It looks like another one of my friends may get laid off. It seems like her company is going to lay her off at 5:00 PM on a Friday! Really!?!
I’m not a career coach so I plan to ask my career coach friends to read this and offer some constructive feedback for me and you in the comments section. I suspect I’m not far off on my advice, but they’re the experts, not me.
Anyway, I told my friend that if she did get laid off, I’d have my arsenal of advice ready for her. I immediately started my list of things I wanted to tell her. Then, I realized that others will find this information valuable. Thus this post was born.
Day One
I don’t think you should climb into your pajamas and vegetate in front of the TV on day one. I know lots of people will disagree with me, but for me, taking action on day one was immensely valuable. (Thank you so much Aaron Strout for being my brain when I got laid off. Aaron gave me a step-by-step list of what I was going to do on day one. It kept me from having a pity party and got me focused on making progress.)
Tim Walker has some great posts on being laid off. Start with What to do when your friends are laid off. I realize it’s from a different perspective but it’s still good information. Then read his series Notes on job-hunting: It’s not over until you win.
Now that you have read these posts, get your resume in order. Actually, you should always have your resume in order. Someone once told me you should go on an interview at least once a year so that you can stay in the game. If you don’t already have your resume ready, do it right away. Don’t wait.
Tell people you were laid off. I know this is controversial because there is a stigma attached to being laid off but I think it makes it easier for people to help you if they know you’re laid off. Plus, in the 2009 market, I don’t think there’s as much stigma. After all, when people like Rachel Happe and Jim Storer have been laid off, you know you’re in good company. How do you get the word out there? Tell people on Twitter, update your status in Facebook and update your LinkedIn profile. On LinkedIn, update your experience, title, and the “what are you working on?” status sections. Anyone on your network will be able to see that you’re looking. While you’re at it, add some folks to your LinkedIn network. You should have already done this, but better now than never.
People will immediately start asking you what they can do to help. Be prepared to respond. Write a job help email. It’s an email you put together so that when someone says, “send me your resume, I may know someone who’s hiring” or you’re proactively reaching out to someone who may not be hiring but would be willing to help, you can tell them what you’re looking for. Keep it very brief. Offer your contact information and thank them.
Breathe
Now you can take a breath.
Start thinking about what you want to do next. Write down what you want to do. Look at what you wrote. Think about it, then adjust it until it becomes your elevator pitch. You should sound enthusiastic when you say it. If you don’t sound enthusiastic, people won’t hear you. If you’re not enthusiastic, maybe you’re not doing what you love. I credit this advice to Liz Baker McKay, a kick-butt Career Consultant in Austin. (I wish she’d tweet, she’d kick butt at that too.)
Start a list of all the companies you want to work for. I want to stay in Austin, so I started with the Austin, Texas Book of Lists. Narrow it down to 30 (not many more than that). I would even add companies that aren’t hiring, it worked for me. I have been continuously adjusting my list, deleting those where clearly we’re not a cultural match and adding ones as I read or hear about them.
Go to your LinkedIn list and do a search on your 30 list and see which of your friends are 1st or 2nd connected to people at these companies. Then ask your friends and colleagues if they’ll make a connection. If your contacts are local, ask if they’ll have coffee or lunch with you. Don’t expect that they’re interviewing you. Actually, prepare by knowing who they are, what they do, and what their company does, but don’t expect anything. The conversation goes much better this way.
Stay Busy
Don’t just stick to your list. Have coffee or lunch with people who are interesting to you. I have had coffee and lunch with dozens of people and there has only been one meeting that I walked away going, hmmm, that wasn’t that productive. Even if this person can’t offer you a job, you can learn from them, or help them with something you know. Enjoy the conversation, expect to share what you know. You just do not know what that connection might bring. Meet up with them again. Have coffee again or invite them to something they might be interested in. Stay connected. Again, I’ll go back to Liz Baker McKay here. She says, it’s not one meeting, it’s creating relationships, and those don’t generally happen with one meeting.
