I Just Got Laid Off. What Do I Do Now?

Grieve for about a day and then move on. As someone who was laid off twice within a two-year span after a 30-year career, I know what I am talking about. I grieved for way too long after the first layoff. I worried about my employees finding new jobs. I worried about whether our clients would be taken care of. I was sad about all of the time and energy I had put into the job for so many years that was now just cast aside. I was angry that they didn’t realize the importance of our contributions and the work we all did. All of that worrying and sadness didn’t change the outcome.

With the second layoff, I moved on in about five minutes. The circumstances were certainly different, but I realized that being laid off wasn’t the end of the world. It actually presented an opportunity to rethink the rest of my career. Instead of being so focused on finding a job with a paycheck and benefits, I took a breath and really thought about what I wanted to do. What was my plan B?

Don’t dwell on the why

I recently spoke to someone who had just been laid off. They kept saying over and over, they didn’t know why they were laid off. Does it really matter? It’s done. The reason is irrelevant unless it provides a lesson for the future. Decisions regarding who stays and who goes can be complicated, political, and very clinical, so there is no point in dwelling on it. You can be sure it is necessary because layoffs affect more than just those who are laid off. Those who are unscathed often feel guilt and end up with more work that affects overall morale.

So if you find yourself in this situation or are just ready to make a job change, here are 17 tips from someone who has experienced and observed many layoffs.

1.??Tell everyone you know that you have been laid off. Put it on social media. But don’t be bitter, be factual. It’s ok to ask for help—it’s networking. This is no time to be embarrassed. It happens.

2.? Think about what you really want to do in the next phase of your career. Are there options outside of real estate or relocation that interest you? Maybe a peripheral business line? Are you willing to make less money for a more fulfilling, less stressful role? What do I enjoy?

3.?? Start revamping your resume.

• Select an interesting, but not distracting template.
• Please don’t make the mistake of just listing tasks that you were responsible for. List how you made the cash register ring. How much did you increase sales or improve conversion? Use numbers to tell your success story,
• Did you create any new programs or services? How did you help solve a problem?
• Don’t just list awards, say why you won them.
• You don’t need to go back further than about 10-15 years unless the experience is unique and worth mentioning.
• Be prepared to adjust your resume slightly based on the role you are interviewing for.
• Have a rock-solid cover letter that can be easily adjusted to address why you are qualified for that specific position. Use terms like "I feel I am uniquely qualified for this role because...."
• Have someone else proofread it to ensure no misspellings, grammatical, or formatting errors. Even one misspelling or incorrect word usage can turn off a potential employer.
• Use keywords in your resume that mirror the job posting so any prescreening bots will make you a match for the role.
• If the company is using recruiters or hiring managers to start the process, be aware that they will only scan your resume so make it impactful.
• Make the top of your resume forward-facing (what you want to do and why) and the bottom backward facing (what successes you have had that make you a great candidate for the role).
• Turn it into a pdf before sending it out so the formatting remains consistent.

4.???Update your LinkedIn profile

• Add the #OpentoWork banner to your headshot image.
• Change your settings for your profile to be shared with recruiters.
• Make sure you have a recent professional headshot and your personal email address in your contact information. Also, add your cell phone number.
• Add a banner image that is something beautiful to replace any banner that referenced your previous company. Don’t leave the app-generated banner.
• Start connecting with potential employers and following key companies of interest.
• Write your 'About Section' in the first person. Unlike in a resume, you can use more passion to tell your story.

5.???Start networking and making calls to contacts and supporters. Ask them for recommendations on LinkedIn, but also offer to give them one in return.

6.???If you find a role that is of interest to you, search LinkedIn to find people you may know or are connected with that work for that company. Reach out to find out who is responsible for hiring so you can customize your cover letter and learn a little about them. Connect with people who are connected with the key players. Customize and personalize your invitation to connect by mentioning something about their company or a post they made. Always thank them for connecting. Like and comment on their posts and reshare any content on your page that is relevant.

7.???If you are seeking a global mobility job, go to www.worldwideerc.org/jobs and post your resume and search for jobs. ?Some regional relocation councils have job boards on their websites.

8.???Post your resume on LinkedIn, Indeed, Monster, ZipRecruiter, etc., and set up alerts for specific job titles that interest you.

9.???Get at least three professional references lined up, preferably former supervisors. Get their permission and find out the phone and email they are ok for you to give out. Create a ‘Reference’ document that matches the look of your resume. Some companies will not allow current employees to give references for former employees. so be prepared for that.

10.? If you have a noncompete clause, check with an attorney about how that translates in your state and determine exactly what you are prohibited from doing. In many states, some elements can be perceived as a restraint of trade.

11.??Practice interviewing, there are many videos and articles online to help you nail the tricky interview questions.

12.??Before you go into an interview do your homework on the company and have a list of questions for them. Take notes during the interview—it shows you are interested.

13.??Decide what your stance is on remote work. Not every company will allow 100% remote, so find out their policy before wasting everyone’s time.

14.??Even if your interview is via Zoom, dress for the part and have a neutral or blurred background in a quiet location.

15.??After every interview send a nice thank you email or handwritten note to all parties individually that you met with.

16. Use this time to polish up your tech skills. There are many free tutorials to help you learn and improve your skills. Also, stay up on what is going on in the industry.

17.??File for Unemployment. That’s what it is for. There is no shame in getting some financial help.

Companies are seeking people that are a cultural fit as well as have the skills for the role. So tell them why you want to work for their company and what you like about it, not just why you are suited for the job.

We are bound to hear of more companies making layoffs in the coming months. It is never a bad idea to be prepared for anything by having your resume and your LinkedIn profile updated.

If you need assistance with resume writing and LinkedIn profile editing, let me know. I can help.