Navigating Transition: Your Guide to Rebounding After a Job Layoff

You’ve read the news. You’ve heard the horror stories. This time, it happened to you. You lost your job. You were downsized — or rightsized. Your company is going in a different direction, restructuring, reorganizing. No matter what it’s called, a job layoff is traumatic — personally and professionally. 

When you get the news, you might be shocked, angry, or confused. You are allowed to feel any and all emotions. But, sometime soon after your world is turned upside down, you need to focus on moving forward and moving past this point. These steps can kick-start your career comeback.

Understanding and Processing the Layoff

If you’ve been laid off, it’s important to remember you haven’t been “fired.” A job layoff is beyond your control; a firing is directly related to your performance or behavior. Still, that doesn’t make it any easier. 

Immediately after and in the days that follow a layoff, you might feel a range of emotions — anger, confusion, frustration, hopelessness, sadness. You should allow yourself time to mourn and process what’s happened. But try to avoid dwelling on the negative and tying your worth to your situation. Remember: You were initially hired because you have marketable skills that employers covet — that doesn’t change.

As you address the mental side of your layoff, you also need to take care of some financial details.

• Pursue severance and lump-sum pay: Laid-off employees often are eligible for severance pay, compensation for unused paid time off or sick leave, and an extension of health benefits. Confirm with your human resources department — and your state employment office if necessary — what is available to you. 
• File for unemployment benefits: Since it will likely take several weeks to get your first unemployment check, apply for benefits as soon as possible. The compensation won’t replace your salary, but it will help ease the temporary financial hardship.
• Get monthly payments paused/reduced: Some credit card companies, mortgage lenders, and student loan services offer hardship programs that can reduce or even pause your monthly payments. Similarly, consider canceling non-essential memberships or subscription services — streaming platforms, gym memberships, cable, etc. — until you’ve found a new job. Every little bit helps.

Assess Your Professional Situation and Plan Your Next Move

It’s a cliche to say, but it’s true: When one door closes, another one opens. This job layoff is your chance to reassess your career path, your goals, and your dreams. Ask yourself what you really want to do, then consider how your skills, experience, and education can get you there. 

As you explore your wants and needs, think about what you liked about your job and what you disliked. You might find you want to work in a different industry or field. If so, focus on your transferable skills and develop those. Conduct research to determine what new skills you might need to segue into the next phase of your career. Take free courses on LinkedIn Learning, sign up for webinars with companies in your desired industry, and lean on mentors you’ve worked with in the past.

Your goal is to not only nurture the skills that can help you take the next step in your career now but also make you attractive to future employers and set yourself up for lasting success.

Crafting Your Job Search Strategy

Perhaps the toughest part of a job layoff is balancing the urgency to find a well-paying job ASAP with the necessity to find the right job that will make you happy. To do that, you should do these four things for an effective job search.

1. Update your resume: Since it might have been a while, update your resume to reflect your recent tenure ending and refocus on the skills you are prioritizing now. If you’re changing industries or fields, be sure your resume includes keywords associated with your desired positions. Also, simplify the formatting of your resume and avoid special characters so that it is correctly read by applicant tracking systems. 
2. Refresh your LinkedIn profile: Update your most recent position and add skills to your profile that correspond to your desired roles. Consider posting publicly about your availability, clearly stating what types of positions you’d like and what roles you’re qualified to fill. Ask your connections to endorse your skills. Request recommendations from people you’ve worked with. Add clips or links to your best work. Your profile might be the first thing potential employers see, so don’t overlook it.
3. Tailor job applications to specific roles: As you’re applying for jobs, include a cover letter specifically for that role and include relevant keywords. Highlight past accomplishments, backed by data, in your cover letter or your resume that illustrate your competency and what you’ll bring to your next role.
4. Network virtually: This is where LinkedIn helps big time. You can connect with, network with, and even communicate with mentors or potential employers, improving your chances of landing your next job. Consider joining Facebook groups dedicated to your industry or profession. Take part in industry conversations on social media to get recognized. You should also rely on the power of your personal network, reconnecting with former colleagues, mentors, and co-workers. Explain your situation and ask them to keep you in mind when they run across job openings, hear about opportunities, or — ideally — know someone who needs to fill a role. You are far more likely to get to the interview stage if you have a personal referral.

