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#JobSearch : Spotify Cuts Over 1,500 Jobs—Here’s How To Cope With Layoffs During The Holiday Season. So, What to Do Right Now? Doing Nothing? Wrong!

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Every December, around the holidays, Spotify unleashes its viral marketing campaign, “Spotify Wrapped,” in which users share their top results for their most-listened music and podcasts. This year, amid the trend, the streaming platform called it a wrap for more than 1,500 of its employees, as the company announced Monday its plan to cut 17% of its staff in its third round of layoffs. Wall Street applauded the news, sending stock prices soaring 7%.

Cutting jobs around the holiday season is widely perceived as cold, brutal and lacking basic compassion. Workers are left jobless and without a steady paycheck and are concerned about their lack of health insurance. Instead of looking forward to some time to relax and enjoy being with their family and friends, the downsized employees must now scramble to write a résumé and seek new employment in a challenging environment for white-collar professionals.

Executives may consider this a way to cut costs and save money, while others view it as a company showing its true colors. It’s clear that when organizations say, “We’re family,” it is not true. Grandma getting fired before Christmas doesn’t sound like something a loving family would do to someone they sincerely care about. Companies that let go of workers at this time of year will likely see backlash and lose respect within the marketplace, making it hard to recruit and retain people.

Say It Ain’t So

There are several reasons why employers see the year-end as an opportune time to cut jobs. By laying off staff in December, companies can realize salary savings earlier by removing employees from the current fiscal year’s books. For public companies, it can boost short-term financials and increase stock prices.

It’s sneaky, but some executives may feel that as people start to take their vacation and personal time off, there will be minimal disruptions as many people won’t be around. To cut costs, pushing out workers will save the company from paying expensive annual bonuses, incentives and sales commissions. It’s also convenient to conduct layoffs amidst the rollout of a yearly holiday campaign, so the buzz around it can drown out the news of downsizing.

On the same day that Spotify CEO Daniel Ek announced job cuts, TwilioTWLO +0.5%, a cloud-based communication platform, said it would also be laying off nearly 5% of its staff after pressure from investors to divest its data and applications unit.

Before the 2021 holiday season, online mortgage startup Better.com’s CEO, Vishal Garg, terminated around 900 employees via a one-way Zoom video. To add insult to injury, Garg referred to his staff as “dumb dolphins.” The company became the poster child for callous video firings after online backlash.

During the financial crisis, Bank of AmericaBAC +0.6% drew public indignation for announcing its three-year plan to cut up to 35,000 jobs in December 2009, after receiving billions in government bailout funds. This led to a deluge of highly negative consumer sentiment about corporate greed.

 

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The Aftermath

Getting a pink slip is detrimental to a worker’s mental health and financial situation. It’s even worse when it happens around the “most joyous” time of the year. For some, it may mean fewer presents under the Christmas tree or opting out of holiday travel to visit family because it is no longer financially viable. Disregarding the fired personnel’s feelings will leave a permanent reminder of the people cast out.

Once word gets out, why would anyone want to remain at the organization? It also presents a hurdle for future hiring, as the news dissuades people from interviewing with the company. Consumers may even boycott its products and services.

There will be public backlash and reputational damage, as the action looks needlessly cold and lacks empathy. Upon learning about the layoffs, talent acquisition and recruiters will descend upon the company looking to poach all the A-players. Current employees will commence updating their résumé and contacting their network to find a new job. The remainers will suffer from survivor’s guilt, resulting in a plummet in employee engagement and productivity.

