Just got laid off? Get better severance

If you've just left your boss's office with the dire news that your position is being eliminated, stay as calm as possible, at least outwardly, advises Anne Fisher in her January 27 Ask Annie column. Doing so could help you negotiate a bigger severance package, she writes.

If you've been laid off, what kind of severance did you get? Did you feel it was fair? Did you try to negotiate the terms? What did you want, and did you get it? Any suggestions for others who want to pursue a better deal in a layoff?