What to Do if You’ve Been Laid Off: Plan of Action & Next Steps

Layoffs are happening every day and the unknown seems to be on everyone’s mind. On today’s episode of Finding Career Zen, Pete sits down with HR professional, Ricky Baez, to answer some questions from our listeners, which all happen to deal with this timely concern. Whether you’ve already been laid off or are looking for ways to avoid it, Pete and Ricky have years of experience and knowledge regarding layoffs and are happy to share their insight and advice.

As Pete and Ricky answer these questions, they remain confident in the future of the job market. While it may be true that your job is never guaranteed, it’s also true that this is still a great time to be on the market for a new position. With more job openings than job seekers, there is no reason to lose sight of your future career aspirations in the upcoming year.

If you’re searching for a job, zengig.com is a great place to start. Use our career guides, advice blogs, sample resumes, and interview questions as your source for career enlightenment!

Connect with Pete and Ricky on LinkedIn!

"I've been laid off. What should I do?"

• Tell everyone you know. Shout the news as loudly as you can. You never know where that source of the next opportunity is going to come from. Don't be shy about it. Cast a wide net, because it's not about just getting a job but getting the job that you want. 
• Network, network, network. When you find out, don’t wait on it. Get on LinkedIn and connect with everyone you know. Update your contact info and update your resume. Put it out there quickly. 
• Post your resume on job boards. Sites like CareerBuilder, Monster, Indeed, and LinkedIn are all great options. 
• Connect with recruiters. In your geography, your industry, or your niche. Recruiters will represent you in a way you can’t represent yourself. They'll be more aggressive on your behalf and you'll expose yourself to a bigger part of the market in return. It's in their best interest to connect you with a job you're going to be happy with.

"How do I avoid being laid off?"

• Become invaluable to the organization. Be indispensable and needed. You cannot avoid with 100% certainty being laid off, but you can definitley make it more difficult. But being as valuable as possible to your organization is the best way to mitigate the risk of being laid off.
• Be proactive. Ask yourself if you’re in a position that can easily be replaced or done by someone else. If they cannot do without your position, chances are you're not going to be on the chopping block. Find out what this is in your organization and be great at it.

"I was ready to ask for a raise, but we just had a layoff. Should I wait?"

• Yes. Don't do it yet, let things simmer a little bit. Check back in January and see how things are going. Understand the financial tempo for your business and act accordingly, but never during or right after a layoff.