How would you cope if you lost your job?

careers advisors: "How would you cope if you suddenly lost your job? Hurricane Katrina might seem like old news to some, but it's certainly current for those who lost their jobs as a result of the devastation.

Most of don't expect to lose our jobs or if we work in an area where contracts are short and firing is common, we'd probably have a contingency plan and would usually expect some warning. But how would you cope if you lost your job as a result of the weather? Sounds ridiculous to most of us, but that's exactly what has happened to many of the residents of New Orleans.

At least three quarters of a million people are not working as a result of Katrina. Some of the more fortunate will continue to receive pay cheques while others will be relocated by their companies. However, many of those who worked for small businesses are now without a job, as well as without a home.

It seems unthinkable to most of us in the west, and yet it's happening in the richest country in the world."