Throughout this process, review and update your elevator pitch, your resume, and your job help email. I’ve been making small and large tweaks to these throughout my search and I think they’re much better than they were three months ago.
Go to events and activities in your area. Go to the ones that sound interesting to you. Invite others to these interesting events as well.
Appreciate people. Thank them for their time. Meet them when and where it’s convenient to them. Try to offer them something in return.
Stay busy. You may find that you have a lot of free time on your hands. Stay busy. Aside from going to events, conferences, etc. commit to do something for yourself. I’m doing lots of gardening, working out, meeting up with people for coffee. I have also done some project work, not for profit work, volunteering, and learning.
Some days will be better than others. My friends tell me I seem happier now than I did a couple of months ago. I don’t feel much different but I know I’m happy. I feel like I’m learning something by being unemployed right now. It’s been interesting.
Wow, I got through this whole post and didn’t once mention searching for jobs online, or the cover letter. I’m sure others have talked about this but my favorite job search site is indeed. There are also lots of industry specific job lists. I found that most of the traditional job boards, like Monster and Career Builder aren’t for me.
Let me know how it goes for you.
Heather, this is a terrific list of things to do. I wrote a post a couple of months ago where I also focused on the emotional side of losing your job. Being laid off can wreck havoc with your identity since so much of how we see ourselves is tied up in our work. Here’s a link to that post…I hope this helps: http://twurl.nl/7cmepm.
Fabulous post and you’ve reviewed many of the same things I’m sharing with people when they come to me telling me they’ve been laid off or for whatever reason are searching for a new job.
I think the LinkedIn portion is the part where people should spend the MOST time. They should look at the settings page on LinkedIn and click on every single hyperlink there. Make sure that they’re profile says they are in the job market. Update their “what are you working on now” with LOOKING FOR A JOB. And great mention of sending out an e-mail to let folks know you’re looking.
If you send this e-mail out via LinkedIn it grabs all of our contacts and you don’t have to attach your resume. All they’ll need to do is look at your snazzy information in your LinkedIn profile. Oh, did we mention making sure that your LinkedIn profile should look snazzy. It should! Sell yourself. That’s now your JOB.
And know too that companies are still hiring out here. Really. I know four people personally that have accepted offers and started new positions within the last month.
Finally do exactly what Heather states about finding out your passion. What a perfect time to do just that. If you’ve been in one position or type of position for years, but it really doesn’t excite you any longer then figure out what will.
I honestly think that this time in our history that we will come out on the other side with so many new industries birthed out of those that have found themselves currently without a job.
Heather,
I couldn’t have said it better myself. This is exactly the right approach to get you moving again. Looking for a job *is* a job in itself & I am glad to see that you are not taking this lying down!
One thing I would add is that you do need to take a little time to grieve the loss…not necessarily in your pajamas with a carton of Blue Bell, but it is a necessary piece to ultimately being able to move on. You spend 1/3 of your life at work and it does become a part of you. Grieving is important.
The only other thing I would say is to do your best not to let fear & panic creep in. I know, easier said than done…but a panicky candidate is almost worse than no candidate at all. Desperation can bleed through in the interview, or in general contact with people & can ruin an otherwise good interaction and ultimately…a new job.
Great post! Keep your chin up! You are doing GREAT!!!
Jen Wojcik
Great post Heather!
One major thing I would add – that goes alongside your elevator pitch advice is this. If you don’t already have a blog, start one (even if it is password protected). Writing short pieces at weekly intervals helps me over time identify what I am really passionate about because I keep gnawing on it from different angles.
In my case, like you, I did something proactive immediately. Unlike you I didn’t try to pin down exactly what I was looking for too quickly. Instead I took every opportunity (and still do) to have interesting conversations with people which let me explore options. There were some options that I cut off during that process and others that continue to percolate. In my case I am doing a few different projects as well as starting a business and it has been a great way to get to know people better as well as keep some income coming in.
And boredom killed and depressed the cat…it will do it to you too so go give your work away for free to a non-profit or small business. It will keep your mind active and occupied and show potential employers that you have a portfolio of work since your last full-time gig – and that you won’t take it sitting down. And who knows – you could work your way into a job.
