It happens to everyone. There are very few employees around who have who have not been let go from a job . . . or who haven't wondered about it.

It's important to understand what can and should happen if and when you get fired. After all, it's not the end of the world no matter how painful. There is a life after being let go.

Here are five firing procedures you have the right to expect:

1. You should be let go in private, not in front of your co-workers. This should take place in a room away from someone overhearing. It's bad enough being let go or fired without the rumor mill grinding away over your misfortune.

2. The HR rep or your boss should make it quick. It's to your advantage for them to be clear that a firm decision has been made about you and there is no uncertainty or room for negotiation.

3. If it's a layoff and not a firing based on performance, management should let you know this is a business decision. If it's a firing based on performance, they should provide documentation.

4. Management should keep it cool, no matter how upsetting it is to you. They shouldn't react to your distress except with compassion. This is not a time for confrontation on either side.

5. Management should outline what support you can expect. For example, if they are offering a severance package, it should show how it can contribute to helping you find a job elsewhere. In any case, you want to be provided with written references (unless your employment has been a disaster.)

Suddenly being out of job can be devastating. Especially if you have others depending on your income. So it becomes very important to start picking up the pieces as soon as possible. This has the effect of getting you past the hurt as soon as possible. Plus it gives you a plan to start working on.

Finding a new job becomes your full-time new occupation. Having a carefully thought job search plan of action is very healthy because it doesn't give you time to grouse about your bad luck.

The good news is there is an excellent program that can have you entertaining job offers in as little as 14 days. You can be face-to-face with your next boss in a matter of days. Having a track like this to run on goes a long way to removing the sting of your recent loss.

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Today, many people are engaging in some form of self-improvement activity. Bookstores, magazines,and newspapers are full of books and articles on how to be a better human being. If you want to be healthier, you diet. If you want to feel younger, you exercise. To expand your horizons, you travel or learn a foreign language. While these are all worthwhile activities, perhaps none are as important as continuing your education and obtaining a college degree.

Online education is no longer the wave of the future. It is here now! Around the country and, indeed, around the world, most colleges and universities provide some or all of their classes on the Internet. Some schools provide an entire degree program online. Thousands of people, from all walks of life, are getting an online college degree by taking these classes in the comfort of their own home.

Not long ago, distance learning was perceived as trendy, faddish and inferior. Today, however, "12% of all students are taking classes online and what they are learning is just as good as if they were sitting in classrooms and lecture halls," says Dr. I. Elaine Allen, Babson College associate professor of statistics.

A comprehensive survey released by Babson College and the Sloan Consortium concludes that online learning is just as good as traditional, face-to-face classroom instruction. The survey also reports that online learning is at historically high levels and predicts that it will continue to grow at an annual rate of nearly 20 percent.

The driving forces behind the phenomenal growth of online education are convenience and demand. Traditional colleges and universities set annual and semester schedules for when classes are offered. This is not the case with e-colleges and online courses. Students pursuing online degrees can take the courses they want, when they want, and are not confined to any set schedule of class offerings.

Online degree courses offer much more flexibility in the lives of the students. You can literally go to class in your pajamas since your classroom is your living room (or office), and you can work on your online degree any time of the day or night. Distance learning degrees are now available to the stay-at-home parent, the single parent, the working parent, working class men and women of all ages, and home bound men and women.

Potential students are no longer limited to local community classes, universities housed on large, far away campuses, or night schools. Online degree programs provide students with a method to pursue a valuable college degree without leaving their current job or living situation. A major part of the expense of a college education is the need to relocate to another town or city to live on or near the traditional campus. With online degree programs, however, students can continue with their current employment and fit classes in at their convenience.

Demand is the second force propelling the substantial growth of online degree programs. Many students, particularly adults, just want to finish their higher education as quickly and as inexpensively as possible. People learn at different rates and in many different ways. Most traditional college classes are geared toward the average learner, which means that some people get left behind, while others quickly get bored. Online courses allow students to set their own pace, so that they get the most value out of the classes they take.

An online college degree is more important than ever for several reasons. First, employers feel that we are presently in an employer's market. This means, simply, that there are more workers than jobs at the moment and consequently the employers can be more selective in the individuals they hire.

Secondly, jobs which pay the highest salaries are those that are the most specialized. Specialized occupations require more training/education, primarily because these jobs require the manipulation of facts, figures and technology.

Another factor driving people to obtain online degrees is the indisputable fact that the current jobs in the U.S. are becoming more and more service oriented. These jobs have relatively low wages and are labeled as "unskilled" work. Thus, to prepare yourself to qualify for a job paying higher wages, you need to retool or learn new skills and competencies.

Finally, we now live in a global economy which demands higher prices for homes, automobiles, utilities, medical care, and the like, without actually providing enough gainful employment opportunities. If you want to increase, restructure or enhance your wage earning abilities, an online degree is, indeed, a good place to begin.

