11/13/2022

What to Do After Being Laid Off

Being laid off is not a reflection of your skill set

Layoffs are sweeping the U.S., from Twitter and Meta to Gap and HelloFresh. If you happen to be one of the people caught up in the cuts, breathe. Yes, breathe. Trust me, I’ve been there. I still remember the panic I felt when I was fired at 26 years old. “How will I pay my rent?” was the first thing that came to mind. I was on my own then, and I can only imagine the fear of people with loved ones depending on them.

That said, the last thing you want to do is send your resume to dozens of companies and pray a recruiter will call you. That’s not a strategy for success. What will make you successful is taking a minimum of 24 hours to process this shocking change to your employment status. Then, do these five things before you update your resume or start looking for a job:

Reconfigure your mindset.

Being laid off is not a reflection of your skill set — it’s a reflection of your former company’s lack of proper planning during a turbulent economy or of its change in business strategy. You have capabilities. You are smart. You can find a new job or change careers.

Please select this link to read the complete article from Harvard Business Review.