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By Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady Your Professional NetworkWhen I think about building my professional network, adding new LinkedIn connections is one of my markers of success. I use LinkedIn as a tool to create, build, track, and maintain my professional relationships. Turning People You've Met Into ConnectionsWhen I first started using LinkedIn, I connected with people I had met in person. At that time, my network mainly included the following people:
Creating New Professional ConnectionsWhen the pandemic hit, I realized I needed to shift my approach, or I would not meet anyone new--and I've continued to add to my professional network. I also realized that since more companies were open to hiring remote people, I needed to broaden my network beyond the people I would encounter in person. In addition to the people I used to connect with, I now also started proactively sending connection requests to the following types of people:
Again, the more people I meet, and the more people I connect with who know about my professional value, the better I will be able to find a new role that meets my requirements more quickly. Opportune Times To ConnectI often connect with people when there are specific reasons to connect that are noteworthy, including the following:
Personalizing Connection RequestsSince LinkedIn now limits the basic account to only 5 personalized connection requests per month, I adopt multiple strategies to build rapport with people. In some cases, I still send a personalized connection request. This can be especially helpful when I send a connection request to someone I have not met before. I include the following components when personalizing a connection request:
Interacting Before ConnectingPersonalizing a connection request isn't the only way to help you gain that new connection. Here are a few tips you can use without a paid LinkedIn subscription:
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by Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady 'Tis The SeasonOf my seven total layoffs, three began with my role being eliminated in the fall and ended with me starting a new job well into the new year. Being in a career transition always has rough patches. Being in a career transition during the holidays—especially the week before Christmas through the first full work week of January—is soul-sucking. I’ve read several articles touting the benefits of job searching during the holidays--and I mean a lot, a lot of them. (No one else will be applying! You’ll get a leg up on other applicants! Tons of people are trying to fill positions before the year's end!) I'm sure somebody somewhere found the role of a lifetime the day after Christmas interviewing with the one HR rep who was out of vacation and stuck working. I am not that person. I'm also not going to make the mistake of trying to be that person ever again. The Hiring Process Takes TimeMy shortest period of post-layoff unemployment was 50 days. In that time, I discovered the opportunity, applied for the role, had a phone screen, interviewed with the hiring manager, met with the hiring manager's boss, had an interview with the team, received an offer, negotiated the offer, waited for the background check, and then started. During this entire process, I had an interview each week. We started talking in mid-March, when no one was on vacation, and there were no major holidays. Holiday Hiring ChallengesNot even considering each organization's busy season, making progress on finding a new job in December is challenging. In addition to whatever year-end tasks need to happen, people are also focusing on holiday parties and family commitments, and sometimes using their vacation so they don't lose it. Consequently, focusing on getting people through the hiring process ranks lower on the priority list. The Darkest Job Search TimeIn my experience, the absolute worst weeks for job searching are the last two weeks in December, with the very first week in January still being very slow. Then, as if by magic, on the first Monday of the first full workweek of the year, the world starts moving again. Those last two weeks in December can be downright brutal if you're trying to continue job searching. Possible referrals will suggest you wait until people are back in the office. The HR person you might manage to talk to is likely the one with the least vacation who is not hiring for the role that interests you most. You may also find that you'll get next to no good news and instead get a lot of long-overdue "we regret to inform you" emails confirming that you did not get that job you applied for several months ago. My Holiday Job Search AdviceHere is my advice to job seekers at the end of the year. Take a break from pounding pavement on your job search, and just breathe. Stop applying for a week or two. This break will do you good. Instead, take some time for you. Go do a few things you enjoy but don't always get to while you are gainfully employed. Go to a noon yoga class. Get together with friends for lunch. Read a novel with no obvious professional development benefit. Go to a matinee. Visit a museum. Call a friend and talk on the phone. Take a road trip. Walk around the mall on a weekday. Buy fancy coffee in a café and people watch. Whatever it is, do some things that bring you joy. Just like we all need vacation time to recuperate from our day jobs and be able to do good work, we also need to take a break from a job search so we can have the mental space to regroup. If you want to do something for your job search, revisit what you want in a new role