What You Should Do Right Now

Getting laid off right before Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa or New Year’s is incredibly difficult. Here are some actionable steps you can take if you are in this position this holiday season:

  • Take some time to process what happened and acknowledge your anger and resentment. It’s okay to vent to loved ones to get it out in the open. After your grieving period, you must take action to move forward.
  • Take care of practical matters, such as asking for emails and phone numbers of people you want to stay in touch with. Ask HR for a letter of recommendation. Find out your rights, any monies owed to you and whether outplacement services are available. File for unemployment benefits and look into your firm’s COBRA health insurance process.
  • Start rebuilding your career and seeking out new opportunities. Update your résumé and LinkedIn profile and perform an audit of your professional online presence. Reach out to people in your network. Ask them about any job leads at your desired companies. Search job boards and apply to positions. While others coast during the holidays, ensure you’re hustling to get noticed.
  • Avoid becoming antisocial because you feel shame about your job loss. Push yourself to stay connected with people during the holidays, as it’s a good time to call in favors and ask for help in seeking new employment.

#JobSearch : 8 Simple Steps To Help You Navigate A Layoff. 2023 has seen a 200% Increase in Overall Layoffs, More to Come. Great Read.

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This year has seen a 200% increase in the overall number of layoffs, with job losses almost reaching levels last seen in 2020, and prior to that in the Great Recession of 2009. Although the pace has slowed into the final quarter, some major corporations are still announcing cuts.

If the worst happens, leveraging tools from organizational psychology can help you navigate what can be a very stressful time:

1. First of all, breathe. Losing a job is a grieving process like any other, so allow yourself time to feel your feelings, all of them. Take a couple of days to process the news, as you are not going to be effective whilst you’re still in shock. Although a layoff isn’t personal, it doesn’t stop it from feeling personal.

2. Next, address what Maslow calls “hygiene factors” and create a strong foundation to support your hierarchy of needs. This starts with a deep dive into your finances: if you don’t already know, calculate your monthly cost of living. The easiest way is to build a spreadsheet and total up all your non-negotiable outgoings. File for unemployment, and take time to understand the terms of your severance, if your company is offering one. In your spreadsheet total up your severance payment, unemployment income, savings and any other liquid assets. Now you can calculate how much runway you have before you need another paycheck.

 

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Article continued …

3. Try to maintain regular and healthy sleep cycles (don’t be tempted to go nocturnal for the heck of it) and remember to be physically active. You may have taken the decision to put your gym membership on hold, but that doesn’t preclude you from getting outside for a run or a walk.

4. There is some truth to the adage that “you’re not unemployed – your job is to find a new job”, but that doesn’t mean you should lose sight of the fact that being your own boss comes with certain privileges. Chief amongst them is the ability to set your own hours. Once you get into the rhythm of your job search you can achieve maximum daily productivity within 90 minutes to 2hrs. You do not need to sit in front of your laptop 8hrs a day doom scrolling LinkedIn.

5. Set yourself SMART goals (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound). It is crucial to be mindful of what is achievable and realistic: you have no control over the supply of jobs so setting a goal of completing 50 applications per day simply might not be possible. You can however set goals around the networking activity you will need to augment your applications. Perhaps start with a daily goal of finding 5 new people to follow on LinkedIn, or leaving comments on 10 different posts. The network effect of this activity will build momentum and broaden your digital footprint.

6. Leverage technology. All the major job boards allow you to create search parameters and set alerts, meaning your first daily task can be applying for all the relevant roles that have gone live in the past 24hrs. Utilize free tools like Teal to help you craft your resume, and to keep track of the applications you’ve sent. Don’t be afraid to use AI tools like Bard and ChatGPT to help you complete onerous tasks like writing cover letters.

7. Practice gratitude, and if you can, give back. Navigating a layoff is emotionally challenging, but the research shows that practicing gratitude can have a transformational effect. Furthermore using some of your free time to volunteer in your community can be both emotionally rewarding, and can help strengthen your network.

8. Don’t be afraid to lean on your community, share how you’re feeling, and ask for support in the way that you need it. Former coworkers may want to help, but be unsure on how to offer it, so it can be helpful to provide them with a menu of options. Creating a simple framework like: “a) write me a recommendation on LinkedIn b) review my resume c) introduce me to folks at your former company” is a great place to start.

The advances in consumer facing technology and the macro-economic environment have created a perfect storm in the talent marketplace, meaning that your job search will likely be a marathon, and not a sprint. Establishing a strong foundation, including a clear view of your personal economic runway, is a critical first step in helping you navigate the period between getting laid off, and finding your next role.

