Top 5 Things To Do When You’ve Been Laid Off Without Warning

STEP 1: FOCUS ON YOUR SELF CARE

You’re probably in a whirlwind and can barely tell up from down. That’s normal. I repeat. That. Is. Normal. 

You. Are. Normal.

When a layoff happens, it can cause a shock to the system. This is something to work through, not dismiss.

First things first, it’s time to focus on self-care so that you are in the driver's seat. Below are 7 self-care tips for those experiencing a layoff.

1. Breathe. Meditate. Focus.

2. Unplug. Do not spend hours scrolling through and looking at and consuming and re-consuming this news. You need to be purposeful with your actions and protect your brain space from cluttering noise that could potentially lead to more negative thoughts.

3. Honor your emotions. Emotions are not wrong or right. They just are. It’s best not to beat yourself up over your emotions. You might be wondering why you were loyal to the company, why you put so much effort into your job, why, why, why…be kind to yourself and honor yourself. Be proud that you had that type of work ethic and be confident in the fact that your next employer will appreciate this from you and that your work ethic is what is going to have people eager to recommend you for your next great role.

4. Remember it’s not personal..because it’s not.

5. Focus on your purpose. Did you like your job (or were you just going through the motions)? Now is the time to evaluate whether you want to use this as an opportunity to make a career change or go deeper in your current career field.

6. Set a schedule. Your days used to be packed with meetings and work. Take a break but don’t let your mind become sedentary…block out time to develop your career strategy, connect with your network and refresh your personal brand. Include additional time to get things done that you never had time to do when you were at work.

7. Be patient with yourself. According to Indeed, the average time to find a job is 19.3 weeks, or about 5 months

STEP 2: DO A FINANCIAL CHECK-IN

Empower yourself by doing a financial check-in. Yes, I know this might be scary. I remember not having a job and being terrified to open the mail for fear there might be another bill. But I got past that by better understanding my finances and doing regular check-ins. After you assess your financial situation, you will be able to plan accordingly. 

Below are three items to help you successfully assess your financial situation:

1. Get an understanding of what your monthly bills are and where you have room to reduce expenses. Start with items such as gym memberships, streaming subscriptions, massage memberships, meal delivery services, etc. Consider which ones you can pause for a bit.

2. Inquire about your investment portfolio. This is the last thing you want to touch but sometimes in an emergency you’ll need to. So before you get to that point, find out what you have that’s fully vested and what the penalties and/or fees are to access the funds.

3. Learn about your health insurance options for COBRA vs obtaining insurance through the open market.

4. Apply for unemployment

STEP 3: GET CLARITY WITH YOURSELF

Great news! You have an opportunity that comes with choices right now. You might want to pivot to something different than you were doing previously or you might want to stay in the same field. The thing is you have a choice, and decision-making is a powerful thing. 

It’s important that you have clarity as you make this decision as you will be articulating your “elevator pitch” to everyone you encounter. The more clear you are, the more people can speak your name in rooms you’re not in and send job referrals your way. 

Wondering how to get clear? Start with these two tips below:

1. Refresh your vision and goals in the four key areas of personal, professional, health and financial. This will help you think through how each area of your life affects the other. 

2. Reflect on and celebrate your accomplishments at your precious company. 

STEP 4: ACTIVATE YOUR NETWORK

Now that you have clarity on what you’d like to do it’s time to gain support from your network. Think about who is in your current network and think about who you need to be in your network so that you can fill in the gap.

Utilize the 4 tips below to activate and grow your network.

1. Ask for LinkedIn recommendations

2. Post about your layoff on LinkedIn

1. Share your tenure (number of years at the company) & role 

2. ask for support

3. Be clear in your ask

4. Be vulnerable

5. Include hashtags: #Layoff #Recruiter #OpenToWork 

3. Connect with your network

1. previous managers

2. Previous co-workers

3. Trusted advisors and mentors

4. Add the green circle (looking for work) to your LinkedIn profile

Networking is one of the most important steps in any job search strategy. If you’re looking to dive deeper into networking, I created a free checklist where I walk you through various ways to build your network in a strategic, authentic way.  Download my FREE 30 day networking planner to help you position yourself to be referred to your dream job. 

STEP 5: INITIATE A JOB SEARCH STRATEGY

Here we go! Now that you have refreshed your goals and gained clarity on the direction you’d like to go in next it’s time to build out the remainder of your job search strategy.

1. Resubscribe to industry newsletters and job boards so that you can learn more about current opportunities.

2. Refresh your resume and LinkedIn to reflect the type of job you’d like to land.

3. Get organized…keep a spreadsheet of where you’re applying and when you applied so it’s easy for you to follow up.

4. Refresh your interview stories and practice with a trusted friend, mentor or coach.

5. Download this 30 day networking guide to help you jumpstart (and stay on track) with networking.

That’s it. Those are the 5 steps to take when you’ve been laid off without warning.

I am so sorry that you have found yourself in the position of being laid off, BUT I know that you were made for greatness. I hope you use these steps to help you go from shocked to empowered. 

If you are looking for more support as you navigate this journey, the Pivot to Purpose Career Change Program is designed to guide you through navigating a career change and discovering your purpose. Check it out!