Interviewing With Confidence 

When you get to the interview stage, you have already impressed your potential employer. The company likely had several hundred applicants for a publicly advertised job. Now, you need to stand out among a much smaller crowd. Follow these tips:

• Prepare for common interview questions: If you’re stumped when the interviewer asks “Why should I hire you?” that’s bad. Have an answer for that question and other common stumpers like “Why do you want to work for this company?” and “What do you consider your strengths and weaknesses?” The more specific you can get, the better.
• Don’t ignore your job layoff — face it head-on: Remember, you were laid off, not fired. Speak candidly about your experience, then frame it as your chance to advance your career and find an ideal match for your skills. Above all else, don’t badmouth your former employer. 
• Negotiating salary and benefits: If you get this far, congratulations. You nailed the interview and have reached the final stages of recruitment. Whether you are asked about your preferred salary or are told a general range, be sure you have researched  company salaries on Glassdoor and salaries of people with similar job titles. Be honest with your salary hopes and your past salaries. Speak with confidence about why you deserve your salary request but never bring up salary first. Finally, think about total compensation, including health benefits, PTO, commuting reimbursement, and more as part of your “salary.” Get more negotiating tips here.

Leveraging Resources and Support

Sorry to say, but your job search might take longer than you’d like. Don’t give up, though — instead, double down.

Keep using online job boards to discover opportunities that fit your skill set and career goals. If you’re not seeing jobs that interest you, you might find more appealing listings on smaller career sites or in other online resources, like subreddits for specific cities or industries. It might be worth it to do a search for “jobs in [insert city here].” Ask an AI platform to compile a list of the top 20 [insert industry] employers in [insert city here]. Reach out to those companies or explore their internal job postings.

To alleviate some of the burden, you could also partner with a recruiter or staffing agency to conduct your search for you. A recruiter also can offer advice and be a source of information. One great thing about a recruiter is that you typically do not have to pay a fee for their expertise — the hiring companies pay them to fill their roles. Staffing agencies work in much the same way but generally partner with a higher volume of employers. You can find staffing agencies that work in a wide range of industries or others dedicated to specific industries, like Medix, for example, which works with healthcare, life sciences, and healthcare technology partners.

Another option: Career counselors or coaches. Throughout your job search — and later during career development — they provide guidance and support. They’ll help you identify your strengths, interests, and values through assessments and discussions, enabling them to explore suitable career options. If you need it, they also offer practical assistance, such as resume and cover letter writing, interview preparation, networking strategies, and emotional support and motivation. In short, they empower you to make informed career decisions and achieve your professional goals.

Maintaining Resilience and Well-being

Searching for a job is stressful enough on its own. After a job layoff, it’s even more stressful. Don’t let it overwhelm you. Use these techniques to maintain your mental health.

Set realistic goals: Treat your job search like a full-time job, with goals to achieve each day. Write down what you want to accomplish before you start your “shift.” Start small: Revamp your resume, update your LinkedIn profile, create accounts on online job boards. Keep your day structured, allocating set hours for research, applications, networking, and more. Remember to take breaks, eat well, and get rest. Celebrate your victories: getting an interview, finally talking with your mentor on the phone, or finishing that mammoth job application. 

Practice self-care and stay positive: You will receive bad news during a job search, so embracing positivity is a must. Incorporate positive speech and positive thoughts into your day. Have a friend that you can talk to about things other than your employment status. Most of all, practice self-care. Meditate. Take a walk. Pet your dog or cat. Binge your favorite series. Staying positive will keep you motivated and inspired to stay on track during an unpredictable time.

The End Is in Sight

If you are diligent and persistent, you will take the next step in your career. It might take longer than you’d like — or it could be a short-term career hiccup. Either way, you will emerge more resilient with a new set of skills and knowledge associated with overcoming obstacles and recovering from setbacks.