Creating a framework for your job search activity, anchored with SMART goals, helps you hold yourself accountable on a daily basis. Practicing gratitude and leaning into your community will help to sustain y0u through the low moments that will inevitably be a feature of your job search. Rest assured though, that like all the previous economic downturns, this too shall pass.

Forbes.com | November 16, 2023 | James Hudson

#YourCareer : Supporting Your Team Through A Layoff. Laying Off EImployees can be a Stressful Experience for Everyone Involved–Even the Survivors. GReat REad!

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I remember the day I first experienced a layoff.  My boss had me release a guy who had six kids.  Then she called me into her office and laid me off.  Certainly not my best day.

Laying off employees can be a stressful experience for everyone involved–even the survivors.  The survivors are the people who are “lucky” to have made it through another day. Or at least they think they are lucky until they realize the world of work, as they know it, has changed forever.

Managing team members with various personalities through a layoff can be a challenging task, as it involves delicate emotions and reactions.  Here are some strategies to help you navigate this situation with empathy and professionalism:

Understand that your employees may be feeling anxious and sad. Your role as a manager is to keep the team together and moving forward, which in all honesty, is not an easy task.

Many leaders retreat after a layoff. They figure people need time to “get over” what just happened. Avoid making this mistake.

 

Take it from me. A layoff is something that you never get over. However, you can certainly work through a difficult transition like this a heck of a lot easier when you have a manager who is there for you and the team.

 

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Article continued …

 

Successfully managing your team through a layoff, starts with the development of a solid plan, before any layoffs occur.

Questions that need to be considered when developing your plan include:

  • What gaps will be left when team members depart?
  • Who will fill these gaps?
  • What, if any, training will you need to provide for those being reassigned?
  • What guidance will need to be provided to your management team, so they’re prepared to carry out the layoff and support their team after the layoff has been completed?

Here are some other guidelines to follow as you work through this difficult period.

  • Be Transparent and Honest: Communicate openly about the reasons for the layoffs, the company’s financial situation, and the necessity for the decision. Transparency can help build trust, even in difficult times.
  • Customize Communications: Recognize that each employee is unique, and they might react differently. Tailor your communication to address their specific concerns and emotions.
  • Show Empathy: Understand that people will react differently to the news. Some might be upset, while others may remain calm. Be empathetic to their emotions and provide a supportive environment.
  • Maintain Professionalism: Stay professional and composed during the layoff process. Emotions can be high, but your demeanor can set the stage for how others will react.
  • Provide Clear Information: Make sure affected employees understand what will happen next, including details about severance packages, benefits, and any available resources.
  • Address Concerns of the Remaining Employees. Be supportive and understand that how people react to the news of a layoff will vary, based on their personality and their personal circumstances.
  • Follow Up: After the initial announcement, continue to check on your employees. Offer ongoing support and information as they navigate through this transition.
  • Monitor the Workload. Work still needs to get done, even though there are now less people employed to deal with the workload. Avoid overworking the remaining employees to prevent burnout or fatigue, which could lead to employee resignations. You can do this by prioritizing and assigning tasks that are most critical to the organization.

 

Remember that managing through a layoff is about demonstrating empathy, respect, and understanding. While you cannot control how people will react, your approach can significantly influence the overall experience for your employees.

Forbes.com | August 17, 2023 | Forbes.com Author:  Roberta Matuso

 

#Layoffs : The Debate Swirling Inside HR Departments: How to Lay Off Workers. How were You Laid Off?

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Executives considering downsizing are currently grappling with the same problem: finding the most effective way to let employees go.  Is it better to get layoffs over with all at once even at the risk of cutting too deep? Is firing over Zoom more humane than making an employee come into the office to lose their job? How much severance pay is fair?

As well-known employers including Amazon.com Inc., Salesforce.com Inc., CRM 2.82%increase; green up pointing triangle Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and others lay off workers, executives elsewhere say they are closely monitoring different approaches to the process.