and ensure your goals are still the right ones. Then, you can move forward and have more success in the new year. Learn MoreBy Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady It's Interview Time! Make It Count!No doubt, you've been applying for a lot of jobs--and now a company wants to talk to you! Since you're over the first hurdle, it’s time to get ready to make a good impression. Your goal is to help your interviewers see how amazing you are! To do that, you need to figure out how to shape and share your story. Let's look at what you're likely in for and how to set yourself up for success. About Behavioral Interviewing QuestionsDuring the job interview process, hiring managers and recruiters often ask behavioral interview questions since past actions often predict future behavior. Old-school interview questions rely on asking how you would handle a hypothetical situation (which, of course, would be perfectly). Conversely, behavioral interview questions require you to share a story of what you actually did in a similar situation. The stories you share come from your previous work experience and demonstrate how you think, solve problems, measure success, and overcome obstacles. Anticipating Behavioral Interview QuestionsTraditional interview questions usually start with, "How would you?" while behavioral interview questions often begin with, "Tell me about a time." Here are a few examples of old-school questions and behavioral alternatives:
Finding Your StoriesWhen answering behavioral interview questions, you will tell a story. It's valuable to think about your previous jobs and be ready to mine that experience for stories to explain key points to your interviewers. Your goal should be to give a 1-3 minute answer that showcases your skills in ways that address the question. The tendency is for people to either not know what to say or to ramble and hope they stumble upon something useful. For the next little part of this article, we'll explore different strategies you could use to answer the following question: Tell me about a time when you had to finish a project with a short turnaround time. The Non-Plan: Start Talking and Hope For The BestHere goes nothing: Gosh. I've done a lot of projects where I had to get something done quickly. Those have included software implementations, making a video, and even designing or updating a class with little to no notice. I usually just work really hard and put in extra hours to get something done. So, one case I can think of was right when the pandemic started in 2020. I worked for a software company that delivered most of its training in person at customer sites. Since government guidelines for dealing with COVID were changing daily during the early part of the pandemic, over the course of a couple of days--maybe it was like two weeks. I can't quite remember. Anyway, we realized that we would not be able to travel to customer sites to deliver their training like we had always done. We had to figure out how to deliver what was usually a week or so of in-person training without traveling to a customer site. We really didn't know how we were going to pull that off--and we were really worried that we were going to totally screw it up. I mean, who even knew what was going on early pandemic? What a mess that whole thing was. So anyway, we had to figure out how to do that well--and we had to figure it out in literally days. I had the trainer cancel their travel plans. Then, a few of us--including a salesperson, a trainer, and an instructional designer--sat down and tried to figure out what to do. We didn't want to bore people to death or make it an awful experience. We thought about doing videos, but those take a lot of time to create and produce. We also had to figure out a short-term plan for the next week and figure out a more interim plan after that. It was really hard to figure out. I mean--the whole WORLD had changed! [Note: we're still on the stage setting part of this and not even on to the question answer. So. Much. Talking.] PAR: Problem/Project, Action, ResultsHaving a plan for your answers will make the whole interviewing process better. PAR is one method you can use to structure your answer. Here are key components and what each letter represents:
A PAR AnswerProject/Problem: In March of 2020, when COVID was declared a pandemic, I worked at XYZ Software Company, and my team trained new users right after their software went live for each customer. Because we did new user training in person at each customer's site, and travel restrictions were going into place, we had to figure out what to do instead--and we only had a few days to figure something out. Action: I talked with my manager about how to deliver this training the following week to ABC Company. We thought through options and decided to use a combination of Zoom meetings and hands-on practice. I repurposed some of our materials to be self-paced activities, and my manager and I talked with the customer about our plans. We agreed to do a 90-minute instructor-led session in the morning and another one in the afternoon each day that week. Learners would also do self-paced activities, and the instructor would be available to answer questions as needed. Result: This resulted in us delivering the training during the planned week using the time already scheduled, but in a different way. In the end, the customer was happy that we were still on schedule, and end users appreciated the combination of instructor-led training and self-directed time. CARL: Context, Action, Results, LearningCARL is another method you can use to structure your answers. Here are key components and what each letter represents:
A CARL AnswerContext: In March of 2020, when COVID was declared a pandemic, I worked at XYZ Software Company and my team trained new users right after their software went live for each customer. Because we did new user training in-person at each customer's site, and travel restrictions were going into place, we had to figure out what to do instead--and we only had a few days to plan. Action: I talked with my manager about how to deliver this training the following week to ABC Company. We thought through options and decided to use a combination of Zoom meetings and hands-on practice. I repurposed some of our materials to be self-paced activities, and my manager and I talked with the customer about our plans. We agreed to do a 90-minute instructor-led session in the morning, and another one in the afternoon each day that week. Learners would also do self-paced activities, and I would be available to answer questions as needed. Result: This resulted in us delivering the training during the planned week using the time already scheduled, but in a different way. In the end, the customer was happy that we were still on schedule, and end users appreciated the combination of instructor-led training and self-directed time. Learning: Through this process, we learned more about how we could deliver effective learning at a distance. We also found that encouraging learners to turn their cameras on during training helped build a sense of community among class members. We built upon our lessons learned to improve our training with each customer. Additional Question Answering ModelsIn addition to PAR and CARL, here are two more question answering models.
In the end, it doesn't matter as much which one you choose, just that you structure your answers to minimize rambling. Learn More
By Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady Layoffs Happen All The TimeIt starts like any other day. Then, it takes an ominous turn. Whether you were invited to an ambiguously titled last minute meeting, received an awkward message in your personal email notifying you of your last day, or are perp walked to HR on your first day back from vacation, you are now among the newly unemployed. Welcome to the suck.  Layoffs happen all the time. Now What Do I Do?Even if there were buyout rumors, a quarter with low sales, or a new company direction, being part of a reduction in force (RIF) is still surreal when it happens to you. It's hard to know what to do with yourself when you find yourself unexpectedly out of the job. It's time to redirect your attention. Your New Focus AreasThe work problems you had an hour ago are gone. Along with your freed-up future come very different challenges. It’s time to shift to these top three focus areas:
Your Guiding PrincipleAlong with your new focus areas, your overall guiding principle is not to do anything counterproductive (or downright dumb) as you figure out your post-layoff next steps. Your Never-Do List Here are the career-limiting moves that will make your life harder. Instead of springing into action, stop, think, and then just don't do the following:
Your Think-Before-You-Consider-Doing List Here are a few things you may want to do at some point, but that require thought and a plan before you move forward. At the very least, sleep on it before you do any of the following:
Now that you are at least somewhat inoculated against creating utter chaos for yourself, let's get back to those top three focus areas.  My white box from layoff #4. Focus Area 1: Process Your EmotionsLosing your job can be an emotional roller coaster. An unplanned job change is a stressful life event on par with getting divorced or going to prison. Just like dealing with a death in the family, you’re dealing with the death of the future you thought you had. Losing that imagined future is a significant loss that needs to be addressed. Figure out how you will cope with these changes. While distracting yourself from the unpleasant parts of the process is natural, building healthier coping mechanisms, like prioritizing self-care, is better for your long-term success. While you can get away with avoiding your feelings for a while, eventually, you need to acknowledge each one so you can move on. If you don’t work through those difficult emotions, your ignored feelings will come out sideways at just the wrong time. It is better to work through your grief privately than to fall apart during an interview or snap at someone who is trying to help you. Step 2: Review Your FinancesDisclaimer: While I know quite a bit based on my previous work experience supporting financial coaches, my own research, and my personal life experiences, I do not currently hold a license or certification to give financial advice. Therefore, the information provided here is educational information provided as guidance. I hope you can glean value from my lessons learned. Feel free to take my recommendations or not—but whatever you do, double-check my information (and everyone's facts, for that matter). This is your life, and you will care more about your finances and health care than anyone else. With that, read on. Possible Money From Your Former EmployerAlthough your paychecks will eventually stop, you will receive your final paycheck, possibly vacation time that you have earned and, hopefully, a lovely parting gift from your former employer in the form of a severance package. Severance could be equivalent to a set number of weeks of pay or include an additional lump sum, continuation of some benefits, and job placement services. In most cases, employers do not have to give you any type of severance. If you are