Divorced, Laid Off and Wondering What to Do?

    If you lost your job and you're in the middle of a divorce, try to see this as one of the best opportunities to develop mental toughness. Call it a New York state of mind. If you can make it through this, you can make it through anything.
d360: 5 Simple Steps To Getting A New Job

Something that may help you develop that will is to develop the way. One of the best ways is to figure out your leverage. Your leverage is tied to your credibility. and your credibility is tied to what you have already done that produced a measurable positive change for someone in something that was important to them. So make a list of what those may be. 

When you do it, list any and every accomplishment. Then think of what company most urgently needs what it is that you have already accomplished for a company like them.  That way when you get to speak to that company you will not need to b.s., which will be picked up by anyone who is at all discerning. 
d360: Should You Go Back To School?

In order to get the opportunity to interview at the company, think of people you know and don't know who might be able to make an introduction. Be creative about this. One of the most creative approaches I've ever heard was from a friend who reproduces great articles about the CEOs of companies he'd like to work with. He mounts them on $250 rosewood frames and sends them to the CEO with a "Good for you" note.  He says he has about an 80 percent chance of getting through to the CEO after that.

A good guide is the book, "Guerrilla Marketing." If. however, you are frozen in fear, you might do well to use what Mattel CEO Bob Eckert does when he faces such a challenge (such as all the lead-based toy recalls last year). Bob pauses and says to himself: "What do I need to do today to make my company better?" 
d360: College & Career Guide 101

You can say, "What do I need to do today to increase my job hunting success?" 

Read about where Bob learned that at: Don't Panic!

Mark Goulston, M.D., is a well-known psychiatrist, speaker, business trainer and coach as well as author of "Get Out of Your Own Way at Work."  He writes a regular column, "Getting through to Anybody," for divorce360. He can be reached at mgoulston@markgoulston.com.