‘Camp’ for laid-off professionals

Misery loves company, as the saying goes, but so, too—one could argue—do creative ideas. It should come as no great surprise, then, to see growing numbers of laid-off professionals coming together at newly launched LaidOffCamps to network, brainstorm and find inspiration for the next phase of their careers. Founded in January, LaidOffCamp organizes free, ad-hoc gatherings of unemployed and nontraditionally employed people—including freelancers and entrepreneurs—who want to share ideas and learn from each other. Sessions at LaidOffCamp meetings address topics such as living on an extreme budget, building a personal brand, how to be a freelance consultant and more. The camps are based on the Bar Camp model in which all attendees participate, and there are no prescheduled presentations. All planning and coordination is done through the LaidOffCamp wiki. The first day-long LaidOffCamp took place earlier this month in donated space in San Francisco, and was reportedly packed to bursting with attendees and potential employers alike. Many more LaidOffCamps are planned, beginning next month in Los Angeles. Necessity is the mother of invention, to use another oft-repeated saying. It may be rough going these days, but it’s also a time of opportunity, both for innovators and for sponsors. Apply free love and/or sympvertising today, and reap the rewards for years to come! (Related: FedEx offers free resume printing.) Spotted by: Susanna Haynie