The reality today is that anyone can end up out of work from
an unexpected corporate restructuring, downsizing, buyout or exit from a
business by a company. I know this first hand as I was part of a major
downsizing of a struggling regional supermarket chain in the past year. It pays
to know what the immediate steps are to take if and when you are faced with
being laid off.
There are four steps to successfully surviving a RIF
(reduction in force).
1. Make peace with the separation ASAP.
As painful as it may feel, this was a business decision. We all know
corporations don't have feelings. This was not a personal attack or a
reflection on you as a worker. It was simply a question of your role no longer
being seen as a fit with the financial model of the company. While it's normal
to be upset, not working through your feelings will cost you. Being overly
public about your hatred for your employer won't serve any purpose either. In
fact, it will make family and friends avoid recommending you for a job. Nobody
will risk their professional reputation on someone who can't keep their
emotions in check. If you are struggling to cope, seek the help of a career
coach, mentor or counselor.
2. Don't let getting laid off paralyze your job search.
In addition to working through your feelings about the layoff privately,
recognize that a prolonged grieving period will hurt your career. It can be
easy to want to take time off and recover from the experience. But the longer
you wait, the longer it will take for you to find a new job. Just like a house
that sits on the market too long, if you fail to engage in a job search
immediately, people will start to question your value.
3. Capitalize on the fact that it happened to a lot of people.
When 27,000 people get let go, it's clear there weren't performance issues
on-the-job. That makes it easier for a recruiter to market you to employers or
a hiring manager to see your worth. But, when you wait and time passes,
suddenly they start to wonder why you aren't getting snapped up by employers.
Don't be that person!
Find out what's happening in Cinnaminsonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
4. Get clear on how you save or make companies money.
The reason a job exists is because a company believes that someone doing the
role will save or make them enough money to justify hiring them. You need to
determine what problems you solve -- what pain you alleviate. Then, get out
there and let employers who need you know your true value. It's the fastest way
to get hired.
Getting laid off is a terrible experience. Don't go it alone. Come attend
Neighbors-helping-Neighbors USA
weekly support group meetings Get help if you need to. The sooner you can apply
these four steps, the faster you can move forward and find a new job that makes
you happy.
Networking is the key to landing a new job. Please join our LinkedIn Group of
2600 members and connect with our other 1200 members and 1400 career
professionals, recruiters, business contacts and friends of NhN.
