By Sam Altawil
While the economy may be recovering slowly, the job losses continue and the unemployment rate keeps rising as budget cuts are executed and layoffs are implemented.
One thing we’ve discovered is that the bad economy does not discriminate against anyone — it has affected both the non-skilled and the skilled employee, no matter how necessary they are to our society health and welfare, such as firefighters.
Those firefighters who have been let go from their job now face the day to day challenge of trying to get back to work. Many will apply to other departments in other counties, and while a few will get hired, many may not.
Effect of layoffs
Obviously, there is the financial burden of losing one’s job, and although most people qualify for the state unemployment insurance, the amount received isn’t much and is limited to a duration of time
Another unmentioned factor of layoffs is the psychological affects of guilt and depression that consumes many of these individuals during this time.
Some will feel a certain personal responsibility for being laid off, as if somehow they could have done something different to prevent it, while others may feel depressed for not working and/or endlessly waiting for application responses from other departments.
Of course, with the lengthy application process and some rejections, many of these people begin to question their abilities and skills, which eventually leads to self-esteem issues.
The amount of negatives that accompany layoffs are endless, and while it is important to recognize them, it is more important to overcome them before it impairs the most important part of you — and that is your mind.
First, recognize that layoffs are not your fault. They are the result of many bad decisions throughout our country, whether it be in business and/or public leadership.
Regardless of the reason, you must maintain discipline, the type of discipline that enabled you to achieve your credentials as a firefighter.
Use this discipline to avoid negative emotions that can impair your judgments and reason, such as anger, depression, guilt, etc.
Second, begin planning for your return to your profession by positioning yourself for success; meaning that you must take advantage of any free time you have to improve your weaknesses while enhancing your strengths, and here is why this is crucial:
Rebounding to success
Both public and private employers have a tendency and the desire to hire those who are currently working. The reason for this discriminatory behavior is simple — those who are currently working are more likely to perform better because their skills are maintained and improved by daily operations.
Some employers have taken this as far as advertising jobs that indicate “you must be employed to apply.” Of course, such reasoning is not shared by everyone, especially the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which has begun to examine this trend and is likely taking steps and setting guidelines in order to prevent this type of practice.
However, while most employers will comply with the EEOC standard, they will still be allowed to inquire about your unemployment status, and gaps in your resume/application.
Specifically, employers will always ask, “What have you been doing during your unemployment period?
This question is not designed to inquire about your personal activities, rather your professional ones. They want to see how you have maintained and/or improved your skills.
Maintaining skills
Some define success as “preparation meets opportunity.” That said, eventually you will have the opportunity to be hired again, and when the time comes, you must take steps to be fully prepared to assure success, starting with the following fundamental suggestions from experienced firefighters:
- Physical abilities: Clearly, firefighting is a physically demanding job, so you must take the proper steps to maintain your physical abilities through various workout/fitness regiments.
- Paramedic license: This perhaps is one of the most important areas to maintain as achieving a paramedic license is not small task, and while there are certain fees that accompany license maintenance, it is imperative that you include it in your budget plans.
- Practical skills: The practical skills you obtained on the job cannot be taught anywhere; therefore you must be creative in order to maintain such skills.
One suggestion is volunteering for different organizations, whether they be medical and/or firefighting related entities. Other suggestions include keeping up with the “latest” by reading articles from sites such as FireRescue1.com and attending seminars and conferences when you can.
Additionally, if there is an area that you want to strengthen and it can be accomplished by academic classes, do so if it fits your budget.
By meeting these targets, when asked what you been doing during your unemployment period, you can confidently discuss details and steps you have taken to assure your skills and license continuation while improving areas of weakness.