Although gender-diverse and ethnically-diverse companies are 15% to 35% more likely to outperform their peers, sometimes even an incredible workforce and an amazing culture can’t save a struggling organization. When faced with a grim financial future, many organizations will resort to laying off valuable members of their business in order to stay afloat. That, in turn, can create a scary reality for those team members who have suddenly lost their jobs.
Whether you’ve put one year or 20 into working for that employer, you’re probably going to feel panicked about how you’ll manage to pay your bills or find a new job in a short amount of time. Although this period will be filled with uncertainties, there are some steps you can take to increase your chances of finding great new opportunities for employment and making a relatively seamless transition into a new position. Here are three things you should do after an unexpected job layoff has turned your world upside down.
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- Get Your Finances in Order: More than likely, your number one concern after a layoff will be money. Although it would be great to land a new job within a month of being let go from your last, the reality may not align with those financial plans. You’ll want to get everything in writing (including a severance package) and determine how you’ll make up the gap between your normal wage and what you’ll receive on unemployment. You should file for unemployment as soon as possible and make sure whatever package you’ve been offered will stretch for longer than you think you’ll need it to. Otherwise, you could end up in dire straits before you’re hired by a new employer. You should also find out about what happens to your retirement package, health insurance benefits, vacation days, and other perks after your layoff takes effect. This can help you plan ahead for the future and get a clearer picture of what you’ll want to see in your next contract.
- Revamp Your Resume: After you’ve taken a few days to take care of yourself emotionally, you should work on a project that can reinvigorate you. For many people, that may be reworking your existing resume to reflect your additional experiences and skills acquired. You may even be looking to transition into a different sector altogether. Take a day to work on your resume, highlighting all of your various accomplishments and how you can bring value to any organization. This can help you feel much more confident when submitting applications and going into interviews, despite the circumstances in which your last employment situation ended. You’ll also want to hone a cover letter template (which you can then tweak as needed to appeal to various employers) and ask your previous employer about references you may be able to provide on request.
- Contact a Recruitment Agency: Even if you have an updated resume and feel good about the direction you want to take in your career, you still may need job search help during this time. Relying on websites to find a new position may not provide the leads you’re looking for and might culminate in a lot of frustration. That’s where job agencies come in. Local job agencies specialize in connecting qualified candidates with high-quality organizations looking to hire temporary or permanent workers to fill openings. Not only can job agencies provide you with resume and interview advice, but they may also have access to opportunities to which you’d never be able to apply otherwise. After a layoff, recruiters can be especially helpful because they work on your behalf to promote you to employers they feel would be a good match for your skills and experience. Generally, you’ll be able to find a great job more quickly with help from job agencies — and that can provide some much-needed emotional and financial relief during a difficult time.
If you’ve recently lost your job and need help finding new employment, we’re here to help you make the right connections. For more information, please contact us today.