Heather – while I thought your “Twitter: Where Should I Eat/Drink/Be Entertained in Austin” [http://budurl.com/n9cc] blog post was your best work yet, I lied. This blows that one away.
Anyone looking for a job should take this to heart. Really nice job in taking the lessons you’ve learned (and have started to impart) and making them available for all to see! Well done!
Aaron 😉
I’ve also found this time to be enlightening. Since my work is now finding work, I find that I am constantly researching new businesses, models and technologies. Things I may not have had the chance to learn about otherwise. I’ve been able to pour my time into organizing BarCampAustin, making lots of new connections, and rethinking what I want to do.
I found Guy Kawasaki’s post (http://blog.guykawasaki.com/2009/02/10-ways-to-use.html) “Ten Ways to Use LinkedIn to Find a Job” to be useful as well.
I’m a big proponent of breathing. Seriously. My sense is people get uptight when they’re laid off, when it’s probably most important to breathe. It might end up being the best thing that’s ever happened to them, but without breathing it’s pretty depressing. Breathe… I love that advice.
I also like Rachel’s advice about starting a blog. You might not be a great writer, but you do have skills and advice to offer the world. In fact, if you’re reading this and don’t have blog, start one today (or tomorrow if you’re already in your pj’s). And I want to be clear, this advice is NOT just for folks into social media. And if you completely suck at writing, consider getting a Flip camera and doing a video blog… I’m just saying.
Next, we’re in the midst of a massive transition from an information economy to a social economy. This is a big deal. Entire business models are being destroyed (most mass media for example) and once powerful, lucrative careers are disappearing. My advice to nearly everyone is to start building your personal brand as soon possible. Get out from behind the corporate structure and share what you know. Blogging (or video blogging), Twitter, whatever… just get out there and start. The day will likely come when you’re looking for your next job and will you be better prepared to land softly with a cover letter and resume or those two and a thriving personal brand (and network) based on your big brain you showed everyone on your blog?
My advice to a friend that’s been working as an environmental engineer in the same company for 15 years? Start a blog about what you see in failed waste water treatment facilities. Take pictures and short videos that explore the issues towns need to consider when evaluating such a project. By building a brand based on content that’s his, he’s positioned for success no matter what life throws at him. The same goes for you.
Also, Heather you hit the nail on the head with the advice to stay busy. Sit down with former colleagues, attend local meetings, go out to lunch with someone you respect, dial up an old classmate and go out for a cup of coffee. Share what you’re thinking about and be generous with your network if you can help them. Remember that last one. It’s pretty cool to give a friend that’s employed a great lead for a new opportunity or contact and have them look at you and say “but I’m supposed to be here to help you.” Just smile and let them know just getting together with you was a big help. It’ll come back around.
The other message in here is to keep your eyes wide open. You never know where your next opportunity is going to come from. It might be from the guy serving you a cup of coffee in the morning… you never know!
Take the time to explore what you love and don’t be afraid to take a little “me” time every once in a while. You don’t have to strap yourself to your computer, filtering through and replying to Monster job postings 15 hours a day. You’ll get pasty and that doesn’t look good when you end up going on a job interview.
Thanks for a great post to get me thinking about this Heather. I didn’t think I had a lot to add when I read your post, but I guess I did. I’ll finish the way I started… breathe… and then take a couple of minutes and enjoy an ice cold Pabst Blue Ribbon!
Jim | @jimstorer
Great post, Heather — and you’ve elicited some great comments, too. I’m glad to know that any of the advice that I’ve offered up is useful.
The one thing I would add here, not least because I see YOU do it so regularly and so well, is to GIVE to others. (Jim touched on this in his comment, too.) Part of the reason to build your network before you need it is that doing so offers you the chance to GIVE to people who can use the help. Maybe it’s a referral, or a piece of timely advice, or just an interesting link that you can send in an e-mail or tweet. All of this tends to make you seem like the swell person you actually are, AND it reinforces your personal bonds with others, AND it keeps you from dwelling solely on your own situation.
