Rebound: A Proven Plan for Starting Over After Job Loss

Readers of my blog - Geoff Arnold - will know that I was actually laid off in March. I took it in my stride, and started to plan my next move, without turning to any kind of self-help or coaching materials. I could handle the situation without that kind of thing! Shortly afterwards, this book appeared in my Vine review selections, and I decided that I might as well check it out. I'm so glad I did. It's a slim volume, and an easy read; the kind of thing to dip into when you're on a bus heading to the next interview, or you wake up worried about the future, or you're sitting in a Starbucks waiting for an ex-colleague to join you for coffee and trying not to look like someone who has nowhere else to go. Yes, the author dives into the confused emotions that buffet you when you're laid off: the, bewilderment, self-doubt, resentment, confusion, loss, and anger. But the approach is practical, and doesn't encourage self-pity. The focus is clear: doing the things you need to do to survive while you land the next job. And this is a book of its time: it's very different from the kind of thing I remember reading 5 or 10 years ago. The author is writing in an age of Depression, not merely a recession, and the stories, recommendations and advice reflect this reality. So get this book. Use it. And then when you land your next job, pass it on to someone else who needs it.

As someone who still has a job (knock on wood) but with a company in the midst of layoffs I was fortunate to come across this book. I have never read a book about losing one's job before but I cannot imagine a book that covers so much ground so efficiently and, strangely I suppose, enjoyably. The author clearly understands that most of the people reading this book will have recently lost their jobs and writes in a very relaxed, comforting style, as if she were having a cup of coffee with you "the morning after" and trying to make you feel better with sensible suggestions and a calming dose of humor. However, in no way does this imply a relaxed attitude towards the information presented. It is not a feel-good book filled with cliches. This book is full of sound financial, legal and psychological advice. Some of the ideas presented are tried and true and most readers will probably have encountered them before but there are certainly enough "Hmm, I never would have thought of that" moments to justify it's purchase in addition to any other book you may have on the subject. This book is a great resource for those who have or may be about to lose their jobs but I would also highly recommend that it be read by people going on job interviews, young adults about to enter the job market and even parents about to start a family as it offers sound advice on how to deal with the familial issues involved in what may be a problem of epidemic proportions in the coming years.

Without spoiling the contents of this book, as someone who is still employed, but fears losing his job (like many of us), this book is tremendously useful. Many books claiming to offer help spout statistics and feel good anecdotes but really dance around the most challenging aspect in all of this: finding a solution. Each chapter ends with useful tips that you can actually implement in your life. When so many other books are just calling out the problems, the solutions offered within are what makes "Rebound" worth the investment, alone.

Rebound is one of the best career books I've read in a long time. The author focuses on a single topic: getting laid off when you're in mid-career. While some reviewers claim Rebound offers nothing new, I would say Rebound puts the information together in a compelling style that's easy to follow. Following the current trend in book publishing, she presents short, tightly organized chapters that answer very specific questions. What should you do when you anticipate being laid off? How do you handle the emotion? How do you deal with former colleagues? Finney's advice is sound. Her chapter on networking is especially good. Most of my own career clients think "network" is a 7-letter word like some others I can't use in a review. They think of glad-handing and fake cheer. Finney's examples relate to my own clients: finding a new job from the source you least expected to deliver. As another reviewer noted, Finney assumes that readers will want to get back on the horse (or treadmill, depending on your view). They will seek a new corporate job. I would never encourage anyone to stop searching. I sometimes recommend getting a temporary job just to pay the bills. But for some, self-employment can make more sense than pounding on pavements. Another gap is the lack of reference to hiring help. While I agree with all Finney's suggestions to cut back financially, some people really need an objective outsider to assess their situation. Most career consultants charge $150 - $250 or more for a single hour (sometimes including follow-up and reading documents). But if a few hours can move your search faster by even a week or two, it's money well-spent. The key is to know how to choose your coach or consultant. A few tips wouuld have been helpful. Definitely I'm going to recommend this book to my mailing list and my own clients.

Chances are you know of someone, a family member, friend or neighbor who has recently been laid off. In my case, it was me. I just finished reading Rebound and recommend it to anyone who is going through a layoff or thinks it could happen to them, and especially if you think that it can't happen to you! Not only is this book full of practical and inspirational advice, (addressing your feelings, fears, frustrations, finances and finding your next job), but each chapter ends with three action items: the best thing you can do, the worst thing you could do, and the first thing you should do. I recommend reading the appendixes and resources and suggested reading at the end of the book as well.