How to survive a layoff

Although the job market is getting tougher to navigate during the weak economy, there are still ways to get around it.

Jay Gingrich, at StaffMe.net, says if you're laid off, the first thing you should do is not panic. Look to friends and family for support and most important, act quickly.

"During a layoff, your other coworkers are being laid off, too. There is a lot of competition going into the market," he explained.

Second, update your resume and get friends and family to critique it. Once it's done, get it out there, especially on the Web.

"If you are looking to stay local, start with your local job boards," Gingrich suggests. "Then begin to register with national boards like StaffMe.net, Monster and Career Builder.

Third, take the time to define your career goals and be open to moving.

"If the opportunity presents itself, you need to jump on it. Change can be a good thing," Gingrich says.

He adds that you should always have a polished resume.

If you think your job could be in jeopardy, it's okay to post your resume as long as you don't disclose confidential information about your company.

Currently, the average time someone is unemployed is 17.5 weeks so it's a good idea to try to have money saved to cover that length of time.