eligible for a severance package, you will need to sign something before receiving that money. Once you sign, any thoughts you might have about legal action regarding your employment with the organization are pretty much over. Read the agreement given to you, consider having a lawyer look it over, and ask for clarifications (and any revisions) before signing it. After that, there is typically a waiting period before you receive that money. I also encourage you not just to sign whatever paper they put in front of you. Make sure you advocate for yourself. Unemployment IncomeAfter a layoff, most people will be eligible for unemployment insurance income, or UI. I encourage you to apply for unemployment payments. The money used to make unemployment payments comes from the payroll taxes that employers pay. That money is intended to help people who have been laid off to pay their bills as they search for something new. Unemployment payments are administered at the state level and vary by state. After you apply, there may be a waiting period before you receive a payment. Your state will also outline the amount of each payment you will receive, the number of payments you are eligible to receive, and additional factors impacting your payments. You may also qualify for job search support services and even programs to help you upgrade your skills. In short, apply for unemployment income right away. In most cases, there is not a good reason for most people to forgo unemployment payments. A Note About Health InsuranceSince many people rely on their employers for health insurance coverage, consider how you’ll cover healthcare costs. If you have a spouse, domestic partner, or parent who can bring you onto their health insurance, that may be your best option. Check with the other person’s employer and let them know you no longer have health insurance through your employer because of a layoff. Their employer can talk you through your next steps and cost changes. If that's not an option, consider COBRA coverage through your former employer. This means you could stay with your previous health insurance, but now you'd pay the whole premium cost. Brace yourself when you see your new premium amount because it is usually A LOT more than you spent as an employee. Another option is going on the insurance exchanges at Healthcare.gov to find coverage. You may even be eligible for a subsidy to offset the cost. Alternatively, for less expensive coverage intended to cover a big expensive medical issue should it happen, short-term health care insurance may be a good interim option. Do your research and determine what makes the most sense for you and your household. Step 3: Prepare For Your Job SearchNext, plan to launch your search for a new job. Start by thinking about what kind of job you want. Write down job titles, possible employers, and your target salary range. Update your resume to include details about your last position and showcase your unique skillset as it aligns with your target job. From here, start letting people know your new status of being “in transition” and ask for help. They might be able to introduce you to a valuable business contact, keep an eye out for job openings that meet your needs, and introduce you to a hiring manager looking for someone just like you. It Will All Work Out. It May Also Take A While.All told, I’ve had seven workdays that started with lots of obligations then quickly evaporated into unemployment. The good news is that it will all work out. The bad news is that there is a lot of uncertainty between your last day of work and your first day of your fancy new job when it does arrive. Using these tips will set you right as you begin your career transition. Seven Lessons From Seven Layoffs: A GuideIf you've recently been laid off, check out my book Seven Lessons From Seven Layoffs: A Guide. You can even buy the eBook to get help right now. In this book, I cover seven lessons from my seven experiences with unplanned job losses. I include my personal stories alongside practical advice for navigating this tumultuous time. You'll learn strategies for managing your mindset, finding the next right job for you, shaping your career story, and overcoming setbacks.  Learn MoreBy Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady Thinking Through Your WhyWhen creating an online portfolio, identifying what you are trying to accomplish is a great place to start. Depending on your wants, needs, industry, and timeline for completion, your portfolio could take any number of forms. Thinking it through now will help you to create a portfolio that meets your short and longer-term goals. Identifying Your Portfolio GoalsHere are a few questions to ask yourself as you determine your portfolio goals:
My Portfolio Lessons LearnedA few years ago, when applying for jobs, I realized I needed an online portfolio to show hiring managers supporting evidence that I could use the learning and development skills included in my resume. I looked at job descriptions for training leadership roles that interested me and noted the specific keywords and skills that were most often included. From there, I chose work samples to showcase those identified skills. For each sample, I included a brief introduction to position the value of each artifact. I shared a project plan, a pitch deck promoting a company-wide change, a facilitator guide, and microlearning videos on technical, soft skills, and business-related topics. From a technology standpoint, my portfolio was a hidden page on my existing website. That portfolio page was non-searchable and not listed in website navigation, but it was available directly through the page's web address. As needed, I could include that URL on my resume, email it to hiring managers, or include it in an online job application. What Do You Think?What are your goals for your portfolio? What kind of content do you think it makes sense for you to include? As you are comfortable, share your ideas in the comments. Learn More
By Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady What You WantIn a previous article, we discussed the value of knowing what you want, what you don’t want, and what would be okay. As your job search continues, you may adjust what you want as your job search progresses. Main Factors To ConsiderWhen you put together your target job, it is just that: your target. As you compare your target to the job market, you will continually update your job priorities. Know that one factor that may influence the type of job you take will be your time in the job market. Your Acceptable Job May Change Over TimeHere is how your job wants and needs may change over time:
You Can Also Stay the CourseConversely, you may be committed to find a job that very closely aligns with your target job. The good news is that you get to decide what role is right for you, and what will make you happy longer term. The bad news is that it may take you longer if you have very specific requirements and less flexibility. In this case, make sure that you think through options for interim income so you are able to support yourself as you find a role that meets your requirements. Learn More
By Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady The Value of Information GatheringIf a career opportunity comes your way, it is to your advantage to be ready to pursue that job. Doing a little extra information gathering ahead of time will help you fill out a detailed job application, include a particularly relevant class, or remind one of your references of when you worked. Since time may be of the essence when applying, this will help you meet that tight deadline with fewer headaches. Gathering this information, which is really your career backstory, will help you to tell the story of your professional life consistently. Your Work HistoryWhen filling out job applications, having a thorough list of where you worked and basic information about each job can come in handy. Depending on the application, you may be able to submit a resume alone and be done with it. Other companies may ask you for specific start and end dates for each role. They may even ask for contact information for your immediate manager and the organization itself. To make filling out more thorough job applications a little easier, I suggest you create a spreadsheet including information for your previous workplaces for the past 10-15 years. Depending on what stage you are at in your career, decide how many years of work experience it makes sense for you to gather. Make sure to compile this information for each role:
While you’re busy gathering information, you may want to note these items, too:
Your Education HistoryEmployers like to have assurances that a given candidate really has the knowledge, skills, and abilities they claim to have. This is why it’s helpful to list the classes you’ve taken, groups you’ve joined, certification tests you’ve passed, and degrees you’ve completed. Having this type of external validation for your skill set adds to your credibility. To customize your resume and make filling out a detailed job application easier, I suggest you create a spreadsheet to list the formalized ways you continue learning and growing. I list my college degrees, Association of Talent Development (ATD) membership, a business analysis class I took, a vendor-specific train-the-trainer course I attended, and a few technical certifications. Here are the core details to gather on each line item:
Keep in mind that this list is intended to accommodate everything from a 1-hour seminar you took once upon a time on sales prospecting all the way to an advanced degree. You may want to make separate lists for different activity types. Use the format that works best for you. Learn MoreBy Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady Managing Curious and Well-Intentioned PeopleOne of the hardest things about being laid off is telling other people about it--specifically fielding their uninvited questions. I'm not talking about work people or your professional network, either. I'm talking about the family friend you run into at the grocery store, that parent you went to a PTA meeting with once, seldom-seen relatives at a holiday gathering, and the neighbor you pass by only occaisionally. Worse yet, it is interacting with a group of well-intentioned people who express their curiosity, worry, and opinions regarding your wellbeing. Here are a few suggested talking points for managing those conversations that pop up at just the wrong time. Getting Your Patter DownAfter you've chatted with your inner circle, it’s time to think about addressing this topic with everyone else. This includes people who make random comments about your situation, those who don't really know how layoffs work, and the ones who genuinely want to help but may not have the best advice. These conversations may be rough, especially if you feel vulnerable. Your goal may be to get through the awkwardness and move on to other topics. To prepare, it is helpful to know how to respond. Here are a few suggestions for talking points to get you through. Talking About Your Current State and Plans
Talking About The Job You No Longer HaveThe question: I heard you’re unemployed. What happened there! Your core message: My job ended. It is a thing that happened.
