Getting laid off from your job is never easy. The emotional impact of job loss is real, and the grief that comes with it shouldn’t be rushed or minimized. But there is some truth that may be of comfort: layoffs often reflect business decisions – not judgments about your personal worth or capabilities.
With the right strategy and actions, you can use a layoff as a catalyst for an even stronger next chapter of your career. Let’s look at a roadmap you can use to recover from a layoff and start building a job search strategy that puts you in a competitive position.
Step 1: Take Control of Your Current Situation
Allow yourself 72 hours to genuinely process what’s happened. The time you spent in your job pre-layoff wasn’t wasted, and you are still a valuable, skilled professional with value to bring to the table.
Create Structure for Your Days
After this initial period of time, it’s best to create a structure for your days. Create a daily routine that allows you to focus on physical activity and make social connections. Dedicate a few hours each day to planning your next steps.
Apply for Unemployment
Consider applying for unemployment benefits within 48 hours. Unemployment benefits are primarily paid for by employers through payroll taxes, and they exist for this exact situation. You can make use of them to keep you afloat while you find your next job.
Assess Your Emergency Fund & Budget
You’ll also want to look at your current financial situation to make sure you have what you need to manage the time between layoff and your next paycheck at a new job.
Look at your emergency fund (recommended 3-6 months saved) and contact any creditors to let them know your current situation. Many will work with you if you are unable to make payments.
Step 2: Overhaul Your Resume and Personal Brand
Once you’re ready to jump into the job market, make sure you’ve taken a look at your resume and personal brand.
Updating Your Resume
This is a great time to visit (and potentially recreate) your resume. You can look over any details that should be updated or removed, and position yourself in the best light once you begin to apply for new roles.
Here are some considerations when it comes to updating your resume:
- Remove any irrelevant positions from years ago
- Eliminate any generic phrases like “hard worker” or “team player”
- Delete any details that don’t demonstrate impact
- Start every bullet point with strong action verbs (Led, Developed, Increased, Launched)
- Quantify every achievement possible: “Increased sales by 15%” not “improved sales”
- Mirror exact keywords from target job descriptions for ATS optimization
- Reframe your skills and experience to demonstrate how they apply to new technologies such as automation and AI
Recommended: Why Your Resume Isn’t Getting Noticed (And How to Fix It)
Enhancing Your Brand
It may sound strange to consider your “personal brand,” but more employers are looking at your social media presence alongside your resume. Update your LinkedIn profile as soon as possible. Within 24 hours of a layoff, update the following:
- Change your headline from past job title to target role: “Data Analytics Professional Transforming Complex Information into Business Intelligence.”
- Rewrite your About section, focusing on outcomes and impact, not job descriptions
- Upload a professional photo if you don’t have one
- Turn on the “Open to Work” indicator – LinkedIn data shows users with this are contacted more frequently by recruiters
This is also a great time to start posting and offering your expertise to help you engage with the marketplace. The more you post, the higher your chances of being seen online.
Step 3: Start Networking
Did you know that 70-85% of jobs are filled through networking and never appear on public job boards? If you’re spending the majority of your time applying for posted positions, you’re missing out on potential opportunities.
Reach Out with Trusted Contacts
Start by identifying a few trusted contacts outside immediate family who know your work quality. Ask them for insights and advice, and allow them to lead out with any potential opportunities they know of.
End each conversation asking: “Who else in your network should I talk to, given what I’m looking for?” This single step can exponentially expand your reach.
Start Engaging Online
You can also start reaching out on LinkedIn and other social media platforms to start conversations with industry leaders and hiring managers. Here’s a quick way to engage with them naturally:
- Make a list of 25 companies you’d love to work for.
- Research employees at the companies that you might be able to connect with.
- Engage with their content for 1-2 weeks (like their content, comment thoughtfully)
- Message them once you connect: “Your company is on my target list. I’ve been following your posts about [topic] and would love to learn about your experience there. Would you be open to a short chat?”
Recommended: Holiday Networking Tips for Job Seekers
Create Accountability
Don’t limit yourself to only chatting with potential employers or colleagues. Find a few individuals who can hold you accountable to your job hunt, encourage you, and lift you up when you lose steam.
Step 4: Consider Alternative Ways to Get Hired
Don’t limit yourself to only permanent roles. In today’s market, contract and temporary work is an excellent way to connect with companies looking to hire skilled professionals.
There are a few reasons why temporary and contract work could help you find your next role:
- Faster hiring processes (less commitment = quicker decisions)
- Fills employment gaps on your resume
- Maintains income flow during your search
- Provides “test runs” of potential employers
- Often converts to full-time after 3-6 months
At BravoTECH, we connect skilled professionals with open positions with leading companies in the industries that are hiring now. We work with high-value companies to place skilled candidates in roles that may turn into long-term opportunities.
Recommended: How to Go from Contract to Full-Time Employee
Step 5: Stay Focused and Keep Getting Better
One of the best things you can do after your layoff is to practice your interviewing skills and build up your soft skills.
Identify your strengths and weaknesses, and take steps to smooth out any edges in your skills. Communication, leadership, problem-solving and creative thinking are just a few of the soft skills employers look for alongside specific technical abilities.
Don’t be afraid to apply and interview for multiple roles. Every single practice run helps you prepare for the next. The more you can work on your interviewing and follow-up, the more advice you can get on how to enhance your presence and presentation.
In addition, if acquiring a new certification or taking an online course would make you a more competitive job candidate, now is the perfect time. Hiring managers will be impressed that you’re using your time wisely to improve your skills.
Recommended: 7 Quick Tips to Nail Your Remote Technical Interview
BravoTECH is Here to Help
Making your way through a layoff is never easy. But for many, it is an opportunity to find a role that is a better fit for you and offers a better path forward.
BravoTECH focuses on helping you find roles while equipping you with the skills and understanding needed to take the next step:
- Access to unadvertised opportunities you may not find on job boards
- Resume and positioning guidance that helps you gain a competitive edge in the marketplace
- Access to current compensation trends, in-demand skills, and more
- Applications that go to hiring managers, not ATS black holes
- Support throughout the process – from initial conversation through offer negotiation
We’ve placed countless professionals who were rebuilding after layoffs, and we understand both the challenges and practical strategies that lead to successful outcomes.
Ready to turn your layoff into your next great career opportunity? Visit our jobs page to view current roles or Contact Us – BravoTECH Workforce Solutions.