You might be hearing these words more often in the upcoming months or even (God forbid!) have to say them yourself some day. Have no fear if you get a pink slip! Who knows, maybe, this pink slip will turn out to be your ticket to a brighter future. You never know! Just keep yourself prepared.

There are tons of great articles on what to do if you lose your job. Here are my two cents based on my personal experience, which as of today, is 5 months and 6 days old.
1. Try not to get stuck in the original shock-anger-depression state for too long. Give it a month, maximum two to mourn over “poor me.” The shorter the grieving period, the sooner you can start rebuilding your life.
2. Register for the unemployment benefits right away (you can do it online at https://ui.labor.state.ny.us/UBC/home.do). It may take up to three weeks for your first “check” to arrive. You can choose either a card (which works as a debit card) or direct deposit option. As of today, in New York State you are eligible to receive 26 weeks of regular benefits and 33 weeks of emergency benefits.
After you register for your unemployment benefits for the first time, place your next claim on the first Sunday after that. You are allowed to place a claim for the current week between Sunday and Saturday. Personally I found it easier to place a claim on a certain day of the week, let's say Sunday (you can set a weekly reminder in your Outlook). Otherwise, you may lose track of the submitted claims and then you will be looking into a gap between the payments.
3. Go to your local Workforce 1 branch (find the closest center at http://www.nyc.gov/html/sbs/wf1/html/home/home.shtml) and schedule an appointment. Through this organization you can get the so called Individual Training Grant (ITG), which will pay for your course tuition. The size of the grant is state-specific. In New York, it is $1,500 (as of today March 2009). Be prepared to do a lot of paperwork and to pay numerous visits to your Workforce center. At the end of this paper marathon you might very well be awarded with the grant and receive the opportunity to take a free course. By the way, take advantage of other programs and services Workforce 1 has to offer. Attend their seminars and workshops. They might help you do brainstorming and give you insights regarding your future course of action.
4. When searching for a course to take, go to http://mtprawvwsbswtp.nyc.gov/Search/Search.aspx. If you have a choice, try to select a course that is offered by a college or university rather than by a local computer school. Also, when choosing a program, make sure that it has a logical connection to your previous job (and especially to your resume!). If you were a vice-president at Citibank, don’t apply for a certificate program in plumbing. You will be denied! But if you worked as a multilingual desktop publisher or localization engineer, you can apply for a program in web design or web development. That worked for me. I got a training grant to study web design at Pace University. Excellent program and great staff! By the way, Pace offers Certificate Program in Applied Project Management as well as other great programs, many of which are covered by ITG. You can check the list of available programs at http://pclc.pace.edu/pclc/.
5. Keep yourself busy! Establish a certain daily routine (for example, 9-10:30am gym; 11am-1pm job search; 1-2pm lunch; 2-3pm go for a walk; 3-4pm networking; 4-6pm job search...). Look for freelance opportunities. You might even consider doing some pro bono work, which will help you stay in a professional shape, expand your connections, or at least will make you get out of the house and your pajamas.

6. Exercise! This is really important because physical activity helps you release the stress and overcome depression. If you can’t afford your old gym anymore, switch to a cheaper one (there are plenty of them in NYC) but don’t quit working out.
7. As you have to cut back on your lifestyle, don’t stop enjoying life and its small pleasures. Just try to find the ones that are less expensive or maybe even free. In New York, there are always some free events, especially during the upcoming summer. If you are interested, we can post information about free events in NYC. Just let us know!
8. Stay connected! Expand your online network via Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter. Use our website to create your local social network and meet its members in person. Come to our get-togethers and meet people. Don't lock yourself in, otherwise you will feel isolated and even more depressed. Network! It will be good for your job prospects as well as your mental health.

To sum it up: If you are laid off, don’t think of it as the end of the world. This may be the beginning of new and exciting discoveries of yourself and the possibilities around you. Just be prepared to see them. Good luck!

Link: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Lionbridge-Announces-Global-prnews-14726470.html

Lionbridge Technologies Inc., which translates software and Web content to help companies operate internationally, is slashing 325 jobs as part of a global restructuring plan.

The Waltham-based company said the reduction -- equal to about 8 percent of its total workforce -- will result in $18 to $20 million in annualized cost savings.

Lionbridge also said it would consolidate some of its offices.

The firm expects to incur restructuring expenses of $13 to $15 million, most of it in the current fiscal year.