By the way, it’s also a good way to stay busy. You’re right to suggest searching your LinkedIn list for people of your list of 30 target companies, but you can also just go through your contacts there, stem to stern, and contact two or three of them each day. Just see what they’re up to. If you have to, learn to make a joke out of how long it’s been since you’ve talked to them (“I feel silly that it took a layoff to give me the time to catch up with all my old friends…”), but just make the connection. And, again, always be asking what you can do for THEM. It works out, for sure.
Keep up the good work!
Well done, Heather. Could not have said it better myself, so I won’t!
The most important thing one can do is not let the feelings of helplessness, loss, or grief take over. It’s too easy to let that happen and end up fighting a very real, very physical, and very medical case of depression. Especially in this economy where everyone is walking on financial eggshells it’s too easy to take a layoff (or failed company) to heart and let the experience overwhelm you and crush you emotionally. Realize that everything – EVERYTHING – is a learning experience. Not everything about a forced change is negative. It lets you explore options you never would have normally. There is not one person I know who has not been laid off at least once (my background is in software engineering.) Don’t care how high up the ladder they’ve climbed. We’ve all heard those words from our boss, ‘can you stop by my office for a sec?’ or ‘we need to talk’ and been led to that conference room or office. Been there. Realize that you are not alone in it; nearly everyone’s experienced it. Really. Just ask around.
Jim Storer had some very valid points about getting your act together and starting a blog. Become active in something social. If you’re not the Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn/social media type or if your industry is not well represented in social media don’t despair: there is ALWAYS somewhere you can go for inspiration, guidance, and information. I was a chef for many years of my own restaurant and others, before it was ‘cool’ or lucrative to be one. The pay was terrible, the hours were comical, and the physical toll it took on me still is apparent over a decade later. But when I transitioned from chef to engineer (long story) I learned critical lessons about the value of networking. Some of my closest friends are from those days. Why? Because I took the time to do exactly what you suggested: meeting new people, building relationships, and simply talking. Thinking a recruiter is going to be your salvation or Monster.com is going to drop your dream job in your lap is, well, amusing at best. Sitting on your couch and catching up on those lost seasons of The Amazing Race sounds like a great escape from your real life for the moment, and if you have some cash to support the break, I think that’s fine for a bit, if only to clear your head, but if you are like most of the people in the hunt these days, you don’t: especially when you’re facing a mortgage payment, tuition costs, medical bills, car payments, or what have you.
To add to the already stellar advice given above, I would say this: you must, must, must exercise. It’s simple, effective, and critical to your emotional state. I don’t like to, not one tiny bit, but the difference it makes in your outlook, behavior, and attitude in the face of something so stressful is unbelievable. Just check the Web. If you do not use a gym or have equipment at home, go for a walk. Just a walk. And no human can BS me and say that they cannot spare 30 minutes to walk down their block. Yoga is also unbelievable not only for the physicality is offers but also for the emotional balance it can bring. You can do it in your bedroom. You don’t need an expensive membership to a studio. You Tube is packed with how-to vids that explain plenty. If you’re a drinker, remember that alcohol is a potent depressant. Those 2, 3, or more drinks will start a vicious cycle that will drive your confidence levels through the floor and make each day more difficult to get through. Remember the best way to get a new job is to treat the time you have without one as a normal work day: get up at the same time you used to, get dressed, eat breakfast, and get your butt working on finding a new one. That’s your new job until you land one that pays.
One other thing to note: it’s easy to fall into the trap of feeling like such a loser when laid off that you don’t want to contact anyone for fear of what they’ll think of you for being laid off in the first place. Seriously, get over it. We’ve all known people who were brilliant at their jobs who were given the axe. It’s business. And everyone these days realizes it. The more friends and contacts you have, the quicker you’ll be back in the game.
Great post, thanks.
Your suggestions are interesting and will probably be a good course to follow. I checked out the website “indeed” that you mentioned. It’s just a link to a bunch of job search sites and temp agencies. No good advice there, I wouldn’t recommend that site to anyone.
