Making the Best of a Layoff

How to survive a layoff? With more Americans facing that question, Newsweek rounds up some advice from success stories and career counselors. The advice is of the usual sort—take a deep breath to reassess, get some training or more education, and network. But it also notes that community colleges and business associations often offer low-cost training ideal for the newly unemployed.

Local unemployment offices are good sources of information for such programs. Networking is key, career counselors agree, through friends, fellow classmates, and former co-workers. Entry-level positions can be a way of getting the foot in the door of a new profession for those willing to survive on tight budgets. And try to keep this in mind: Will your new job be in demand in five years or so? (More layoffs stories.)