How to make it through a Q4 layoff, according to those who have done so.
Ashley Watkins, a corporate recruiter for a bank, learned distressing news in 2006 just as she was about to purchase a home: She was being fired from her position. She stated that it was about two weeks before Christmas.
I was initially numb. After being laid off, Watkins, who is now a career coach, said, "I was already looking [for a new job], but I wanted it to be on my terms when I left that job.”
It's not just her. While the holiday season can be a time for joy, it can also be a time when businesses complete restructurings and carry out mass layoffs as preparations for the coming year get underway. Massive fourth-quarter staff reductions have already taken place at Meta, Twitter, Amazon, and Buzzfeed, Inc., the parent company of HuffPost, over the past month or so.
1. Handle Your Emotions
You must learn how to tell your career story to yourself before you can do so in a job interview. Knowing how to feel about your most recent layoff is part of that.
Watkins described her feelings as "literally feeling like somebody died." "I thought I couldn't go on. Before I could gather myself enough to perform well in interviews, I had to go through all of these emotions.
Now working for Mozilla as a senior technical sourcer is Kate Zimmer. However, she lost her recruiting position at the American Cancer Society in December 2018 as a result of staff reductions. From a professional standpoint, this had been really the only place I had been familiar with, I was directly involved in the mission. Despite having a positive separation experience and knowing it was a business decision, Zimmer said it was still "a tough pill to swallow.”
Recognize that this change will be emotional.
"Accept that you are in mourning. A blow to your identity, finances, and self-esteem can come from losing your job.
2. Establish new holiday customs
She explained that she didn't want to spend money on gifts because she didn't know how long she would be unemployed.
Watkins emailed her immediate family to let them know she would accept Christmas presents for her job search.
3. Inform people of the gifts you can give during the holidays.
Know when you need and do not need to receive unsolicited help or advice about your layoff as part of taking care of yourself.
Let your family know that, while you appreciate their concern, you'd like to keep talk about the layoff and your professional situation to a minimum if the subject feels too sensitive, advised Wilding. Offer alternative subjects to talk about that aren't as emotionally charged, like updates on your kids, podcasts, TV shows, recipes, etc.
Speak up for yourself and let them know that you don't want to talk about your job search if they are being pushy with their well-intended advice. According to Wilding, you can say things like, "Thanks for your concern. I'm still processing what happened, so I'm not yet prepared to discuss it. I value your consideration and respect for that.
To prioritize yourself is the objective. The choice to be alone is yours. Make plans to hang out with people on your terms, not theirs, if you want to. According to Watkins, she would offer free activities like viewing Christmas lights when people asked her to go out with them while explaining that she was on a strict budget.
4. Provide yourself with a workday's worth of breaks.
Your day has structure when you have a job. You must establish a new routine for yourself after losing your job.
Giving yourself structure entails scheduling downtime for you. It is unreasonable to look for work around-the-clock.
Despite the urgency, Wilding said, "I don't think it has to be all or nothing." "Give yourself a few days off to relax, spend time with family, and friends, as well as to heal.”
Zimmer claimed that for "stress relief," she looked for volunteer opportunities and frequented the gym.
5. Let Others Know That You're Looking For Work
Inform your network of the type of job you're seeking because you never know who might have a lead.
She advised staff members to update their social media networks on their professional lives, including the types of positions they are currently seeking and the skills they can offer.
Inform people that you require a new position and encourage them not to feel guilty about this common career transition. Being employed includes being unemployed, according to Zimmer.
After being laid off, I experienced a lonely holiday season where all I wanted for Christmas was a job. When I was more honest about what had happened to me and asked friends for support via email, the difficult time became easier. One of the nicest things that ever happened to me was when a mentor figure came to my aid and took me out to dinner.
He offered contacts and gave me a place to vent. He introduced me to three experts the following day via email who could assist me in reaching my goals. That encouraging gesture helped me get through a lot of the rejections and email silences that would come after.
6. Make the most of the time to develop your abilities and network.
Utilize the hiring managers' lack of response to improve your profiles so that you are prepared when they do respond. Spend some time updating your LinkedIn profile and resume, advised Wilding.
It may seem like the only thing that matters when you are looking for work is receiving a job offer.
Many people believe that receiving a job offer is the only reward for searching for employment. Not at all, no. Getting a response to a LinkedIn message is a success. Applying for a certain number of positions that you are qualified for is successful, according to Watkins. "Don't ignore the positives.”
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