Pat – it’s good that out of all the great advice in Heather’s post and the subsequent comments that you were able to focus on the negative.
Heather, well done, I’ve just sent this to six friends who have recently been laid off. This is a post everyone should just bookmark and save for a later date because it is something that happens to us all at some point in time.
One thing that I’ve been telling my friends, besides the great advice Kim has on LinkedIn, is to also be careful with their networks. Get rid of those pictures of us doing keg stands in college; Don’t let that ex-wife leave those remarks on your Facebook wall; Make sure you don’t have any typos in any of your online bios; Use Twitter now more carefully and intelligently (I probably should remind myself of that one); And reach out to as many people as humanely possible.
Great stuff,
/kff
(I didn’t just finish off a PBR, but is a Heineken ok? A PBR goes much better with BBQ though, right?)
Great blog post Heather, and great comments too.
I agree on always keeping your network going, no matter what you do, where you work, or where you are in life. My goal has always been to have a networking lunch at least once a month, and if you can do it, once a week. Get out of the office. Call up an old high school friend/work colleague and share thoughts and ideas. If you’re out of work, well, you have the opportunity to do that 5 times a WEEK, right? And if you’re on a budget , coffee works just as well….
Be generous with your network- offer up your Linkedin network for others to see and look at it (I still don’t understand why people keep their networks private, but that’s just me)
Follow your passions, but within reason… If you’ve always wanted to grow tomatoes and start a CSA, that’s great, but if you own a home, have 3 kids, and you live in the Northeast, you’ll probably have to sell your house and move south or west. Is that a good decision in this economy? Passion is one thing, reality is another, just be careful on how much risk you are willing to take.
Free time! There is absolutely NO reason a recently laid off person shouldn’t be going to the gym and working out for at least an hour every day. Seriously. Exercise does absolute wonders for a positive mental attitude…
Keep plugging away with your network and be very patient. I’m now getting into great conversations with people and companies from informal conversations that started 6 months ago. These things take time…
Get organized and read some new books. Best book I have read is David Allen’s “Getting Things Done”- highly recommended on organizing your life now.
To your point, staying busy and engaged is very important. I’m busier now than I was at work just a few months ago. I’m making about 1/3 of the income, but happier and more upbeat- like yourself…
And, the best thing I’ve done recently is turn off the TV and my laptop EVERY night at 10pm. I’m not doing this now, but hey, nobody’s perfect…. 😉
Thanks, Heather.
For what it’s worth, you may enjoy reading (or bookmarking for future reading) a guest post I wrote for about how I use both LinkedIn and VisualCV, differentiating the usage of each in lieu of traditional resumes.
Written for InternshipRatings.com, the post is intended for a college student demography, but anyone ought to get something out of it: http://tr.im/i2r0
Oh yeah, I’m seeking gigs, too.
I leave my computer for 5 minutes and 3 more comments pop up! Cappy’s comments and mine must have passed online…We both are in agreement. instead of having that beer/glass of wine head to the gym. I just put kids to bed, arrived at the gym at 8:30pm and still got a good workout in.. absolutely NO excuse NOT to get to gym. the bad news was that I was laid off, the good news is that I’ve lost 10 pounds… (Jim and Aaron, I’m crushed you didn’t notice on Monday…)
Great post and the comments are enlightening as well. I only have one thing to add — look at EVERYTHING that comes your way. There are many work at home opportunities (and I’m not talking data entry or answering phone calls) that are valid. I work as a business partner to a company called Melaleuca. That has allowed me to have a flexible schedule, be at home and do other things (like blogging) as well. This is no longer your mother’s Tupperware party generation (although that kind of company is an option as well). There are a large number of business people going this route!
Going to follow your blog posts – I like what you write!
@debworks
Heather,
Awesome post. I was actually going through this process this time a year ago. One thing I would add is to make sure you pick the right opportunity when they come around.
Right before I got laid off from CNET, I was in talks to take a job in Boston with a video game publisher. It was, at the time, a dream gig. However, after I weighed the pros and cons, I realized what a big adjustment that would be for me and my family, especially in terms of the cost of living hit we would take (we were in Louisville at the time).