Some human-resources teams are building spreadsheets to track how many positions peers cut and what they say to employees during the reductions. Laid-off workers, meanwhile, are comparing severance agreements and pushing back if they feel terms fall short, which has sometimes led to tense all-hands sessions.

“I’m not sure there’s one recipe” for a layoff, said Katy George, a senior partner and chief people officer at McKinsey & Co.

The stakes for companies are high. Though the job market is cooling, the unemployment rate stood at a historically low 3.5% in December and many employers say they still face challenges filling some positions. This is also among the first job downturns in the era of increasingly empowered and vocal employees who are adept at using Slack and other tools to amplify their criticisms. Companies say it is important to handle layoffs carefully to protect employers’ reputations and help maintain morale among those who remain.

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Some companies telegraph weeks in advance that layoffs should be expected, a tactic that can give employees warning while also raising uncertainty over whose roles will be eliminated, human-resources advisers say.

When Salesforce Co-Chief Executive Marc Benioff announced Wednesday that the cloud-software giant planned to eliminate roughly 10% of its staff, he told employees to check their email within the hour to see if their roles had been affected. Other corporate leaders, such as video-technology company Vimeo Inc., VMEO 1.18%increase; green up pointing triangle which said this week that it would cut about 140 people, have sent companywide notes after individual employees had been contacted.

Many companies struggle over whether to make one sweeping layoff, or to do a series of smaller cuts over a period of time while assessing a company’s financial situation, advisers and executives say. Both carry risks. If a layoff is too large, a company can inadvertently cut key units or people, executives say. Yet multiple layoffs in a short period can create prolonged instability in an organization, McKinsey’s Ms. George said.

“You don’t want to have two shoes drop,” said John Chambers, the former CEO of Cisco Systems Inc., noting that one layoff quickly followed by another can erode trust with employees and investors. “My answer is you do it once, you do it very aggressively, but you also, most important, you communicate.”

The era of hybrid work only complicates matters, executives say. Bosses once insisted on delivering bad news face-to-face, a practice that changed in the pandemic. Some executives are now debating whether it is easier for employees to learn of a layoff on Zoom versus in-person, said Andy Challenger, senior vice president at outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc.

“It almost seems cruel to ask someone to commute into the office just to let them go,” he said.

Whereas some companies once picked Friday as the preferred day to cut jobs, thinking it would give people a weekend to process a tough situation, many now see a midweek layoff announcement as more humane, said Lorna Hagen, a longtime chief people officer. A layoff on a Wednesday, for example, can give affected employees time to talk with HR representatives or benefits providers during business hours in the ensuing days, she said.

In prior roles, Ms. Hagen said she has worked with colleagues to create a “run of show,” outlining minute-by-minute how a layoff should proceed. The document details when managers will talk to affected employees and when executives should communicate to the remaining workforce and the public. Training ahead of a layoff can give managers a script and guidance for navigating difficult conversations.

Many managers often flub the conversations by saying, “This is so hard for me,” Mr. Challenger said. That phrase can irritate employees facing a job loss. “That just hits people the wrong way,” he said. “It’s not about you.”

Some companies, such as payments processor Stripe Inc., have been celebrated by employees and others for how they dealt with layoffs. Stripe cut about 14% of its workforce in November; in an email to employees, CEO Patrick Collison said he and other leaders were “fully responsible” for the decisions leading to the layoffs. The company said it would provide at least 14 weeks of severance pay and would accelerate or waive employee stock-vesting cliffs.

Other employers have encountered resistance. At the online-education provider Coursera Inc., COUR 3.36%increase; green up pointing triangle which laid off dozens of workers in November, some remaining employees took issue in all-hands sessions with how layoffs were handled, while laid-off employees sent detailed requests via email to the company to revise separation agreements, according to interviews with current and former employees, internal town-hall recordings and documents obtained by The Wall Street Journal.

