Here's how you can showcase your skills and experience to shine after a layoff.

Reflecting deeply on your career trajectory allows you to identify patterns in your achievements and areas where you excel. This self-awareness is crucial for crafting a compelling personal brand that resonates with potential employers. By clearly understanding and articulating your core competencies, you not only enhance your resume and interview responses but also position yourself strategically for roles that align with your strengths and career aspirations.

Uncover your strengths! Reflect on your career path and identify the skills that fueled your wins. How can you use them in future roles? This self-discovery helps paint a strong picture in resumes and interviews. Showcase a clear story of your professional journey and how your strengths pave the way for future success.

An important first step after a layoff is just to acknowledge the full range of human emotions that come with it. There's likely anger or a feeling of betrayal that's 100% valid. You faithfully showed up each day and did your job and trust was broken. There's some anger or sadness, likely some grief for a chapter of your life that has passed. Just because it's "business" doesn't make the emotions any less valid than those you would experience at the end of a friendship or partnership.

Just like everything else there’s wonders in re shifting and reframing exact same events. We can look at a layoff as a hurdle, which will make everything that comes after that a survival need, or we can look at it from an opportunity perspective. Ask ourselves what is it that we want to make of our life, as we live in a construct where in order to enjoy the goods of society, we all need to have earnings, unless living off-grid, so the question is really: “What kind of person do I want to be in life? Where will that person thrive the most next? Where can that person grow more than I now think I can be? What ventures can I impact others to be more of themselves? And what skills do I need to learn in order to be more of me unapologetically?

Resume Refresh! Keep it updated with your latest skills and achievements. Use numbers to showcase your impact. Tailor it to each job! Show you understand their needs and how you match perfectly by highlighting relevant skills and experiences.

A great shortcut for overcoming the inertia in updating your resume is to ask a colleague or a friend you spoke with regularly during your tenure what they think your main accomplishments were. Always try to emphasize the result, quantifying whenever possible.

It's important to update your LinkedIn profile with your latest achievements and professional developments. You can manipulate your privacy setting if you don't want your connections to be notified every time you make changes to your profile. Then, boost your activity: Share industry-relevant content and engage with your network to demonstrate your active involvement in your field. This not only highlights your expertise but also positions you as a thought leader who is knowledgeable and passionate about your work. A strong online presence can attract new opportunities and help you shine in your job search. Follow me on LinkedIn for more career advice.

Focus on quality and authenticity vs quantity. Networking takes time and energy. You may have time, but your physical, mental and emotional energy may already be quite low after navigating a layoff. At least at the beginning, focus on network with people who give you energy. Keep the "energy draining" networking options for later in the process!

Don't overthink reaching out to your network. Expect that some folks won't reply and don't take it personally or make it mean anything about your prospects. Don't tell yourself things like you'll be bothering them or they might not be able to help. Reach out and let them decide what they can and cannot offer. You will not get anything you don't ask for. Don't get stuck at the starting line. Stay in motion, keep it moving and don't get bogged down in who and who does not offer help.

Entrar em uma entrevista pode ser uma experiência assustadora, especialmente se já faz um tempo desde a última vez que passamos por esse processo. Mas n?o se preocupe, com um pouco de prática e prepara??o, você pode se sentir confiante e pronto para impressionar qualquer recrutador. Uma dica importante é praticar responder a perguntas comuns de entrevistas, como "fale sobre você", "qual é o seu maior ponto forte" e "como você lida com situa??es de conflito". Além disso, desenvolva histórias concisas que exemplifiquem suas conquistas e habilidades de resolu??o de problemas. Quanto mais preparado você estiver, mais fácil será se destacar e mostrar que é a pessoa certa para o cargo.

Your thoughts and beliefs have the power to shape your emotions, which in turn influence your actions (or inactions!). For instance, if you constantly think, 'I'll never find a job again,' you'll likely experience fear, anxiety, and sadness. These emotions might paralyze you, making it difficult to take proactive steps like networking or applying for jobs. Consequently, opportunities seem elusive, reinforcing the belief that job hunting is futile. On the contrary, if you work on adopting a mindset of resilience by acknowledging past challenges and recognizing the positive outcomes they've brought, you'll feel more confident, courageous, and accepting. This confidence will propel you to take action and create opportunities.

Think about how you want an interaction to go. If you want to leave the interview feeling like you put your best foot forward, what do you have to do and not do to lead to that outcome? i.e. stay focused, listen instead of waiting to speak, don't get distracted if it's going well or not going well, etc. If you were going to show up and do and not do those things, how would you need to feel? Maybe motivated or optimistic or confident? And to feel that way, what would you need to believe about the situation? Maybe "We're both here to learn about each other" or "My only goal is to stay present and open". Having a game plan going in can make all the difference!

I recommend regularly asking managers, clients, and peers for LinkedIn testimonials rather than waiting until you're out of a job. However, after a layoff, it's especially important to reach out to your connections and request testimonials that highlight your skills, work ethic and personality. Make it easy for them by specifying the skills or projects you'd like them to mention. If someone offers to help, consider asking for a testimonial. Most people are willing to assist if you just let them know how.