Do you find yourself suddenly a casualty of a layoff or hiring freeze? If yes, you are not alone. What started as a downward spiral in March 2020, the U.S. has been facing a new wave of cutbacks and layoffs. We have been flooded with news of layoffs across the country and sweetheart businesses like Netflix, Microsoft, PayPal, and Uber which we believed were recession-proof are reeling from rising labor costs and slow business growth. The good news is that despite a slight decline in job openings in April from a record high of 11.855 million in March there is still an upward trend in hiring over the last 12 months.
It is time to get back into the job-searching mode and, if you are anything like me, you want to hit the ground running. However, you are still competing against a sea of candidates, so it is essential you differentiate yourself from the competition. The best thing you can do after being laid off is to take a deep breath and get your job searching tools in order. Job searching needs to be approached in the same way you approach a project: by creating a step-by-step plan. Below are what I believe to be the best job search activities you can do after a layoff.
Top Ten Activities to Jump-Start Your Job Search After a Layoff
- Get yourself in the right mindset. Being without a job unexpectedly can be a shock to the system. It can affect every part of your life and that of your family. It is a humbling experience to be sure. Do what you need to do to move from a scarcity mindset to an abundance mindset. Take the event as an opportunity to grow and pivot in your career towards more meaning in your life. See this LinkedIn article on The Scarcity and Abundance Mindset.
- Revise your LinkedIn personal profile. LinkedIn is the first stop for employers and recruiters to find you. Update the most searchable fields on your profile to maximize the potential of attracting target employers and recruiters to you. Incorporate industry or occupation-specific keywords to increase SEO. Identify opportunities to build your credibility, market yourself, and provide details about your experience, skills, and education to give your audience a strong understanding of what you offer. Add connections and immediately ask for recommendations from supervisors, colleagues, clients, and partners at your previous employer. Don’t forget to recommend them, too.
- Revisit your personal brand. Your Personal Brand is a meld of your professional skills, personal traits, beliefs, and goals. In a job search, your personal brand is transformed into a strategic value proposition that differentiates you from your competition and resonates with your target market. When you communicate online, submit your resume, or participate in a job interview, you will feel confident that you are not only putting forth your authentic self but also providing information about yourself that hits home with your audience.
- Update your resume. Refresh your resume with your most recent experience and while you are at it, ask yourself whether it needs a good facelift. Does the content reflect the impact you made at your previous jobs? Is there room to brag just a bit more? Are you sure your format will pass through an Applicant Tracking System (ATS)? You may need to send your resume out at a moment’s notice so be proactive and make improvements right away.
- Build a job search plan. Develop a strategic plan for your job search efforts. The Plan should feature your personal brand, goals, networking strategy, target positions, industries, companies and individuals, key strengths and differentiators, and opportunities for professional development.
- Reach out to your network. Create a spreadsheet with column headers labeled with the following: Name, Title, Organization, Contacted, Result, Follow-up, and Notes. Track communication with your job search contacts on the spreadsheet and set up calendar ticklers to follow up with your contacts. Get familiar with asking for informational interviews and send thank you cards to those who helped you along the way.
- Build your network. Look for opportunities to enhance your network by asking for introductions, joining professional associations or meetups, connecting with former colleagues and clients, reaching out to old college classmates, and participating in industry-specific, interactive courses. See my recent LinkedIn post on how to access thousands of free courses offered by LinkedIn, even without a Premium membership.
- Learn something new. Employers love to see that you are actively participating in continuous learning opportunities while in between jobs. They especially like to see that you are educating yourself on a skill that is in demand. Check out my LinkedIn post on the quality free training from Coursera, Udemy, and edX on the top 10 most in-demand hard skills in 2022.
- Volunteer. Benefits abound from carving out time during your week to serve your community. Job searching is often a solo sport. Volunteering not only reduces the feeling of isolation, but can boost morale, facilitate new networking opportunities, and allow you to learn new skills. For more information on the benefits of volunteering, check out my top five ways volunteering can benefit your job search.
- Get help if needed. We all have our strengths and our weaknesses. If you don’t feel confident in your journey towards a new career, reach out to someone who can guide you. I am always here to help.
I caution you not to bypass too many of the steps presented above and instead spend the majority of your time on Indeed and other job boards. According to HubSpot, 85% of jobs are filled through networking. In fact, according to CNBC, 70% of jobs are never published publicly. Slow down and think strategically about your job search. Know thyself first and then decide where you want to go. This ensures that your networking is aligned with your values and goals.