Some laid-off employees wrote a collective letter in December to Coursera CEO Jeff Maggioncalda and executives, outlining how the workers felt Coursera’s separation terms fell short compared with layoffs at companies such as Meta Platforms Inc. and Stripe. The group cited the company’s decision not to waive some stock-vesting cliffs or accelerate vesting for stock-based compensation issued to employees. The letter is signed by unnamed “Laid Off Employees.”

Rich Jacquet, Coursera’s chief people officer, responded and recommended that workers contact HR. The group responded that HR had rejected outreach from workers.

The company offered workers four months of pay, plus more based on role or tenure, along with healthcare coverage and outplacement assistance. “We realize this decision impacts employees’ livelihoods and we strove to provide what we believe is meaningful transition assistance,” a Coursera spokeswoman said.

A number of human-resources advisers say that, at minimum, companies should offer laid-off workers a month of severance. Many companies are also now waiving stock-vesting requirements, too, though policies vary by company, said Matt Hoffman, a partner and head of talent at venture-capital firm M13.

“Take accountability,recognize the problem, be more generous than you have to be and as transparent as you can,” Mr. Hoffman said. “That’s the playbook.”

WSJ Authors:  Chip Cutter at chip.cutter@wsj.com   & Ruth Simon contributed to this article.

WSJ.com | January 9, 2023

#YourCareer : What To Do — Besides Worry — Before You’re Laid-Off. Great Read!

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Waiting to learn if you will escape a looming layoff can sometimes be more stressful than losing your job. On the other hand, a study found the likelihood of developing a health condition increases by 83% in the first 15 to 18 months after a layoff, even for employees with no pre-existing health conditions.

This unsettling feeling is now known as Layoff Anxiety, a term that describes the emotions and health issues proceeding job cuts.

So what can we do beyond worrying while waiting for a layoff?

1. Deploy Defensive Pessimism

One way of making worry work to your advantage is by “taking your fear out to its extreme,” wrote executive coach Melody Wilding in a piece for Harvard Business Review. Deploying “defensive pessimism” is, according to Wilding, walking through your plan if you are laid off in detail to “anticipate how you will deal with obstacles such as your finances, health care, and finding a new job.” This strategy allows you to rehearse the worst-case scenario productively.

In the spirit of defensive pessimism, here are some options to consider instead of holding your breath in anticipation.

Experts recommend keeping enough money to cover three to six months of living expenses to replace lost income. Bestselling Author Bonnie Honeycutt listed the top three places to keep emergency funds, rather than in your checking account, as High-Yield Savings, Money Market Accounts, and Certificate of Deposits (CDs). Finding the extra money in advance to fund an emergency can prove challenging. Adding income sources is possible if your pennies are stretched beyond the pale.

 

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Article continued …

2. Create An Emergency Fund

Experts recommend keeping enough money to cover three to six months of living expenses to replace lost income. Bestselling Author Bonnie Honeycutt listed the top three places to keep emergency funds, rather than in your checking account, as High-Yield Savings, Money Market Accounts, and Certificate of Deposits (CDs). Finding the extra money in advance to fund an emergency can prove challenging. Adding income sources is possible if your pennies are stretched beyond the pale.

Take heart:Walking the path of the worst-case scenario before it happensoften opens our eyes to the reality that a layoff doesn’t have to bepermanent. Although our time at one company may end, the journey of the rest of our lives begins when they let us go.

 

3. Nurture Your Side Hustle

Not putting all our eggs into one basket or diversifying our portfolio are age-old concepts. However, when it comes to full-time jobs, many employees push all their chips to the middle, betting on one source of income rather than exploring other options. I’ve been laid off twice in three years and can attest to the importance of having a little side income source. It kept the bills at bay.

Personal branding expert Stephen A. Hart believes that creating other offerings outside of your 9-5 helps maximize the skills we’ve acquired throughout a career. “We often discount the superpowers we’ve developed, but there is a lot that you can do and possibly teach,” Hart said in an email. “Begin by inventorying your acquired skills, talents, and wisdom. And look at ways you could create an offering to assist other people or organizations within your industry for a fee.” There are many quick ways to cash in on your knowledge, like coaching, consulting, and facilitating workshops.

