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Recession Depression

Dealing With Layoffs and Downsizing

By Carma Haley Shoemaker

There are some men who get caught up in anger and blame the economy, their employer or anyone or anything else they can think of for their unemployment. While the economy may be a problem, men who get stuck in anger will have difficulty in finding a new position. "People who believe that they make their own future and take responsibility always do better," says Nash. "A dad's ability to pick himself off and move forward has to do with his basic resilience level. If he believes in himself and believes he is responsible for his success or failure, he is more likely to take control of what he can and move on. Taking control is updating the resume, networking and aggressively going after opportunities."

"Being without a job did affect the way I felt about a lot of things, but especially myself," says Brett Morvee, a computer helpdesk technician from Bellevue, Wash. "I felt bad because I couldn't support my family. I was tired, my stomach hurt, I felt bad and I wanted to stay in bed. But, I'm not the kind of person that will sit back, get in a slump and allow it to last a long time. I got back up and did what I knew I had to do: support my family."

How you look at your situation can often determine the outcome. According to Nash, perhaps something in between may be the answer. "Dads need to remember that they have all the abilityand talent they had before the layoff," says Nash. "While the job market may be poor, those who have the right attitude, the skills and the motivation to go after what they want will be employed much sooner. This is not a failure; it is a temporary setback. Temporary is the key word. It is the lull before the next great job. An interim job may be required to make ends meet but always keep looking for the one you want."

Want to see more?

• Laid Off and Pregnant: Health Coverage and Job Hunting After a Layoff
• Raising Toddlers During Recession: Tips for Communicating with Small Children in Hard Times
• Join the discussion on our Family.com community!
• Maternity Leave During Hard Times: Layoffs, Your Rights and Tips to Keep Your Job Safe
• Stressful Times and Pregnancy: How Stressful Situations Can Affect Baby and Mom-to-be

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