I Just Got Laid Off. Here are 18 Steps to Take Right Now.
I originally wrote a version of this piece back in November of 2022 when the unexpected COVID real estate boon was winding down, and it had taken its toll on many entities in real estate and relocation. Now, we are facing a new challenge as the financial pressure because of the NAR Settlement is starting to kick in for many brokerages and relocation service providers. I am hearing of more layoffs each day, and many of them are people in the twilight of their careers. There is nothing worse than someone else trying to dictate when we retire. So, I went back and re-edited it with additional things I have learned in the last two years.
Here is my advice:
Grieve for about a day and then move on. As someone who was laid off twice within a two-year span after a 30-year career, I know what I am talking about. I grieved for way too long after the first layoff. I worried about my employees finding new jobs. I worried about whether our clients would be taken care of. I was sad about all of the time and energy I had put into the job for so many years that was now just cast aside. I was angry that they didn’t realize the importance of our contributions and the work we all did. All of that worrying and sadness didn’t change the outcome.
With the second layoff, I moved on in about five minutes. The circumstances were certainly different, but I realized that being laid off wasn’t the end of the world. It actually presented an opportunity to rethink the rest of my career. Instead of being so focused on finding a job with a paycheck and benefits, I took a breath and really thought about what I wanted to do. What was my plan B?
Don’t dwell on the why.
I recently spoke to someone who had just been laid off. They kept saying over and over they didn’t know why they were laid off. Does it really matter? It’s done. The reason is irrelevant unless it provides a lesson for the future. Decisions regarding who stays and who goes can be complicated, political, and very clinical, so there is no point in dwelling on it.
You can be sure it is necessary because layoffs affect more than just those laid off. While I don’t always agree with who companies choose to lay off versus the ones they keep, we don’t know the behind-the-scenes stories. Those who are unscathed often feel guilt and end up with more work that affects overall morale.
If you find yourself in this situation or are just ready to make a job change, here are 18 tips from someone who has experienced and observed many layoffs. I have helped many people successfully prepare for a job search or a career change.
1. Share your situation with everyone in your network. Post about it on social media, but maintain a professional tone. It’s not a time to be embarrassed but an opportunity to connect with others who may be able to help. Remember, networking is a powerful tool in finding new opportunities.
2. Think about what you really want to do in the next phase of your career. Are there options outside of real estate or relocation that interest you? Maybe a peripheral business line? Are you willing to make less money for a more fulfilling, less stressful role? What do you enjoy? What are you really good at? We must have clarity about the jobs we want and be able to show why past roles have prepared us for our target jobs. Be prepared to hear, ‘You are overqualified for this role.’ Have your response ready. Employers don’t want to feel like you are taking a job as a stopgap and might leave as soon as something better comes along.
3. Start revamping your resume:
Select an interesting but not distracting template.
Please don’t make the mistake of just listing tasks that you were responsible for. List how you made the cash register ring. How much did you increase sales or improve conversion? Use numbers to tell your success story,
Did you create any new programs or services? How did you help solve a problem?
Don’t just list awards; say why you won them.
You don’t need to go back further than about 10-15 years unless the experience is unique and worth mentioning.
Be prepared to adjust your resume slightly based on the role you are interviewing for.
Have a rock-solid cover letter that can be easily adjusted to address why you are qualified for that specific position.
Have someone else proofread it to ensure there are no misspellings, grammatical errors, or formatting errors. Even one misspelling or incorrect word usage can turn off a potential employer.
Use keywords in your resume that match the job posting so that any prescreening bots will consider you a match for the role.
If the company is using recruiters or hiring managers to start the process, be aware that they will only scan your resume, so make it impactful.
Make the top of your resume forward-facing (what you want to do and why) and the bottom backward-facing (what successes you have had that make you a great candidate for the role).
Turn it into a PDF before sending it out so the formatting remains consistent.
4. Update your LinkedIn profile:
This one is IMPORTANT! Before your last day at work, go in and change your login email to your personal email address. You will have a very hard time changing your email address in your contact information once you no longer have access to it.
Add the #OpentoWork banner to your headshot image.
Describe your employment journey in the first person. Say “I.”
Change your settings for your profile to be shared with recruiters or all LI members.
Include a recent professional headshot and add your cell phone number in your contact information.
Add a beautiful banner image to replace any banner that references your previous company. Don’t leave the app-generated banner.
Start connecting with potential employers and following key companies of interest.
5. Start networking and making calls to contacts and supporters. Ask them for recommendations on LinkedIn and offer to give them one in return.
6. Work your LI network. If you find a role that interests you, search LinkedIn to find people you may know or are connected with who work for that company. Reach out to find out who is responsible for hiring so you can customize your cover letter and learn a little about them.
7. Go to www.worldwideerc.org/jobs, post your resume, and search for jobs. Some regional relocation councils have job boards on their websites.
8. Post your resume on LinkedIn, Indeed, Monster, ZipRecruiter, etc., and set up alerts for specific job titles that interest you.
9. Get at least three professional references lined up, preferably former supervisors. Get their permission and find out the phone and email they are okay with you giving out. Create a ‘Reference’ document that matches the look of your resume. Some companies will not allow current employees to give references for former employees, so be prepared for that.
10. If you have a noncompete clause, check with an attorney about how that translates in your state and determine exactly what you are prohibited from doing. In many states, some elements can be perceived as a restraint of trade.
11. Practice interviewing. Many videos and articles are available online to help you nail the tricky interview questions. Many companies do panel interviews, which can be intimidating if you aren’t prepared.
12. Before you go into an interview, do your homework on the company and have a list of questions for them. Take notes during the interview—it shows you are interested.
13. Decide your stance on remote work. Not every company will allow 100% remote work, so find out their policy before wasting everyone’s time.
14. Even if your interview is via video conference, dress for the part and have a neutral or blurred background in a quiet location. Nothing worse than a screaming kid or barking dog in an interview. It just does not give off a professional vibe.
15. After every interview, send a nice thank-you email or handwritten note to each party you met with individually.
16. Use this time to polish up your tech skills. There are many free tutorials to help you learn and improve your skills. Also, stay up on what is going on in the industry.
17. Fractional work. Are you willing to fill in for people who may need help with coverage due to a medical leave or business flux? It’s not a bad way to keep busy and stay networked, and it could end up as a full-time position. Think about how you might charge for your services.
18. File for Unemployment. That’s what it is for. There is no shame in getting some financial help.
Companies are seeking people who are a cultural fit as well as have the skills for the role. So tell them why you want to work for their company and what you like about it, not just why you are suited for the job. Talk about successes, not the tasks you performed. Help them envision you in the role and tell them why you are perfect for it.
We are bound to hear of more companies making layoffs in the coming months. It is never a bad idea to be prepared for anything by having your resume and your LinkedIn profile updated. And regularly speak with your leadership to update them on everything you are working on. We have to be sure all of the key decision-makers know the value we bring to the company and offer to take on more responsibility as needed during this challenging time. Make yourself indispensable. So when layoffs are inevitable, they wouldn’t dream of letting you go.
If you would like to hear more about my personal journey with layoffs, you can listen here: Thriving Through Career Pivots and Self-Advocacy - Step Into The Pivot
If you need help with resume writing and LinkedIn profile editing, let me know. I can help.
“I can't tell you how many board meetings I've been in where the CEO is anguished over the impacts on morale that cost-cutting or layoffs will bring about. You know what hurts morale even more than cost-cutting and layoffs? Going out of business.”~ Heidi Roizen, is a Silicon Valley executive, venture capitalist, and entrepreneur.