4. Know Your Rights

Many factors play into layoffs, and the language used by employers significantly impacts workers. In her article for The Wall Street Journal, Vanessa Furham notes there are “some important differences between being furloughed, laid off or permanently terminated, and it could mean the difference between having healthcare coverage or not.” Another area to consider is that severance is only sometimes an option, and often companies forgo paying out unused vacation. All the more reason to use it before you lose it, in this case, forever. Knowing your rights and options before getting laid off can slice down the element of surprise when the news arrives.

Take heart: Walking the path of the worst-case scenario before it happens often opens our eyes to the reality that a layoff doesn’t have to be permanent. Although our time at one company may end, the journey of the rest of our lives begins when they let us go.

Forbes.com Author: Jennifer Magley

 

Forbes.com | May 18, 2023

 

 

 

 

#BestofFSCBlog : Over 9K Reads – How To Reinvent Your Career After A Layoff. Try Returning to This Job Market is Scary. Great Read to Keep your Head Together.

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Layoffs in the tech sector have been dominating headlines in a big way. If you haven’t been impacted directly, chances are you know someone who has. You might even be asking yourself the all-important question, “could I be next?” According to research by the staffing firm Insight Global, 78% of U.S. workers are concerned about losing their job. Not only does this create anxiety, but it also negatively impacts a person’s overall well-being.

Yet, despite the current job market, there is a silver lining. While it can be a traumatic, ego-crushing experience, a layoff isn’t necessarily a setback. In fact, if you handle it in the right way, it can lead to even better opportunities.

If you’ve been recently let go, it’s time to gain perspective so you can plan your next career move. Let’s look at some steps you can take to reinvent your career after a layoff and make the most of this uncertain time.

1. Take a pause

Whether it’s your first or your fifth, don’t underestimate the emotional toll of a layoff—especially if it took you by surprise. Once the initial shock wears off, take some time to process your feelings and what you gained from your work experience. Be prepared to slowly process a range of emotions from sadness to anger to possibly relief. This is also a critical moment to practice emotional and physical self-care. Take time to exercise or revisit hobbies you may have neglected for a while. Putting yourself in the right mindset will be important as you plan your career.

 

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We here at FSC want to thank each of our corporate partners for the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment!

 

Article continued …

2. Reevaluate your values and priorities

Now that you find yourself with a clean slate, it’s time to hold on to what you value and let go of what you don’t. Reflect on your values and priorities and whether they were aligned with your previous job. If not, it might be time to consider a career change.

Ask yourself questions like:

  • Do I want a similar position?
  • Am I interested in working in the same industry?
  • Is it time to finally pursue my passion?

Then make a list of your top ten values and post it somewhere you can see it every day. That way, you’ll be more likely to keep them in mind as you strategize your next move.

3. Stay productive while job hunting

Contrary to the old adage, job hunting is not and should not be a full-time job. If you spend 40 or more hours a week looking for a job, you’ll go mad. Instead, create a schedule. For example, you might dedicate three days each week to your job search. Or you may decide to block off a few hours every day for those activities. The key is consistency. Think about what works best for you and settle into a daily routine. Also, make it a point to balance your job-hunting activities with other interests. For example, look for opportunities to volunteer, which is a great way to network while learning new skills and doing something good for the community.

4. Ask for help

Returning to the job market can be daunting, especially if you’ve been with the same company for a while. It’s also common for job search strategies to change over time. At this point, you may not know exactly how to build out your network on LinkedIn or optimize your resume for applicant tracking systems. That’s why outside experts can be helpful. Engaging with a coach or mentor will allow you to lean on someone with specialized resources and a fresh perspective. It’s also nice to have an unbiased party in your corner as you navigate the evolving employment landscape.

