The Independent Money channel is brought to you by Credit Karma.
Being laid off isn’t easy.
Losing a job triggers a wide range of emotional and physical reactions that include anxiety, anger, fatigue, headaches and nausea, according to Stanford University. Managing the aftermath of a layoff is important – there are specific things to do to ensure the journey to the next job is as smooth as possible.
“Take a deep breath,” said certified executive coach Kelly Ling. “Layoffs are becoming the ‘norm’ for how a job ends, and many [employees] find a more fit role after a layoff.”
The Independent reached out to multiple career and human resources experts to get advice on how to survive a layoff. Here is what they said:
open image in galleryDay One must-dos
It’s hard to think clearly after a layoff, but it’s important to remember a few things that should always and never be done by the employee after they’re let go.
Write down all the skills, experiences and accomplishments you learned or achieved during your tenure, said Rob Tillman, founder of career consultancy Unignorable.
“The further you move away from the job, the less clear all these will be – so you have a limited amount of time to get all these on paper,” Tillman told The Independent via email. “Be very detailed.”
Not only will that information help strengthen a resume and future job interviews, but it can also provide clarity, said Caroline Vernon, vice president of coaching and development at employee separation specialists INTOO.
“Surfacing and documenting these will help you determine your best next step so that you can land an even more fulfilling role than your last one,” Vernon told The Independent in an email .
Next, gather up as much professional documentation as you can.
“Think resume, performance reviews, and awards and accolades from colleagues,” Vernon said.
If you’ve lost access to performance reviews, ask human resources for copies of them, recommended Don Pippin, a career strategist and recruiting professional at résumé consultancy area|Talent.
From there, take time to understand the severance package.
Find out the following:
- Career transition services
- COBRA options for health insurance
- Final paycheck amount
- Paid-time-off payouts
- Unemployment assistance
“Try to buy time to review separation packages or agreements, so you’re clear on what they will and won’t offer,” said career advice strategist Mark Anthony Dyson. “If you’re planning to take legal action, don’t sign off on an agreement to lock you into not reporting any illegal activity.”
Finally, avoid applying to dozens of jobs the day of the layoff, Pippin said in an email. “Panic applying” can lead to mistakes and lost opportunities.
“You get one shot at a first impression with most employers,” he said. “Sending out a resume that hasn’t been updated, or one that isn’t tailored to what you’re going after, burns opportunities you may not get back.”
open image in galleryGrieving season
Take time to grieve the job loss and lean on the support of family and friends.
“Know that it’s a grieving process and you’ll go through all the stages,” said Nicki Perchik, owner of boutique executive search firm The NLP Group. “Surround yourself with people who love you and will support you…not bring you down.”
Having a supportive community can help guide future decisions, too, Vernon said.
“Find people who will lift you up, give you hope and hold you accountable,” she said. “Having the right people around you will help you stay grounded and move forward in the right direction.”
Amid the grieving, take time to do things you love, said Trevor Houston, CEO of ClearPath Wealth Strategies.
“I encourage people to focus on doing things that make them feel better from a mental and emotional standpoint, whether it’s working out, going for a walk, learning a new skill, job searching or staying in the company of good people,” Houston said in an email.
open image in galleryLosing a job and dealing with the aftermath tends to isolate affected employees and impact their daily routine, said Jay Marotti, a senior managing partner at career consultancy Vertical Media Solutions.
“Protect your own routines and your mental health,” he said in an email. “Job loss will affect anxiety, depression, and maybe even life satisfaction. Try not to look at the emotional side as some type of weakness.”
Keep it classy
There can be a tendency for laid-off employees to vent their frustrations to their bosses, co-workers or LinkedIn community.
As therapeutic as it might seem, avoid it at all costs, Houston said. There could be a hidden cost that hurts future job opportunities.
“I’ve seen high-performing candidates make decisions and burn bridges after being let go, which then hurt their chances down the line, when really they may not have had to,” Houston said. “The world is a lot smaller than most people realize.”
Another downside to publicizing a layoff soon after it happens is that the message likely won’t be as polished as it could be, said Jan Hendrik von Ahlen, managing director of career support site JobLeads.
“I recommend [waiting] about 48 to 72 hours simply because emotional writing rarely matches what you’d write once the emotions have calmed down,” von Ahlen told The Independent in an email. “And you want your LinkedIn to be as polished as possible at this moment.”
Find out what you truly want from your next job
A layoff can be an opportunity for an employee to rethink what type of job they want.
The steps to finding the right job require self-reflection driven by four key questions, said Alisia Gill, a career coach/strategist at Era of Enough, a corporate career consultancy for women in their 40s and 50s:
- How did you really feel about the job you lost?
- What was working for you?
- What did you wish would change?
- Were you considering doing something different?
“You’re not just looking for any job,” Gill said in an email to The Independent. “You have criteria, needs [and] requirements. And you offer unique value…consider what matters most to you as [you] target the opportunities you pursue.”
.jpg)
open image in galleryIt helps to examine what qualities made you successful at the job and focus on those as you launch your job search, said executive and leadership coach Shayna Bergman, owner of Shayna Bergman Coaching.
“Get your mindset right – anyone who’s just been laid off will naturally question their value and their worth,” Bergman told The Independent in an email. “Look back at the times you’ve been successful.”
“Notice what it was about you during those times that made you successful and aware of your value. Bring those times to the forefront, so that in your conversations, you’re coming from a place of confidence and strength.”
This mindset is important to employees who are vulnerable to believing they’re not as valuable as they once believed, Vernon said.
Sometimes employees need help realizing that just because their role ended doesn’t mean their value ended, too, she said.
“Remember the problems you solved, the results you created, and the work environments where you do your best work,” she said. “Surfacing and documenting these will help you determine your best next step so that you can land an even more fulfilling role than your last one.”
This article is sponsored by Credit Karma. We may earn a commission if you engage with their services using links in this article.