After the layoff, I ended up not trying to re-engage with that company. Instead, I followed most of the steps you outlined in your post and waited to the right opportunity. Of course, I know a lot of people don’t have the flexibility to sit around passing up job offers, but I think it is was huge for me.
I ended up getting my current job a few weeks later. We did have to relocate, but it was to a city (Columbus, OH) that is very comparable in terms of cost of living plus had professional sports and other perks we didn’t have in Louisville. It was just the right fit professionally and in terms of our family. Had I jumped at the first job that came up, I would have missed it.
BTW, the initial contact for the job came through a recruiter who found my LinkedIn profile and saw that I was looking for a job.
Chris, your post on this subject (http://twurl.nl/7cmepm) complements mine nicely with further information than what I provide here. Thanks also for all your #jobangels work.
Kim, I really like the point that it is smart to send notes within LinkedIn. That way, you don’t need to send your resume. Your resume information is already attached.
Jen, thanks for the reminders. I hope people will take the time to breathe. There is a huge emotional side to being laid off that people need to EXPECT and know that it’s normal. I also agree that staying calm is important. Stay calm and focus on the right job for you.
Rachel, I thought about suggesting that people start a blog but you did a much better job articulating it. If I was in a different field of work, I would have done a blog just for me. Keeping your options open is also very important. I thought about posting a generic version of my job seeker email here but I decided not to because I’ve talked with people about lots of really great and interesting opportunities that don’t match my job seeker email. I think it’s good to have your pitch ready but stay open to interesting and new ideas.
Aaron, thank you, thank you, thank you. Words cannot express my appreciation for all that you do for me.
Sara, I cannot wait to see what you do next. I’m so happy to have a friend to bounce ideas off of and to share experiences. It’s so much easier to do this with someone else. It’s hard to explain this experience to others.
Jim, thank you for talking about how our job opportunities are changing because the world is changing. I hope my friends who aren’t in social media take your advice. My personal brand has helped me immensely in my job-seeking (and I didn’t even know I had a personal brand until I got laid off.)
Go back and read Jim’s comments if you haven’t already.
Tim, Giving is so important. People want to hang out with and listen to you if you’re valuable to them. Thanks also for reaching out to me the second you heard I got laid off. For not only reaching out, but for offering advice and giving me actionable steps to help take advantage of what you could offer me. I am grateful.
Cappy, Good perspective. I think getting laid off is an opportunity to get depressed or to find ways to improve yourself. It’s important to make sure you’re focusing on staying healthy both mentally and physically. Thanks for all of your thoughtful and insightful comments for those who aren’t in social media. (My husband was a chef for 15 years. 6 years in the Boston area.)
Pat, I added RSS to my blog. Bottom of the right hand column. I meant to do it a while ago. Thanks for the reminder. Also, I stand by my Indeed.com recommendation. The searches are clean and you can rss a search. I’ve seen dozens of relevant jobs using that site. It’s the best “generic” job board option I’ve come across. I do think that industry specific job listings are much more valuable.
Kyle, So happy to hear that you found the post valuable enough to share with others. I agree that you really need to make sure you’re thinking about all of your content on all of the social sites out there. I know if I was hiring, I’d go look at that stuff before I hired.
Tyson, I agree, be conscious of your connections always. Use and share the network you have and be generous. I also like that you suggest that you should follow your passions as long as you’re being practical. (And congrats on the 10 LBs, I’ve lost 5)
Ari, thanks for a link to your post. I have found my LinkedIn profile way more valuable than my resume. I have it ready to share but I find that people can get a lot more value and insight from my LinkedIn profile than from my resume.
Shawn, Great point. I had a professor grab me by the shoulders and shake me when I told him I was considering taking a job I wasn’t that excited about. He had the same advice. Wait for the right job, it is worth it.
Nice post, Heather. I agree with all of the advice above, particularly about starting a blog, and the other networking advice. I’ve been fortunate enough to be using my time to do a lot of new things and have lots of interesting conversations– all of which I would have done in limited fashion just a couple months ago.