5. Remain connected

For many people, their work buddies are a big part of their social life. Leaving the company can be isolating, but it doesn’t mean you need to leave friends behind. During times like these, friends and co-workers can be the best people to lean on. If they don’t reach out immediately, it may be because they’re not sure you want to hear from them. In that case, reach out to your network when you feel ready. These days, many people are even using platforms like LinkedIn to announce that they are looking for a new challenge.

A layoff doesn’t have to be the end of the world. You can even reemerge from it more resilient than before. Just look at it as a stepping stone rather than a stumbling block. That way, you’ll be in the right frame of mind to create opportunities for yourself that you never thought possible.

Forbes. com Author: Caroline Castrillon

Feeling stuck and not sure it’s time to make a career shift? Download my free guide: 5 Signs It’s Time to Make a Bold Career Change!

 

Forbes.com | February 22. 2023

 

#JobSearch : Concerned About Layoffs? 7 Actions To Take In Advance Of A Career Disruption. Great Holiday Project. MUst REad for All!

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Morgan Stanley, Pratt & Whitney and DoorDash are among the companies recently announcing layoffs. With downsizing affecting different industries and small to large companies, it makes sense to be prepared for a disruption in your employment – a job search “go kit” as Boyer Management Group puts it. This is especially true if there is an organizational change, such as a company merger as in JP’s case, or a change in leadership or company strategy.

Request: The company merged, layoffs are coming, and I need to prep for a transition. – JP

Answer: Especially with a turbulent jobs market, you might write something on having your job search “go kit“ ready in the event that his or her job situation can change suddenly in this economy. – Boyer Management Group

This isn’t about encouraging unnecessary anxiety, but rather, being proactive while things are still calm so that you are several moves ahead if something does happen. By taking preemptive action in advance of a career disruption you’ll be able to transition quickly into an active job search. Speed is especially important if you financially need to land your next job quickly and also to stay ahead of all the other job seekers who are laid off alongside you.

Here are seven actions you can take now that will enable you to bounce back from a layoff more quickly:

1 – Confirm your existing severance policy

It’s helpful to review your severance policy when you don’t need it, so there aren’t any negative feelings clouding your judgment. With a clear head, you can list any questions you need to research further, as well as think about what you might negotiate for should a layoff occur. Knowing what you’re entitled to allows you to plan how much runway you have to find your next job and therefore more realistically plan your job search.

 

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, Llc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, the UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of our corporate partners for the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment!

 

Article continued …

2 – Run your numbers

Severance is just one piece of your financial puzzle. You might have savings, another salary in the household or other income sources that will affect the deadline for your job search. Yes, you could wait till you’re laid off to do this accounting. However, knowing your numbers sooner than later gives you more time to plan. You might realize you have more time to look and want to go after a career pivot. Or, you might pursue a longtime dream to start a business or take a longer sabbatical.

3 – Explore lateral move prospects

On the flip side, your numbers might show you can’t afford much, if any, time off. If that’s the case, one of the fastest ways to land quickly is to move within the company. Know what the company policy is for exploring openings in other departments, subsidiaries or regional offices. See if you can find examples of people who have moved from one role to another, or who started as employees and are now consultants. Consulting to your company is also an option — even when a company lays staff off, they may still need the work done and would be willing to hire back staff on a contract basis.

4 – Collect contact information for references and supportive colleagues

Hoping to land within your same company is just one option, and the most productive job searches keep multiple options in play at a time. This means, you’ll want to be ready for an external job search, and that means having professional references for your work, as well as supportive colleagues who can point leads in your direction. Once you leave your company, you leave your equipment and your email platform behind. Make sure that you have in your personal phone and personal email the contact information for all the people with whom you want and need to stay in touch.

5 – Rekindle key external connections

In addition to current colleagues, your network should extend outside your company. (Networking done correctly doesn’t tip off your company that you’re looking!) Former colleagues, social relationships, even classmates from years or decades back are potential resources for your job search. If you have let these relationships lapse, take time now, while you aren’t looking and don’t need anything, to get back in touch with your extended network and rekindle lost connections.

