Navigating a Layoff and Career Transition
Getting laid off feels about as pleasant as a root canal performed by an auto mechanic, but how you handle it can make all the difference. Instead of wallowing in your pajamas and binge-watching all 48 seasons of Survivor, strategically position yourself for career transition.
Whether you're currently employed and sensing those ominous "restructuring" whispers in the break room, or you've just been handed your walking papers along with a dying potted plant, this guide will help you navigate the challenging waters of job loss with strategy and confidence.
How to Prepare Before a Layoff Happens
(Because Fortune Favors the Prepared)
Smart professionals don't wait for the corporate equivalent of storm clouds to appear; they keep their career umbrella handy at all times. Think of it as “professional prepping” but with less canned food and more LinkedIn optimization.
Keep Your Network Warm
(Like Your Grandmother's Cookies)
Your network is your greatest career asset, but you can't just dust off your contact list when you're suddenly unemployed and expect people to remember who you are. Make it a habit to regularly connect with former colleagues, industry contacts, and professional acquaintances. Send occasional check-in messages, congratulate contacts on their achievements, and offer help when you can. When layoffs hit, you'll have a foundation of relationships to draw upon rather than having to make cold outreach during a vulnerable time.
Maintain an Updated Digital Presence
(Your Future Success Depends on It)
Your LinkedIn profile should always reflect your current role and recent accomplishments, not just when you are in a job search. Update your profile quarterly with new projects, skills, and achievements. Think of it as regular maintenance, like changing your car's oil. Keep your resume current in an easily accessible digital format because scrambling to remember what you did in Q3 of 2019 while under pressure to meet an application deadline is no one’s idea of fun. Having a professional headshot (not your vacation selfie from Cabo, no matter how good your tan looks) will enhance your credibility on LinkedIn.
Build Your Financial Buffer
(Your Sanity's Best Friend)
Financial stress makes searching for work about as enjoyable as assembling IKEA furniture without instructions. Aim to build an emergency fund covering 6 months of expenses, including your inexplicable subscription to that meditation app you used twice. This buffer gives you the luxury of being selective about opportunities rather than accepting the first offer out of desperation. It also allows you to invest time in networking, skill development, and thorough job research. No savings? Consider accepting a part-time job or contract position to make ends meet.
Document Your Achievements
(Because Your Memory Isn't Netflix)
Many professionals struggle to articulate their value because they haven't kept track of their accomplishments. Update your profile quarterly with new projects, skills, and achievements. Think of it as regular maintenance, like changing your car's oil. Maintain a journal of your achievements, including specific metrics, successful projects, and positive feedback. This is invaluable when updating your resume or preparing for interviews. Include details about budget sizes, team sizes, percentage improvements, and other quantifiable results. Keep your resume current in an easily accessible digital format because scrambling to remember what you did in Q3 of 2019 while under pressure to meet an application deadline is no one’s idea of fun.
Stay Industry-Connected
(Without Becoming “That” Person)
Subscribe to industry publications, attend professional events (virtual or in-person), and participate in relevant online communities. This keeps you informed about market trends and emerging opportunities and helps you identify which skills are becoming more valuable in your field. Just don't become the person who shares every industry article with a profound and pompous commentary that is strictly self-serving. Please, don’t be “that” person. Focus on others. Be authentic and relatable.
What to Do After You Receive Notice
(The First 48 Hours of Your Plot Twist)
The first 48 hours after receiving layoff notice are crucial, like the opening scenes of an action movie where the hero's life gets turned upside down. Your emotions will be doing the equivalent of a roller coaster designed by a mechanical engineer with a twisted sense of humor, but taking the right immediate steps can set you up for a triumphant comeback montage.
Understand Your Severance Package
(Read the Fine Print, Unlike the Terms of Service for your Door Dash App)
Don't sign anything immediately. Take time to review your severance agreement carefully and consider having it reviewed by an employment attorney if the severance package is substantial. Understand what benefits you're entitled to, including health insurance continuation, unused vacation pay, and any restrictions on future employment.
Secure Your Professional Materials
(The Great Digital Heist)
Before your computer access gets revoked faster than a grounded teenager’s social media privileges, save important documents to your own laptop or flash drive. This includes performance reviews, recommendation letters, project portfolios, and contact information for colleagues and clients. Be ethical about this; we're talking about your own work and professional contacts, not the company's intellectual property. Many companies restrict access immediately after layoff announcements, so act quickly while remaining professional. Think of it as a strategic removal of personal data rather than a smash-and-grab operation.
Control the Narrative
(Spin Class for Your Career)
Reach out to close colleagues and key contacts before news of your departure spreads through the office gossip network like wildfire in a paper factory. A brief, professional message explaining that your position was eliminated due to restructuring helps frame the conversation positively. This proactive communication prevents the rumor mill from turning your departure into an episode of As the Office Turns. Keep it simple: "Hi [Name], I wanted to let you know that my position was eliminated as part of [Company]'s restructuring. I'm excited about exploring new opportunities and would love to stay in touch."
Take Care of Immediate Logistics
(Adulting at Warp Speed)
Update your LinkedIn status to reflect that you're open to new opportunities, but keep your message concise and future-focused. Let readers know the type of role you are seeking and a few of your professional strengths. File for unemployment benefits immediately because there's often a waiting period, and you've been paying into this system like a responsible adult. Research COBRA options for health insurance (spoiler alert: it's expensive but cheaper than medical bankruptcy). Understanding these timelines now prevents panic when you're trying to figure out why your insurance card was declined at the pharmacy.
Allow Yourself Time to Process Job Loss
(Permission to Feel Human)
Job loss is a significant life event that triggers real grief. Allow yourself 24-48 hours to process the emotional impact before diving into job search activities. This isn't time wasted. It's essential to approach your search with the right mindset rather than the emotional stability of a caffeinated chihuahua. Feel your emotions, eat some comfort food, call your mom, then get back to business.
Moving Forward with Confidence
(Your Comeback Story Starts Now)
Remember that layoffs are increasingly common and rarely reflect individual performance. They're more like corporate weather patterns than personal report cards. The economy goes through cycles, companies reorganize, and sometimes you just happen to be in the path of a business decision that has nothing to do with your value as a professional. Focus on what you can control: your preparation, your response, and your commitment to finding the right next opportunity rather than just any opportunity.
The professionals who emerge strongest from layoffs are those who treat the experience as a chance to reassess their career goals and make strategic moves toward roles that better align with their values and aspirations. This layoff positions you for something better than what you had—a job that energizes you on Monday mornings instead of making you question your life choices.
The job market rewards preparation, persistence, and strategic thinking, plus a healthy sense of humor about the whole absurd process. (The hiring process is broken, but that’s a conversation for a different day). By implementing these strategies, you'll not only survive a layoff but understand what you need to thrive in your next role. And who knows? Six months from now, you might be thanking your former employer for giving you the push you needed to find meaningful work and career happiness.
Cheers to your massive success in landing your next role!
Hi, I’m Sharla Taylor, a certified career coach, writer, and job search strategist who loves helping people transform career setbacks into amazing comebacks, landing ideal opportunities aligned with their core strengths and values.
When you are ready, there are several ways we can work together to overcome the challenges of surviving a layoff. I offer career assessments to help you find career clarity and direction, personal brand strategy to develop your unique value proposition (UVP), resume writing, LinkedIn profile writing, networking strategies, and research-based job search tactics that have helped my clients land new roles between 44% to 72% faster than the national average.
Book a free discovery call to discuss your career goals at calendly.com/writtenbyapro