You've been laid off. How can you turn this into an opportunity to change careers?

Turning a layoff into a career change opportunity: Reflect on skills and interests. Explore new industries. Network and seek advice. Upskill with courses. Volunteer or freelance. Stay positive and persistent.

Layoff is a very scary encounter in whichever career journey: junior, mid or senior. There are a few things we can consider: 1) Track our expenses - leverage data available in our bank statements to see our expenses. For each expenses mark exactly if its a need or a want. Use this list to understand our spending habits and reminds ourselves what we need to scale back on. 2) Reflect on our career high and low. How does each high and low bring out lessons related to who we are. Feel free to ask some friends/ex-colleagues to learn about their observations. 3) Identify new opportunities that we can transform into and invest strategically. Is it a transition course? Active networking? Starting an experiment to try?

Take the time to assess not just your situation but also where you would like to go. This is an opportunity to start afresh and anew and move towards areas of your interests and strengths that your are better at. Give yourself enough time to look at your situation and work through to your bests.

There would be two focuses before jumping into job market when you are laid off. One : mindset. You may be shocked to be laid off and feeing guilty or lack of luck. No need to think so and try to take this as an opportunities for you to expand your capabilities in new companies or even in the different industries. The company which laid off was losing growth engine and needed to leave the most valuable resources of their employees. Two: inventory check of your competence. There would be such companies as to looking for experienced people with these specs in order to grow their business. So taking this chance, you had better summarize what you have been doing in the past and consider where your specs matter well.

Been there enough to figure out that employers aren't a reliable source of income and don't care at all for your well being, anything else is just politics to keep your submissive, do here are my 2￠> Breathe: Allow yourself time to process the news and acknowledge your emotions before jumping into action. Review: Understand your severance package, benefits continuation, and eligibility for unemployment assistance. Reflect: Assess your financial situation, including essential expenses and potential adjustments. Reassess: Evaluate your career goals, desired work environment, and areas for potential reskilling or upskilling. Reconnect: Reach out to your network, update your resume and online profiles, and begin exploring job opportunities.

Identifique quais atividades ou campos de trabalho despertam seu interesse e energia. Considere também seus valores pessoais e aspira??es de longo prazo. Esta fase de autoexplora??o ajudará a direcionar sua busca por uma nova carreira que seja significativa e gratificante para você.

My suggestion is to take it as the universe telling you to finally do what you always wanted to do and start your own business in that sector!

Discover: Explore your passions, skills, and values through self-reflection, personality tests, or career quizzes. Research: Investigate potential career paths by reading industry publications, attending career fairs, or informational interviews. Experiment: Try volunteering, freelancing, or taking online courses related to your interests to gain firsthand experience and refine your skills. Network: Connect with professionals in your target field through online platforms like LinkedIn or attending industry events to gain insights and build relationships. Refine: Based on your exploration and experiences, adjust your career goals and action plan to focus on the most suitable path.

For self discovery I recommend "Ikigai" meaning the reason to live. It is a Japanese philosophy that helps you to understand which things you are good, what do you love, for what you can be paid and what the society needs. The conjuction of those 4 elements gives you your Ikigai that might give you some insights of which can be your next job.

The more you learn about yourself, the more clarity you will have about your career direction. To do so, you must GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE and make that experience you never had the time to before. It may be learning to cook, trying new recipes, trying a new sport, walking in a park, clubbing, museum discovery, take a new driving road to go back home, whatever do something you’re not used to and learn news things about yourself. Find a community to get insights about what you think could work and ASK QUESTIONS.

Explore diferentes setores, empresas e fun??es que correspondam aos seus interesses e habilidades. Use recursos online, participe de eventos de networking e converse com profissionais da área para obter insights valiosos sobre as oportunidades disponíveis. Esta pesquisa ampla ajudará a expandir suas op??es e informar suas decis?es futuras.

Research the demand for your target career in your preferred location. Analyze salary ranges, job growth projections, and potential competition. Compare Roles: Evaluate specific job postings within your target field, comparing responsibilities, required skills, and company culture. Company Research: Delve deeper into the companies you're interested in, understanding their mission, values, work environment, and employee reviews. Talk to Professionals: Connect with individuals already working in your chosen field to gain real-world insights, ask questions, and potentially explore networking opportunities. Compare your skills and experience to job requirements, identifying areas for potential development or knowledge gaps to address.

In my cases, I have been talking with recruiting agents and consultants by sharing my interests and expected roles. Then I tried to see the recruiters or management members of hiring companies introduced by them. This process helps me to study about the industries and companies and could confirm if my assumptions are correct and I could contribute to their growth. Of course before the interviews, I studied about the industries and the companies by their websites, annual reports and posts in SNS.

Go and learn things and skills you need to embrak on your rejuvenation. Now is the best time to come back stronger and pick up key skills you never had time before. This also help to show future employers you are serious in growing yourself and learn new things. Many ways to learn from online to luve sessions and now your can even do full time without hitting your working hours. Plus, you get to network with industry players and connect with opportunities too. Take the time to broaden your network to create a great support system to your next step.

Formal Learning: Enroll in courses, workshops, or certificate programs relevant to your desired career. These can be offered by universities, colleges, online platforms, or professional organizations. Practical Application: Seek opportunities to actively apply your newly acquired knowledge and skills. This can involve volunteering, freelancing, participating in personal projects, or taking on new responsibilities at your current job (if applicable). Network and Community: Connect with professionals in your target field through online communities, forums, or professional networking events. Engage in discussions, seek mentorship opportunities, and learn from their experiences.

You should always be investing first in yourself - continously build skills and experience. Expand your mind and tool box based on your interests, your challenges and your day-to-day work. There is always something to learn from. Sometimes it is difficult to upgrade your skills after a lay off - build on what you already know, on what you have enjoyed during your experience, on the feedback you received - remember - you are not starting from zero.

MOOC could provide good quality trainings by recognized schools and in many caes there are student forum where you could discuss about the topics together. MOOC covers various areas like software, data analytics, language, finance, strategies, etc. and you can get the latest contents there. Recently a lot of institutions and companies are providing webinars. It could provide not only knowledges but also the network of the same interest.

Updating resume for a generic one is a loss of time and energy. Updating your database portfolio and your main knowledge base for resume generator is the new key to careers. Because every job is unique, every resume must be.

I have been modifying my CV to well communicate my strengths and that I could accomplish all of the tasks listed in job description. Also I change the format and appearance of CV depending on the stage of the company and the industry. For example, when I applied to Google, I emphasized not only my speciality of finance but also technical skills and knowledge to understand the unique features of the company. When I applied to high tech start up, I emphasized my experience to build up Japan operation from scratch and how to scale up it successfully.

I’m using recruiting companies’ channels because they have good relationship with recruiting companies. They can screening and narrowing opportunities with the required specs either clearly or implicitly in JD and some times hidden requirements by the company like age preference which is not officially expressed from the view point of discrimination. Direct applications may work or may not. If your specs meet, the earlier route to the interview.

When faced with a career transition such as a layoff, it is wise to view this experience as an opportunity to reevaluate your career goals. Priority should be given to carrying out a skills assessment to identify strengths and transferable skills. Developing complementary skills, exploring new sectors, and creating networks can be constructive steps. Additionally, a proactive approach to job searching, emphasizing adaptability and the ability to learn from each experience, can capture the attention of potential employers