What do you do if you need to creatively network after a layoff?

It’s likely that you’ve got a creative hobby on the side - or even a small side-hustle - most creatives do. A layoff gives you the chance to look at what was MISSING in your full-time gig that led you to start the side hobby or side hustle. I’ve seen lots of people get laid off from design roles who then take the opportunity to focus on their photography or painting or charcuterie board side hustles and wind up finding greater success and fulfillment. You never know, the full-time thing you were doing might end up becoming the occasional extra cash side-hustle you end up doing just for kicks while your true creative calling becomes your dream job.

After a layoff, creatively network by leveraging online platforms like LinkedIn, attending virtual events, and joining online communities to showcase your skills, connect with industry professionals, and explore new opportunities, while staying visible and persistent in your efforts. Unleash the power of social media and your unique skills to navigate the job market like a pro. Turn every interaction into an opportunity and let your next job find you! ????

As a senior creative copywriter and brand strategist, I've found myself in this situation twice with ad agencies. The first, and most valuable, step is creating a strategic self-promo teaser campaign idea to grab attention, get contacts and establish new potential clients to my network. My most significant layoff was during the global financial crisis (GFC) in 2009. I knew the 'tap on the shoulder' was coming so I had my idea cracked by the time the "chat" happened. That idea, and especially my GFC 'business card' is still working for me. It was also been spotted on an ad creative blog and has been published in the US.

In my professional career, I have learned more from mistakes than from successes. The dismissal itself didn't teach me much, but the reason behind it did. The positive aspect has always been the world of opportunities you discover when you close the door on a place that trapped you and where your talent couldn't flourish. Discover that reason and, once identified, don't judge it. Visualize the opportunities in front of you and discard those where you believe the reason might resurface. The rest represent new opportunities where you will have an easier path to success.

Definitivamente para cualquier proceso laboral o de negocios, el networking y los contactos es un proceso vital por lo que se debe trabajar en mantener vigente las relaciones públicas con tus contactos para poder acudir a ellos en momentos esenciales.

??In the digital age, your online persona is your global handshake. As you navigate through professional transitions, it's crucial to sculpt your digital presence to showcase your future aspirations. Updating your LinkedIn profile and other social media platforms to reflect your evolving career goals is not just about staying current; it's about projecting the trajectory of your professional journey. Embrace the opportunity to reinvent yourself by highlighting the skills and experiences that resonate with your ambitions. Let your digital footprint be a beacon that guides potential connections and employers to the value you bring to the table.

Make sure your LinkedIn profile is optimized by adding a profile photo from your high school year book or from that one time you wore a suit when you were the best man at your friend’s wedding.

While you’ve just moved out from your earlier role use this time to work hard on your profile. While at one level it’s important to put up the good creative work, share links/ videos of what you’ve done, the sort of next opportunity that you’re looking for start to look at similar profiles/ people that you look upto and begin to engage with them. Its totally ok to reach out to someone on LinkedIn got help building your profile too

Muévete, aunque recibas cien negativas, sigue, sigue, sigue. Tú eres quien debe decir sí, y estar convencido, antes. Proyectas todo, no lo olvides. Deja rencores a un lado, sé generoso contigo mismo y con los demás. Desconecta del ayer tóxico. Proyecta positividad en cualquier red social o profesional, no olvides la reciprocidad, dar es recibir. Y entrégate a la creatividad, en esa libertad que al principio duele, están las respuestas.

Actualizar nuestros perfiles profesionales es una gran manera de mantenernos activos. Esto no es solo importante para mostrar a posibles reclutadores; además, nos ayuda a pasar el momento de desempleo con una energía proactiva.

Todo lo aprendido está en ti. Ahora toca moverse, ir hacia delante, caminar. Aprovecha todos los canales para demostrar quién eres, qué buscas y qué ofreces. Aprende de otros, comparte, opina constructivamente, disfruta de ese momento en el que vuelves a una casilla de inicio. ?Es emocionante! ?Cree en ti!

When volunteering make sure to high a personal photographer to document the experience so that you can share it on LinkedIn afterwards. Philanthropy is pointless if no one knows about it, right? Right?

Ofrecer tu trabajo en un voluntariado permite mostrar tus capacidades en un ambiente que siempre los abiertos a la colaboración. Sumado a esto, la ayuda a los demás es una gran manera de levantar nuestra autoestima que puede verse da?ada al perder el trabajo.

Events are a great way to get free food and see what people actually look like in real life vs their LinkedIn profile picture. Make sure to record each interaction and follow up with a generic LinkedIn DM after the event.

Las relaciones interpersonales y en networking son de gran ayuda en toda la carrera. Los eventos relacionados a nuestra carrera son una excelente manera de mantener contactos para próximos trabajos o recomendaciones. Además, este tipo de ambientes son perfectos para encontrar nuevas ideas de negocios y socios para llevarlas a cabo.

Personal referrals are often the ones that help in at least getting a meeting/ foot in the door and reach out to the people that you feel comfortable with to share that you are looking out. In fact some of the managers you’ve worked with earlier/ clients would really be good critics of your work and could play the right sort of role to open the right door for you. Be thoughtful of who to reach out too and just not about anyone, as you don’t want to seem desperate to get back too

Creo que, sin perjuicio de los consejos precedentes, estudiar siempre es una buena opción. Sin embargo también lo es ingresar al ámbito académico para iniciar la carrera docente o sumarse a un proyecto de investigación. Son espacios que pueden ampliar los horizontes y son valiosos para generar redes

While one of good in certain type of creative work and done that for a good say 10-15 years, there’s definitely no harm to look at slightly different roles and expand your own experience too. If you’ve never been say on the client side, no harm at all trying to look around for opportunities on that side. After all companies are all looking at fresh thinking/ new approaches too today

If you are ever unemployed, choose a non-profit, charity or community group whose goals you support and offer them a regular block of your time (for example, 2 days per week) Doing so will: * Give you a reason to get out of bed (and so avoid depression) * Give you a sense of doing something useful (see above) * Provide an opportunity to learn new skills * Explain gaps in your CV (and so show that you were not in prison) * Give you a chance to meet people – including other volunteers (And you might be surprised who you might meet) * Prove to prospective employers that you are not lazy – and are the kind of person who wants to make productive, valuable use of your time

Fabricate more than a few fun stories of why you got laid off in the first place and make it into a performance where people get drawn into adding more scenarios on how else you could've gotten fired. That's building your network with humour. Maybe start giving seminars on how to get fired fast? Turn it into an opportunity. And don't forget to have fun. No biggie. Move on!

You network :-)- If you need to build a network, you HAVE TO network. Be very selective about which ones you stay in. Many are a waste of time, or merely social spaces? That's fine, but if you have to get something done, skip the purely social ones. To develop creative solutions you want to find group/s with the right culture. It's not easy. Do a lot of searching on Google, LinkedIn & any other relevant platform & / or start your own. Show up consistently to as many of the groups as you have time for. Add as much value you can. Prune back any that don't deliver. It'll take as long as it takes. tim #bgreen??

In the face of a layoff, take a page from the playbook of IBM's transformation strategy during its restructuring phase in the 1990s. Embracing the challenge, IBM launched initiatives like the "Solutions Partnership Centers" to collaborate with clients, universities, and startups, fostering innovation and expanding its network. Similarly, leverage your layoff as an opportunity to creatively network by reaching out to former colleagues, industry peers, and attending virtual networking events. Additionally, consider participating in online communities, showcasing your skills through personal projects or a portfolio, and engaging in informational interviews to broaden your network and uncover new career opportunities.