Talking About What Is Next For YouThe question: What are you going to do now? I would be freaking out! Or I’d be scared to death if I were you. Are you sure you’ll be okay? Or A person I sort of know lost their house/was unemployed for years/had to take a pay cut/never worked again. Your core message: I’m going to keep on keeping on and also look for a new job.
Talking About STILL Not Having a JobThe question: So--do you have a job yet? Or Are you STILL unemployed? Or Did that thing you were interviewing for work out? Your core message: I am job searching and something will work out.
Acknowledging People's ReassurancesThe question/comment: Don’t worry. It’ll be fine. Hang in there! You’re so talented! Your response: Thanks. Addressing Well Intentioned and/or Awful AdviceThe comments:
Your core message: I appreciate you. I will make the right decision for me.
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By Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady You Have A Job Offer!Finally having a job offer after your post-layoff job search is a call for celebration. Now, you can breathe a sigh of relief and start to build your new post-career transition normal. While you may want to shout from the rooftops that you've finally landed and start celebrating, I suggest you play it cool for a couple more weeks. In most cases, accepting a job offer will lead to you starting that job just as planned. On rare occasion, something happens and that job offer falls through. Just in case, I suggest taking a few interim steps between the time you accept your job offer and the day you start your new role. ...And Now You Don'tSo what makes a job offer evaporate? Oftentimes, this happens because of a substantial change to the hiring organization. For example, I have a colleague who accepted a job offer in early March of 2020, and then gave his notice at his current role. After the pandemic hit, his job offer was rescinded due to changing business conditions. In other cases, a rescinded offer may result from a leader leaving an organization, layoffs within the company, a decision not to fill a role, or the organization choosing to hire someone else. In most cases, accepted job offers result in companies adding new workers to their payroll. Although it is not a common occurrence, having a job offer rescinded is a huge setback. My Rescinded Job Offer ExperienceA few months into my job search, I was overjoyed when I received an offer for a Learning and Development Manager position. The hiring process had been all over the place (not uncommon for a startup), but now it was a done deal. I breathed a sigh of relief, knowing my unemployment would end in two short weeks. I made a "hooray I got a job--more details later" post on LinkedIn to celebrate. A couple of days before my planned first workday, I got a call from the recruiter saying that my start date would be delayed. A few days later, I talked with the hiring manager, who told me the company was holding off on my start date until "the numbers came in" from their first quarter, and explained that this role was originally slated to start in Quarter 2. I asked her point-blank if this role was really going to happen. She assured me that it was not about if I would start, but when I would start, which would be within two months at the latest. She also committed to sharing regular updates. I left that conversation convinced that we were on track. Two weeks after the date formerly known as my start date, I reached out to the hiring manager and recruiter for progress updates. A few days later, I received an email from the hiring manager with more assurances that I was the right person for the job and no new start date. A week or so later, I got the call from the recruiter saying that a start date would not be coming. Ever. The company was going in a different direction—one that did not involve me. Even during this conversation, the recruiter assured me that I was still the hiring manager’s first choice—even though the role was now officially off the table. That was a hollow consolation prize. The worst part was that I had just wasted two months of my life waiting and had no paycheck to show for it. A New PlanRemember, in most cases, accepting a job will lead to you starting to work for that company shortly thereafter. Although having a job offer rescinded is not a common occurance, it's helpful to think through your next steps as you navigate the time between offer acceptance and your start date. Here are a few suggestions for your consideration:
