I'll Never Be Broke Again & You Won't Either

Let’s cut right to the point. Layoffs are hard and you need to find a way to support yourself until you get another mainstream of income coming in. A lot of people will tell you what steps you need to take after being laid off, but nobody is giving you options on how to help pay your bills. That’s way you have me, GetMeHiredKristi. Let me help you by breaking down my different sources of income during my laid off period.

For those that don’t know, I was laid off from the Big M (See my LinkedIn profile for more details) in May and officially terminated in July. I was devastated & heartbroken, but I knew I had built a brand and a network that would hold me down for a little bit. How long… was another question. Here’s a list of the income streams that helped me stay afloat until I found another job. Please note this is not financial advice, I’m just giving tips on what worked best for me to stay away from being broke. I also know NOTHING will replace a full-time job income, but I hope this is able to help someone in their time of need.

1. Severance Package:

   Now I do understand not everyone has the luxury of getting one of these from their company. I was able to receive this and put the money in a high yield savings account so it can gain as much interest as possible while I was in the process of finding a new job.

2. Unemployment:

   Listen, I had no clue how to sign up & low key felt a little shame, but I asked my peers for help and did it. This is what is going to carry you for the next 6 months so make sure you request ON TIME. Sign up for food stamps too! Literally everything will come in handy I promise you.

3. Social Media:

   I had all the time in the world now, so I put a lot of energy into my social media platforms @GetMeHiredKristi. Having niche topics like “Transferable Skills are Real” & “Entry Level Alert” really helped bring traction and built my audience. Surprisingly I made the most money off LinkedIn promoting brands as a content creator & affiliate links.

4. Speaking Engagements:

   In line with having niche topics, let’s make some money from speaking on them at workshops, conferences and networking events. Now this income stream can start off slow and you won’t get paid for every event but getting your name out there as a speaker & expert in your field is invaluable! You never know, you could be putting your name in places you never thought they would be!

LAST BUT NOT LEAST

5. Market Research:

   I call these side hustles because I have made sooooo much money off of them. So much so I paid a few bills! There are 2 types that I participate in, focus groups & in person taste testing (selection locations). Each focus group or taste testing can range from $35 to $800 depending on the topic or study. They are usually 1-hour interviews, virtual or in person, asking for your opinion on certain topics. You always have to complete a survey first and if you qualify, someone from the company will call you to complete the sign up. Once completed you will usually get a link to your payment emailed to you within a week. You will then have the option to cash out for a visa or gift card. Yall better come get this money before I make it all! I put all my referral links in my Linktree by the way, there’s no gatekeeping here.

Never again will I be caught off guard, getting laid off and not having other stream of income coming in to support me and I want the same for you! Know that I am here to support you the best way I can & will help by giving any information I have. More to come on details about each one of these resources but let’s use this as a starting point.

Ending on a good note, here is you #ENTEYLEVEL Job of the Day:

And your #SideHustles of the Day:

And your #JobSearchResource of the Day:

GetMeHiredKristi. Okay I got you! Signing off