5 Tips for Bouncing Back from a Layoff—Fast
Few events in life are more demoralizing and disheartening than getting called to your manager’s office to learn you won’t have a job tomorrow. Add to that the prospect of navigating a job search, and the panic can feel paralyzing for professionals who suddenly face an uncertain future. How do you recover from a layoff? Here are five key steps to take when you need to find a job opportunity—quickly.
Reframe the Facts
All potential employers will ask why you left your last position, so don’t let your layoff work against you. While hiring managers understand the factors behind layoffs better than anyone, it’s your job to present your situation in a positive light that reflects your value, positive attitude and professionalism. Tell the truth but spin the story to show you made meaningful contributions in your last position. Phrase it so the focus is what you accomplished, using statements like, “Although I was able to drive positive change with these achievements, my work is now being outsourced.”
Update Your Personal Marketing Materials
Whether you’ve been out of the job market for two years or 20, you’ll find that resume standards have changed. In the 10 to 15 seconds a hiring manager spends scanning a resume, they want to see a streamlined document that presents your skills, professional history, and achievements clearly and concisely. If you’re out of your element selling yourself with a resume, consider investing in your career by hiring a professional writer to ensure that your marketing materials make you stand out. Many of our clients first sought us out after months of fruitless applications, and they’ve all reported that the expertly crafted resumes, cover letters, and LinkedIn profiles we’ve produced for them have proven critical to their success.
Leverage Online Tools
Once you have a current resume that concisely and coherently reflects the value you can bring to an organization and contains key words that will align your resume with a hiring manager’s search, put the resume to use by posting it to job search sites. While popular websites like CareerBuilder, Indeed, and Monster are essential to the job search, you should also look for sites that are specific to your industry and location. Also, a fresh and engaging LinkedIn profile is important—97% of hiring managers check candidates’ accounts to learn more about them before scheduling interviews. Because LinkedIn is considered a social media platform, keep the tone in your profile conversational and friendly. Change your status to let recruiters know you’re open to opportunities, and craft a personalized profile that adds to your resume by telling hiring managers more about who you are.
Get Out There—ASAP
Recruiters agree that it’s a positive reflection of your resilience and drive when you dive right back into the application process after being laid off or fired from a job. Successful candidates make job applications their “nine-to-five.” However, it’s important to emphasize quality over quantity—filling out application materials all day is an exercise in futility if your LinkedIn profile isn’t top quality and you’re not spending time tailoring your resume and cover letter to the positions for which you’re applying.
Keep Your Head Up
Recruiters and hiring managers have told us that they can sense when a candidate is feeling desperate, discouraged, or unengaged. Embarking in a new job search will require thick skin, determination, and a positive perspective on your part. Although a layoff is a genuine loss, you’ll bounce back better if you keep these things in mind:
People get laid off for many reasons that aren’t personal, so you’re not a failure.
Job searches make professionals at every level feel a little insecure, so you’re not alone.
No one gets a dream job offer on their first day of a search.
If you can bring confidence and stamina, you’ll find yourself employed much faster than if you wallow in the feelings of failure, rejection, and depression.
Knowing how to effectively position yourself in today’s job market can transform a scary, devastating loss into a new opportunity—and it can mean the difference between facing an uncertain future and finding a fulfilling new step in your career.
