Jennifer Openshaw is co-founder and president of WeSeed, a new approach to demystifying the stock market for real everyday people. She’s also the author of The Millionaire Zone You can reach her at jopenshaw@weseed.com.

It’s amazing how the financial crisis is starting to affect people you know … and your stocks.

A friend who works for NBC told me recently that people there were getting pink slips. And, she noted, it happened last year at this same time. Not a great way to go into the holidays, is it?

But get this: It took a couple days before I read this news in the newspapers. Talk about using your friends to stay ahead of the curve. That’s a perfect example of how — just by talking to others and connecting online — you can get real info to help you make real decisions.

Later that evening during dinner, my husband told me about two other friends who just got laid off — one from JPMorgan. That company is one of the bright lights in the financial industry, and it’s interesting that it, too, is shedding folks — even though it’s been buying up companies such as Washington Mutual. JPM’s stock has held pretty well over the last year at about $29 vs. a one-year high of $50, while others like Goldman at $69 and Bank of America at $15 are just a fraction of their one-year highs. Sure, one firing does not mean more are coming, but it’s still enough to perk up your ears.

So how can you put this info to use? First, next time you hear about a friend getting fired at a public company, take the time to reach out. Even just a comforting ear or, better yet, any networking tips you can provide, will be valuable and your friends will remember that for years to come.

Also, if you’re on the job hunt, be sure to scour the news tab on WeSeed.com. For any company you’re considering, you need to know how the company is doing today and what their top priorities are so you can address that in job interviews. Believe me, you’ll stand out.

If a company you’re considering is making big cuts, then perhaps you want think twice or consider competitors. At a minimum, you should probably take a look at how they’re treating employees they’re laying off. It says a lot about the kind of employer they’ll be — are they offering severances or job-transition assistance?

Job cuts are painful, especially to loved ones, so let’s use this as an opportunity to look at our companies more closely: Do you want to work for them or keep using their products or services? You be the judge …