One thing I would add that I think is extremely helpful while you are looking for work is to take the time to exercise– even more than you normally would when you are working. Set a goal you would like to achieve– maybe it’s completing a marathon or maybe it’s just to be able to walk around the block a couple of times– doesn’t matter. Exercise, particularly when you have a goal, is a great stress relief and helps provide mental focus and provide you a great sense of accomplishment when you reach your goal. This is critical all the time, but is particularly helpful when you are out of work. I’m a personal training coach (in addition to my full time gig 🙂 ) and have worked with individuals who have lost their jobs and have seen the benefits first hand. The best part is the level of confidence I have seen people gain through achieving their goals, which they are able to carry forth in all aspects of their lives, including finding a new job, and ultimately into that new job.
Also, another added benefit of demonstrating your focus on athletic training/goals: it’s something intensely interesting to talk about with others while networking. I would have to say that 9 out of 10 times when I meet with someone who has seen my resume or online profile in an interview or other professional setting, the first thing they comment on is some of the athletic things I’ve done. It’s a great conversation starter and a great way to make an immediate connection with someone. Most people have some sort of sport they have participated in the past and present and love to talk about it with someone who can relate or even teach them something.
On that note, if anyone who is looking for work (or otherwise!) wants to go for a bike, climb a mountain or do any other sort of outdoor outing, give me a holler– the fun and benefits keep on returning dividends.
Good stuff, Heather.
Gary
[…] @heatherjstrout: Dear Job Seeker: http://bit.ly/c6QcP I wrote ths post 4 a friend who is expecting 2 get laid off. READ the COMMENTS! …Economy hits […]
Heather,
Love it!! As a person who is going through a transition, I agree with all of your suggestions. Many people have told me to take a bunch of time off and relax. I’m a social person and need to get out of the house every day. I’m trying to schedule coffee or lunch every day. Having the time to spend in conversation with people I respect is a way for me to relax. I live in the Bay Area and many jobs or projects are found through the “hidden” job market. Networking is the key! I’m actually looking forward to my new path after working for the same company for almost 9 years. Take care!
Rachel
So great! You know I love your “target list” networking angle!
So many great rules to live by. I have another one for you…”polite persistence”.
Excellent advice to keep people motivated and proactive in their own present and future. Effectiveness may vary for some people, but overall and excellent list.
Fabulous post with some wicked excellent responses!
(((First, looking back a couple of weeks at SxSW having time to chat with you and a seeming entourage of Aaron, Jim Storer, and Brian Person were the highlights of my Sx experience.)))
I’d throw in the consumption of excellent PODCAST’s. While doing some of that breathing. People with “jobs” don’t have time to keep up and this is a huge opportunity.
Staying busy and building a routine for yourself is the key. I’ve managed to learn more in 2 months than I did in the last year of my job and I’m actually happier than I was before b/c I’ve been given a license to create myself versus the organization creating me.
Great post, and I loved the “how to” advice. Sometimes good advice doesn’t get specific enough — so the “and here is the recipe for how to do this” in your post is incredibly helpful.
Something that I’m experiencing (and I’m not sure how this fits into what you’ve talked about) is a need for some time to let the former workplace thoughts and concerns fade (after 2+ years of very long days, my brain needed to reboot) and the thoughts about the future begin to surface.
I read somewhere that humans are not natural multi-taskers, and intense modern multi-tasking causes a form of stress that takes a while to fade. The article said that after a month of the stress going away, the brain begins to return to normal.
I’m taking that month now!
Heather, I meant to leave a comment on your post sooner. You’ve done a great job taking your first-hand experience and translating it into something that people can use if they find themselves in similar circumstances.
One point that I’ve been thinking about recently, is that you should make your own business cards. I’ve had a couple of experiences (too many really) where I wish I had a business card of my own to hand to someone. I know that in some situations it’s not necessary — like if you can connect with them online — but for the instances when it you do need them, you really miss not having one on hand.
John
@JohnJohansen
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