The best online college let students apply past college credit and even relevant work experience towards their online degree programs. Some employers will even share the costs of your online education, because they appreciate your desire to improve your job skills--without leaving your job.

Online degrees have become widespread because we want them, and we need them. Investigate what an online degree can do for you. Search for a degree that interests you. Do some comparative research on the Web, then enroll in the classes and receive your online degree in a few short months. You'll be glad you did!

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Recently, an article published in the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business newsletter began with the following statement:

"By choosing self-employment over working for a TV station or network - she [Oprah Winfrey] began her career as a newssexy Oprah anchor in Nashville - Winfrey may have avoided a pitfall for many black women in the workplace, namely, being stuck in their jobs."

Research shows that black women are less likely to be promoted then males and white women. Economists, human resource specialists and scholars have gathered conclusive evidence that black women are least likely to be promoted and white males are most likely to be promoted.

The evidence is proof of bias in the workplace. No reasonable explanation for the disparity could be given despite corporate policies meant to promote and encourage diversity.

In fact, a large, multiple firms study lead by Nancy DiTomaso, a Rutgers University professor, demonstrated that black women actually suffered doubly from the disparity. She showed that not only are black women last to be promoted, they also suffer financially because white men earned more on average.

On average, white males in the study earned $68,000. Minority men earned $64,000 and minority women earned $54,300.

Despite the great chasm dividing white men and black women, the study's authors couldn't find any intent or awareness on the part of companies studied. There were no policies favoring white men.

What they did find was the men had more control over their work which, possibly led to greater job satisfaction resulting in better then average performance ratings from other white men AND from minority women.

Only black women were disadvantaged in this setting while all others were neither advantaged nor disadvantaged.

Knowing all this, the authors conclude that in the abscence of intent to discriminate against or in favor of one group over another, that "there is no remedy for those who either lack favor or suffer disfavor."

I'd like to suggest a remedy. White men are often more confident and competent because they have more experience. They have more experience because they take on tougher job assignments. They get more opportunities to do tough job assignments because bias in the workplace says they can handle the tough jobs and others can not handle them as well.

My solution? Take on tougher and tougher assignments and responsibilities at work, be mobile and willing to relocate to where the opportunities are, take line jobs - jobs with profit and loss responsibilities - and ask - even fight - for those jobs.

At the same time, find good mentors, network often, keep your resume up to date and your career skills on the cutting edge because taking tough assignments means taking risks which can occassionally end up in failure. However, not taking risks is the same as failure for black women as recent research has shown.

In the book, Cracking the Corporate, 32 African American executives dispense advice, share their collective wisdom and experience into how to successfully manuever through the corporate maze. Get the book now, sister. Its an indispensable guide and you may need it more then anyone.

Most Black folks in business now are in jobs that represent cost centers - not profit centers - to a company. The work is good, honest work but it often is the work that gets cut, downsized, riffed and reengineered before any other jobs. That is one reason why blacks are often the "last hired, first fired." Jobs such as human resources, information technology, diversity, etc. don't make money for a business (and I know some will argue against that statement). Jobs like sales, finance and operations execute company strategy, interface with a company's customers and ink deals.

They are the last jobs to go and when they do, a company is usually in real trouble at that point. Seek the line jobs. Never say "I can't sell" or "that's too much pressure" or "I don't like speaking in front of groups." Seek these high paying, high visibility, high pressure, revenue-generating jobs at your company. That is where job security is found. That is where the skills necessary to advance in an organization are tested and refined. And as long you invest in being as good and proficient as you can be in those jobs, you will find a higher level of career security and confidence.

If you stay on the cost side, you can be the best at it - the best in IT, the best in HR, the best in training - and still lose your job if the company finds it needs to make cuts. That is high risk and high pressure if you ask me.

Good luck, whatever you decide. You have a good example in Oprah Winfrey, among many others, to inspire you.

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Older job hunters fear interviews where their age cannot be concealed and where an initial response of dismay on an interviewer's face, quickly hidden, confirms their anticipation of discrimination. The mature job seeker often prefers the anonymity of mailed resumes, e-mailed inquiries, internet applications, and telephone contacts.

Interviews, however, are the goal of everyone who wants to work. There is so much pre-selection and screening before an interview is granted that simply getting that far in the process provides at least some expectation of an offer being made. It is when interviews are not forthcoming that real concern is needed. Ask yourself if you may be inadvertently triggering screening filters by the documentation you submit.

Review the following three "red flags" and identify if your own presentation could be outdated and needlessly sabotaging your employment campaign.

1. Old Educational Data.

You may have obtained a degree or completed a vocational course many years ago. While you obviously cannot change the year of your graduation, you can concentrate on detailing other training received more recently. Any classes, workshops, or seminars attended over the past couple of years, even something in progress, stamps you as an individual who is continuing to learn and grow, someone aware of recent developments and open to new ideas and up-to-date approaches.

