Picking Up the Pieces
It's time to refocus your priorities after the Sept. 11 tragedy.

Sept. 11, 2001, will be a day that no American will ever forget. Violent acts of terrorism caused thousands of deaths and an unbelievable amount of property destruction and left deep psychological scars on this nation. The deaths and property loss were only the beginning. The ripple effect of lost business opportunities caused immediate unemployment in the airline, tourism, and related services industries.

While the grieving process is continuing for those immediately affected by the attack, those who lost their jobs also still are struggling to find some normalcy in their lives. If you have been downsized, laid off, or otherwise affected, here are some ways to get back on track.

Understand the emotional side. Even if you didn't lose your job or a loved one, you still were affected by the terrorism. Everyday services you take for granted (i.e., postal service) may have been disrupted, or maybe you lost money in the stock market. On the personal side, you may have become depressed as you began to understand how this attack on our nation, depicted constantly on the news, also is an attack on you, your family, and our way of life. It's difficult not to feel sad for those who perished - and that's OK. Still, you must refocus. If necessary, seek professional counseling as you try to resume your routine.

Tips From TOPS Since Sept. 11, many Americans are experiencing depression and post-traumatic stress disorders — both common and treatable mental health conditions. To find a mental health counselor near you, visit athealth.com, available via TROA's links page, www.troa.org/magazine/links.asp.

Reevaluate where you were, where you are going, and what you can do. If you are - or were - in an industry directly affected by this attack, you may want to consider job opportunities in other fields. It may be years before some industries, like air travel, recover. Consider the expanding opportunities with Department of Defense (DoD)-related contractors specializing in security operations, intelligence programs, and military-related hardware programs. Watch the news for announcements about which organizations have been awarded contracts with DoD. Many of the opportunities from the Office of Homeland Defense will relate to the military jobs you held on active duty. This new government agency eventually also will begin to hire administrative staff, subject matter experts, and field personnel.

Check your marketability. If you lost your job, go to the unemployment office and apply for benefits. This income can help you handle basic expenses while you conduct your job search. Today's job market is tight, and even though politicians don't like to say the "R" word, our nation is in a recession. Employers are doing more in-depth interviews, taking longer to hire, and offering fewer benefits and smaller salaries than a few years ago. Make sure your skills are current and relevant to your goals. If they aren't, look into the appropriate courses or programs. The more senior the position you are seeking, the more likely you will find your job through networking. Call your social and professional contacts and tell them you are out of work; there is no shame in being unemployed, and it's the only way they will know you need their help.

Get your priorities straight. The Sept. 11 tragedy shows that life can be shorter than we expect. Ask yourself if you are chasing the right things in life. Are you chasing material things instead of personal relationships? Fix what you need to in order to make yourself happy - everything else will fall into place.