If You've Been Laid Off - The First 10 People You Should Connect to on LinkedIn

Guest post by Alyssa Thomas. You can read parts one, two, and three of her series on Coronavirus unemployment on our website. 

Now that your profile is up to date and ready to show the world, it’s time to start using it. Some of these messages will feel easy and familiar, and gradually they work up to messages that will push you further and further out of your comfort zone. Identifying these 10 people will also help ensure you’re doing all the right things to get noticed on LinkedIn (participating in groups, commenting on articles, and engaging with thought leaders in your space). 

1. Your Last Manager. If it’s possible, have a frank conversation with your most recent manager. Make it clear that if there is a place for you, you want your old job back. You probably have a better chance of getting a straight answer if you’re working for a smaller business, but it doesn’t hurt to try regardless. My suspicion is that a lot of businesses will start with their recently laid off workforce when they’re ready to hire again, and you want to make sure your manager knows you’re committed to coming back. Even if you’re thinking “of course my boss knows I want my job back”, don’t take anything for granted or assume anything right now. 
2. A Solid Reference. When you find that new job you’ll most likely have to provide a reference (or three to five). If you haven’t been in touch with your references lately this is a good time to check back in. Let them know you’re looking and ask if they’d still be comfortable providing a reference when the time comes. 
3. A Former Coworker. Not just any former coworker - someone who has moved on to a company you’d also like to join. A lot of companies offer great referral bonuses to their employees, so people are inclined to help. A lot of this messaging depends on how close you were to this person, but letting them know you’re looking and you’d be interested in their current company is a good place to start. 
4. A Recruiter You’ve Worked With Before. Recruiters move around a lot. Think back to the recruiters you worked with for your last few positions and see where they’re working now. If it’s been a few years chances are good they’ve moved on to another company (if they’re a corporate recruiter) or have new clients (if they’re an agency recruiter). Let them know you appreciated their help before, enjoyed working with them and would like to again now that you’re on the market. 
5. A Recruiter You’ve Never Worked With. You’re going to have to start getting out of your comfort zone a little, and recruiters are a fairly innocuous place to start. Go to the company page for any company you’d like to work for, and click where it says “X employees on LinkedIn” Find a recruiter who seems to fit your area of expertise and say hi. Do your best to make sure it’s someone reasonably likely to be able to help (ie don’t contact a technical recruiter if you’re in sales or marketing) and keep your first message straightforward and to the point. “Hi Alyssa, I’m a sales professional with five years of b2b experience and I’m actively looking for a new position. _____ is one of the companies I’m most interested in working for and I’d really appreciate having a conversation.”
6. Someone who looked at your profile but didn’t get in touch. Bonus points if this someone is a recruiter. If they were on your profile they’re searching for candidates, so reach out! Everyone knows their profile views are public, so there’s absolutely no harm in saying “I saw you viewed my profile this week and wanted to reach out because I’d be really interested in working for ______”. 
7. Someone who authored an article you liked. Again with the getting out of your comfort zone thing. Commenting on and responding to LinkedIn articles is a great way to get noticed, and engaging with articles written by other smart, thoughtful people will keep you sharp and interview ready with lots to talk about. This message doesn’t have to be anything huge, just “Thanks for connecting, really enjoyed your piece on ____ and look forward to reading more of your work”. LinkedIn works on degrees of connection, so connecting to a thought leader in your field opens your profile to more people. 
8. Someone you connected with through a group. I’ll be the first to admit LinkedIn groups vary widely in quality, but there are some very good ones out there. Focus on your industry and your location and you’ll find groups with creative contributors. Like anything else you’ll have to join and participate in a few before you find the one that fits your skill set best. 
9. Someone with a title you want. Type your aspirational job title into the search bar and take a look at the people who pop up. Connect with one and personalize the connection request - you’re currently an Operations Associate hoping to work toward a Director or Chief of title one day. Is there an article or book they recommend for people on that career path? You’re using this time for professional development and would really appreciate recommendations. Especially in a downturn, companies want to hire people who take initiative for their own learning. 
10. A CEO. Shoot for the moon right? Especially if you have your eye on smaller companies or startups, CEOs have a big say in hiring. Keep this message short, 200 words or less, but choose them carefully. Similar to the recruiter message, let them know you’re actively looking, but also include one or two super specific sentences about why their company would be the dream job.

No matter what, do NOT get discouraged. I guarantee you will not hear back from everyone you reach out to, it’s normal and entirely to be expected. However, continuing to work through this list and pushing yourself to connect and communicate with new people is the fastest way to grow your network and set your job search up for success.