Learn MoreBy Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady Managing Job AnxietyRecently, I was at a professional development event where we shared best practices for delivering effective virtual training sessions. During networking time, I talked with a woman who had been laid off, and then called back to work for the same company (which is rare for someone working in the field of learning and development). While she was glad to be employed again, she was having a hard time being happy in her new/old position without constantly worrying about her job unexpectedly ending again. To Worry, or Not To Worry?When you've been laid off before, or just seen people around you lose their jobs, it's hard not to worry about it happening to you. Whenever you read about layoffs in the news, hear that your company's sales numbers were lower than expected, or hear rumors about a company merger, your mind might jump to conclusions. Instead of letting a wave of panic run through you each time your boss invites you to meet one-on-one, there is an alternative: changing your overall mindset. My Old Operating Modes: Either/OrEarlier in my career, I had two operating modes when it came to work: “I’m happy with my job” and “I need to find a new job right this minute.” When I was happy with my job, I did excellent work at my day job and didn't worry much about the future beyond that role. I would learn new skills for the job, but I didn't always think about my overall career trajectory. Conversely, when I knew I needed to launch a job search, I shifted away from the work I was doing and started focusing solely on taking my next steps outside of my current role and organization. Only then did I shift to developing skills applicable to another workplace, meeting more people to help me get a new job, and planning to exit the organization. My New Mindset: Both/AndI finally realized I didn't have to pick between these two operating modes. Instead, I needed to shift my overall way of thinking and adopt the both/and mindset that was also more long-term and sustainable. I started focusing on myself as a working professional and what I needed to do to succeed personally, regardless of who my specific employer was. This included focusing on my ongoing learning and development, building my professional network, and planning for contingencies. This built up my career resilience, which helped me feel more confident that I would thrive regardless of my current work situation. Learning and DevelopmentWhen people think of learning, they often focus on formal degrees, certifications, and completion certificates from instructor-led classes. While these are valuable, and often a great foundation, ongoing learning can take many forms. Whether you attend a webinar, watch a TedTalk, read an article online, or listen to podcasts on your area of interest, you are continuing your professional development. Staying current with industry trends and continuing to learn and grow helps me perform well in my current role while also allowing me to be future ready. In an ever-changing world, continued professional growth is the best way to manage whatever happens next. Building My Professional NetworkToo often, networking is depicted as a superficial act that involves making initial connections with people, then dreading the next day’s “Would you like to buy something from me” calls. I approach networking differently. My goal is to build mutually beneficial relationships with people. Interacting with these connections provides opportunities to share information, learn from one another, and help one another out along the way. I use LinkedIn to track my professional network. I connect with people I've met before and with whom I share something in common. My LinkedIn network includes former coworkers, individuals I've sat next to at in-person events, people I've attended an online event with, and professionals working in the same field as me. Contingency PlanningRegardless of my role, and even if it seems to be going well, I always have a backup plan, a backup backup plan, and then a couple more backup plans after those. After weathering many layoffs and the unique challenges of each, I have a broad sense of the situations I may need to mitigate. Those include an unexpected job loss, choosing an interim health care option, and how to launch a post-layoff job search. Here are a few steps I have taken to help prepare for possible situations:
What Do You Think?How do you help yourself not worry about being laid off? Share your thoughts in the comments. Learn More
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Author7-time layoff survivor Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady, waxes poetic on layoffs, job transitions, & career resilience. Buy The Book!
Were you recently laid off? Need a roadmap for what's next? Or planning just in case? Check out my book, Seven Lessons From Seven Layoffs: A Guide!
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