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Job Searching After A Layoff


An open laptop on a desk with the words You're Hired! displayed on it.

Author: Liz Frome


Laid Off


Even if you know it’s coming, getting laid off from your job still can set you back. Unless you know it’s temporary, your gut reaction may be to start your job search ASAP.


While getting laid off from a job is not your fault, your job search will, like any job search, take time. Perhaps more time than you’d like. But, before diving in and applying to any and every job out there, take a step back and make a plan. (I love taking the time to make a plan but do not put it off.)  Having a clear plan for surviving a layoff will help you weather this temporary storm and go a long way toward helping you bounce back.


Talking to possible new employers about being fired or laid off


Being upfront, honest, transparent, and overall positive is the way to go when addressing being fired or laid off. You don't want to start off on the wrong foot with a new employer by not being truthful from the start.If you were laid off, prepare a short and succinct sentence that explains the situation; please keep I n mind to stick to the plan and it is ok to pause.


Example:

  • The market changed or the economy affected the business

  • Your company was acquired by another company, and you were part of a multi-person layoff.

  • The company set a new strategic plan or restructured, and layoffs occurred


You don't need to go into much more detail than that. Instead, talk about how you always received good performance evaluations and that you left on good terms and are grateful for the time you had at the company. (Stay positive!)


Choosing Correct References


At some point during your job search, you’ll need a few people who will serve as your professional references - people who can speak positively about your skills and attributes in the workplace and explain why you’d be a great employee.


Choosing who to ask for a reference is important, and as such, requires thoughtful consideration. We need to choose people who are the best possible stand-ins for ourselves - people we trust to support us, stand with us, and make us out to be the best possible candidate for the job. Should you ask your current boss? An old coworker? Are teachers acceptable? How can you tell when you shouldn’t ask someone? And how do you ask without sounding needy or desperate? Make sure you let the references know you have handed out their name and contact information and do a mini interview with them before handing out their information.


Networking


Networking with friends, family, former colleagues, professionals in your field of interest, and employers is a great way to land additional projects and part-time work, as well as to obtain job leads and referrals for open positions. Let people know you’re in the market and specifically what you’re able to do. Engaging with others on LinkedIn, making new connections to expand your network, and conducting informational interviews are also very helpful for job seekers!


If networking's stuffy reputation gives you pause, reframe the way you see networking. It's all about meeting new people, building relationships, exchanging helpful resources and ideas, and hopefully making new professional contacts. (I feel this is the best way currently to land a new job.)


Stand out in the interview


A job interview is your chance to tell your story -- your career story -- and how it fits with the job for which you are interviewing. To stand out in an interview, you want to be comfortable with behavioral-based interview questions that start like this: Tell me about a time when, or Describe a work experience where....


With these questions, the employer is looking to get an idea of the skills you have and how you utilize them. An acronym to remember when answering these interview questions is: S.T.A.R. This stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result.Your answer to these types of questions should really be a story, or a snapshot of a specific example from your professional history that addresses the question.


  1. Briefly set the stage in terms of the Situation.

  2. Then, discuss specifics of what you were responsible for (Task).

  3. Explain the Action you took to achieve the goal.

  4. Share the Result of the situation.


Stay positive, keep on your plan, be flexible  and you will land your next position!


"Things work out best for those who make the best of how things work out." — John Wooden.

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