Work Related Changes

So, last week, we finally had layoffs at my company.

No, I wasn’t one of them, and, in fact, we lost fewer people than some of our other offices.  Or, for that matter, many of the other people I know who are in the oil and gas industry.  And, while I don’t expect to lose my job any time soon, since I’m one of the few IT people here, there’s no telling what the future holds.
So, in short, I’m not quite in the mood for a “fun” link.  Instead, what I have for you are some work-related links.

First, while my old boss didn’t quit, he was let go, so the advice from The Muse, via LifeHacker, about what to do when your boss resigns was quite timely.  The first suggestion is the most important; Don’t Panic.  And, frankly, I’d add to the list they give you a bit of my own advice.  Be helpful to the new boss.  The new boss just walked into a bad situation that they may or may not be fully prepared for so do them, and yourself, a favor and help out.  For that matter, make sure you’re a team player and everyone knows it.  Naturally, you should have been doing this all along, but, if you haven’t, now’s the time to start.
Secondly, if you are out there searching already, or think you might be, make sure your resume is in order.  Need help?  Try this collection of Five Free Resume Building Apps from Techrepublic.  If you’re stuck writing your resume, maybe because you haven’t written one in a while or even never have, these can be a good way to get started.  Of course, always run it by an actual human being that you trust before sending it to anyone.  If you’re using a placement firm of any kind, a good way to test their quality is to send the resume to them for feedback.  The good ones will actually give you feedback.  If they don’t, then drop them, quick.
Finally, once you get as far as an interview, Fortune and CNN have a list of Five Questions to Ask Your Next Boss to determine if you’ll be a good fit.  People always forget that an interview is for the candidate to evaluate the company, position and boss, as well as the company to evaluate the candidate.  This article gives you some great ideas to try and see how you’d fit into a new organization.

So, I hope that none of my readers has lost their job recently, or been too greatly effected by layoffs, but, if you have been, I hope these links help.  Also, remember, we aren’t our jobs, so go do something fun this weekend that connects you to people outside of work.
To paraphrase Ferris Beuller, enjoy your life because it goes by pretty fast and you don’t want to miss anything.