Who Are You Without Your Title When You Get Fired/ Laid off?

I was laid off in less than 1 minute over the phone and I had no clue how to introduce myself without "title" during a job search.

I work with tons of career professionals, and they sell their ex-employers rather than their own skills. Have you seen Ex-Google, Ex-Facebook, etc? Are their skills tied to the company's brand?

I don't blame them; I was in the same boat. I worked for top companies and took pride in selling them even after they snatched my fancy title. There is nothing wrong with bringing the top companies into the conversation but focusing on personal accomplishments is the key. The lesson I have learned from the layoff was, I should have built my personal brand than the company's brand on LinkedIn. Working with top employers is no doubt a privilege as we get to learn so much but don't build their brand after leaving. Highlight your accomplishments instead. They broke up with you, move on without giving them space on your LinkedIn headline!

My LinkedIn profile is for a personal brand unless I own the business. I won't use my prime real estate on LinkedIn for ex-employers. If you have a current company's banner with its logo and want to promote the company's work on your LinkedIn profile, be strategic. Share other things than the company's post. Add the keywords of your technical/ hard skills and what problem you solve on your LinkedIn headline, watch the LinkedIn branding tips. For God's sake, stop promoting your current employers. They have a marketing team working on getting awards for employers of their choice. Update the LinkedIn banner to highlight your work, Period!

I know a few companies/industries make you sign the form, and they have a protocol on social media, which I understand is for business conduct. But any company that watches your social media presence and dictates what you can post and not, think it twice, they are trying to silence your voice. I get lots of concern from clients who are trying to switch, what if their boss sees the branding? Therefore, you must slowly start now, and take one day at a time.

After you get fired/ laid off you will have a gap and I have a solution for you in the video below.

How to Announce Your Layoff | Teachndo

Not having a title sometimes is a blessing in disguise.

I felt old in my late thirties to bounce back after the layoff, it may have been related to the industry and type of role/ career break. What would other people think about the unemployment gap gave me self-doubt. If you are feeling ageism, read a few strategies here.

I decided to go and seek my soul in Nepal after the lay-off, which is where I was born. The pictures on today's cover page are from my volunteering days. I had never stepped into the gym and exercised but I chose to walk the uphill road for over 8 hours without the road to go live in a village with my sponsored kids. The lesson from my volunteering days was full of gratitude. Sometimes losing the fancy title helps to soul search. I tutored these kids in the mountain about gender gaps and breaking barriers as women. It is safe to say that if I didn't volunteer, my mental health would have been impacted. I left my two small kids in Canada and backpacked with the volunteers for months. The layoff was a blessing in disguise for me. I developed a passion for teaching. I want you to know that if you have been laid off, fired, or quit, things would get better. A couple of years from now, you will thank your haters /boss/colleagues/toxic environment. So far, I have quit two jobs and the best things I have ever done. You didn't fail, you pleased your soul.

Compete with someone who has nothing to give during your worst time.

I still get emotional when revisiting pictures from the past. We started walking around 2 pm and by the time we reached up, it was dark. No roads, no lights, just jungle. Villagers have died because of safety reasons. Therefore, Laxmi Pratisthan opened a hostel for kids to avoid back and forth travelling to school. There is only one government school up in the mountain which takes a couple of hours from the village. Basic needs for kids are sponsored by people like us. It is a moment like this that makes us feel extremely lucky to be living in Canada and having the basic needs. Are we richer than we think?

Teachndo would never have been launched publicly if I didn't get laid off to understand my strengths and weaknesses. I wanted to go to the non-profit world and did lots of volunteering before launching my company. I didn't want to start from anything but transferrable skills from the past. I have seen the hiring gaps, as a hiring manager. I have been a job seeker, and I have seen the biases against immigrants and people of colour, read here. I have mentored thousands of immigrants, newcomers, and laid-off professionals, in Canada. I decided to finally quit and start full-time consulting to make an impact. I rarely introduce myself as a Female Founder & CEO, I would like to be known as a Career Strategist instead. The impact I make with the title is more important to me than the fancy executive title. Clients like this remind me of it was worth resigning.

If you are a job seeker or trying to get out of a toxic place, brand yourself on LinkedIn

Building a brand takes months but knowing the backend of recruiting tools could speed up the job search process. Do you know how to end up on their spotlights?

There are 5 main criteria to start with. Look at the spotlights and the search criteria to stand out on a recruiter's search. I teach all the strategies in my course. If you need help, let's talk.

It is because of LinkedIn branding I am invited to speak at major events. The branding will take you to places you have never imagined. How cool is that?

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P.S To anyone who got laid off or fired, they took your title, not your brain, it is their loss!

YOU GOT THIS! ??

Sweta Regmi is a hiring manager from award-winning companies turned Founder and CEO at Teachndo, a Certified Career and Résumé Strategist. Regmi was named Top Job Search Expert and Top Career Advisor to follow on LinkedIn. Her insights have been featured in Prime-time news such as CBC National, Global National, CNBC, Wall Street Journal, HuffPost, City News, CTV, The Globe and Mail, Forbes, LinkedIn News, indeed, Career Conferences, and over 100+ top media. Regmi is also the Amazon Best Seller of 21 Resilient Women: Stories of Courage, Growth, and Transformation. The book has been recognized by libraries, ministers, and MPs in Canada.?Her RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards nomination by Women of Influence in 2022 and 2023, CPC Awards of Excellence 2023, and Outstanding Career Professional:?HONOURABLE MENTION further demonstrates her success as a recognized career expert in Canada.