Pasadena, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/14/2012 -- Bad news came out of Niche Inc., after the company revealed they had to lay off 400 people. The lay offs occurred because the manufacturer lost a major contract that rendered the need for these employees moot.

Niche Inc., a manufacturer of parachutes based in the South End, announced the lay offs happened on Monday and Tuesday of last week. The company did indicate that if new contracts could be obtained, they'd re-hire some of the laid off workers. Though in this time of economic uncertainty, it's hard to say how soon, or even if, that will happen.

This is why having a backup plan is so essential. If you're suddenly laid off or fired, you need to find new employment fast, and in this economy, that's easier said than done. That's why utilizing a site like Hound.com is such a smart idea.

The site provides a subscriber-based service to job seekers by offering a wide variety of job listings pulled directly from employer websites. Often, these jobs aren't widely publicized or aren't included on job board sites. This is great for the employer because they will presumably get more serious applicants this way. And it's great for the job seeker because there aren't as many applicants to compete with.

The former employees of Niche Inc. and other companies that have recently laid off workers should use the resources they have available, like Hound.com. It's simple and straightforward and it's hard not to beat making the process of finding work just a little bit easier.