin":16325,"position":5},"title":"Diffusing Anger: Uncovering the Real Reasons Behind Your Frustration","author":"myallaboutyou","date":"June 25, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Ever wonder why you\u2019re really angry? It might not be what you think. Explore the root causes of anger, like pride or unmet needs, with these reflective questions to help you diffuse frustration and find peace.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;mental health&quot;","block_context":{"text":"mental health","link":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/category\/mental-health\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pexels-photo-16270474.jpeg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pexels-photo-16270474.jpeg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pexels-photo-16270474.jpeg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pexels-photo-16270474.jpeg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pexels-photo-16270474.jpeg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/my-all-about-you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/job-loss-first-72-hours-social.jpg?fit=1731%2C909&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16325","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/132804860"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16325"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16325\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16417,"href":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16325\/revisions\/16417"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16419"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16325"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16325"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/my-all-about-you.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16325"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}