2. Job Titles.

The title of a job is designed to explain, in brief, your typical duties. Over the years, such titles change even when tasks and responsibilities remain similar. Review the titles on your resume that may reflect what your position was called at the time but no longer meshes with the current business environment. "Secretary," for example, is now rare. Similar job duties, flexed for innovations in technology, are now referred to as "Administrative Assistant," "Office Manager," "Office Analyst," or "Personal Assistant." Review your local classifieds and concentrate on the titles that seem to involve job tasks you have performed in the past. Then review your resume and applications and update job titles accordingly.

3. Jargon.

You probably have a resume which lists the duties and responsibilities of each of your prior positions. Re-read those descriptions, concentrating on the actual words you have used, especially the verbs (actions). Do those descriptions date you? Some obvious phrases are the old "variety duties" which is now generally called "multi-tasking," and "assisted with" now translates as "customer service." "Typing speed," so ubiquitous thirty years ago is now invariably "keyboarding skills." There are many other less obvious areas. A way to address them is to go to the newspaper or internet and review a number of job descriptions in your field. Any words or phrases that are unfamiliar to you need to be researched as they may describe a task you have previously performed under a different description. If you cannot find the information you seek, check with a library, an employment agency, or someone in the field. If the new phrase fits you, substitute it in your resume and all future applications. If it is important enough to be included in a job description, it deserves your attention and neglecting the required investigation may doom your job search efforts.

Your goal is to have a potential employer read your resume and be familiar with the terms you use. It is your responsibility to be adaptive, flexible, and avoid being screened out due to inappropriate vocabulary. Don't expect an employer to take the time to figure out whether you really have the skills being sought. Remember that resumes are used to screen OUT - to reduce the "possible interview" pile to a manageable size.

When your resume and written applications have been meticulously age-proofed, practice the same terminology verbally, with a friend, to be ready for a thoroughly up-to-date self-presentation when that inevitably soon-to-be-scheduled interview arrives.

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FIRST there was sexism, then there was racism, now another ‘ism’ is poised to cause more headaches for South Wales employers – including how they word their job ads.

The Government is currently asking people for their views on plans to outlaw age discrimination in the workplace by next October.

The consultation – called “Age Matters” – asks how the UK should implement the EU Employment Directive, which bans any age discrimination in employment and vocational training.

And the warning to unaware employers is: watch out for the pitfalls.

The directive covers issues including:
·The scrapping of mandatory retirement ages where employers can dismiss staff when they reach a certain age – unless it can be justified
·The possibility of a default retirement age of 70, when employers could require employees to retire without having to justify their decision.
·Situations where employers could, in exceptional circumstances, justify treating people differently because of their age.
·Changes to the law regarding unfair dismissal and redundancy.

It will also mean that a number of everyday examples of age discrimination will be outlawed, including an employer telling a worker they are too old to go on training programmes, and a bar on advertisements specifying upper age limits for applications.

Despite the fact that new legislation in 2006 will outlaw reference to age in job adverts, ageism is still rife at present.

A new study by the CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) finds that 1 in 5 job seekers have been discouraged from applying to a position because it contained an age restriction.

The study shows that although prejudice is much worse for those over 40, 1 in 12 of those under 35 were also discriminated against for being too young. In addition to this, twice this number believe they have been rejected for being too young, but have no evidence.

By 2006 such practices will be illegal with new legislation outlawing any reference of age in recruitment adverts, interviews or at the workplace.

The CIPD warns employers that they need to start changing their ways straight away instead of waiting for the Government to implement legislation from Europe.

The CIPD says that judging people by their age creates artificial problems in the labour market and effectively blinds organisations to obvious sources of talent.

But with a shrinking younger population and a growing older one, employers will have no alternative but to change. Employers will require an understanding of how to manage, recruit, reward, train and motivate employees across all age ranges, and at all stages of their careers. In addition, the whole concept of retirement will have to be reassessed.

The study also points out that by 2050, there will be only two working people to support every pensioner. But if older people were not discriminated against, the UK economy would benefit by more than £30 billion a year, more than enough to pay for an earnings-linked state pension for everyone, without rises in taxation.

But will the theory struggle to overcome the reality for many workers, who could continue to feel that they are on the career scrap heap by the age of 40?

This directive is all sterling stuff, and let’s hope the apparent good intentions will halt any current negative practice, but how likely are the rules going to change perceptions or behavioral patterns?

One suspects the reality is nothing will really change other than the emergence of new legislative-aware processes, more carefully worded job advertisements and an ever increasing litigious population aware of opportunity.

Employers have many factors to consider when recruiting key staff. The ultimate choice of candidate will be multi-faceted with age a valid consideration among many other criteria.

The final choice will always be the most suitable person for the role available within budgetary parameters.

But one cannot get away from the fact that getting older will close some doors and limit opportunity.

Those living on the greyline, however, should live in hope that the good employers who are out there will ensure that experience and wisdom will continue to carry significant weight as well.

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