6 – Update your marketing material

Update your resume and LinkedIn profile to reflect your most recent role and accomplishments. As you rekindle outside connections, you may find yourself catching people up on what you’ve been working on – that’s a mini cover-letter. If you catch up over coffee, your introduction is a networking pitch that will help you later in career fairs and interviews.

7 – Itemize the help you need

As you pull these items together – your marketing material, contact list, references, relevant financial numbers – you’ll find some actions easier to complete than others. This gives you an important early indication of where you’ll need help in your job search. Start thinking now about how you’ll get that help – whether you have a mentor or coach you can tap, what your alma mater or local library offers, what books or blogs you can start reading.

Positioning yourself to bounce back from a layoff will help you even if you’re never laid off

A bonus of working on your job search go kit is that these actions will help you even if you don’t use the actual tools in your kit. Knowing your numbers gives you peace of mind or a much-needed jumpstart to save more. Having updated marketing material helps you take advantage of unexpected recruiter calls – or the next opportunity to ask for a promotion or raise. Preparing for the worst increases your resilience and confidence, so you can focus on performing on the job – or taking a much-needed rest for the holidays.

 

Forbes.com | December 23, 2022 | Caroline Ceniza-Levine

 

#JobSearch : How To Manage Your Career Transition With Patience And Purpose. Be More Deliberate & Intentional. A GReat REad!

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Your career will inevitably go through transitions, some voluntary and others involuntary. Voluntary transitions could be triggered by a calendar year’s end, your desire for more flexible work, or the realization that the time has come for you to finally listen to what your inner voice has been telling you. Involuntary transitions may result from restructuring within your organization, getting laid off, or being afflicted with a sudden health issue.

Regardless of the cause, transitions often open up a mix of personal and practical challenges that range from clarifying exactly what’s next to rewriting your cover letter and resume. Successfully managing any professional transition involves first reflecting on where things stand in your career, then taking concrete action to make your professional ambitions a reality.

First, Assess Your Current Situation

Before you embark on any career change journey, take a moment to take stock of where things currently stand and what changes you want to make by asking yourself three questions.

1. How Satisfied Am I With My Career?

When you consider your current professional situation, rate your level of satisfaction across the various aspects of your job you consider most important. You could consider high-level job characteristics like location, industry, organization, function, role, and salary. You could also consider other factors that affect your daily satisfaction like pathways for growth, work-life balance, your manager’s supportiveness, engagement with your work, or opportunities to leverage your skills, interests, and strengths.

2. What Do I Want More Of?

After doing a situation assessment and identifying any outages, especially in areas most important to you, reflect on exactly what you want more of in both your life and career. Start with your life and consider domains like your relationships, physical health, emotional well-being, personal growth, family, or recreation.

Then, think about your career itself. What would you like to have more of in your day-to-day professional life? Consider both the practical and emotional aspects of your job. For example, on the practical front, do you want more people-management responsibilities? More opportunities to lead certain projects? Or more money? On the emotional front, do you want to feel more energized by your work? More alignment with your organization’s culture? Or just more interest in the product, service, or brand you’re managing?

3. What Matters Most To Me Right Now?

Well, it’s complicated. Often, when considering what you want for your life and career, competing interests can arise. Having more organizational responsibility may mean you’ll work longer hours, which could compromise your work-life balance. Doing work that aligns more closely with you values may mean walking away from your stable job in an established industry to work in a less predictable, but more energizing environment.

Having it all is nearly impossible. You have to decide which priorities you want to serve during this specific chapter in your life and career and which trade-offs you’re then willing to make. The reality is, you often need to let go of one thing to make room for something else more important to you.

 

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Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, Llc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, the UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of our corporate partners for the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment!

 

Article continued …

Then, Act With Intention

After reflecting on where you are and what you want, you must eventually take action to open new opportunities for yourself. Start by taking these three actions.

1. Brainstorm And Identify Lead Options

When making a major move in your career, casting the net wide, at least initially, can often open your eyes to promising opportunities you could otherwise overlook. First, brainstorm all the possible paths you could take in your career without judgment. Consider your natural interests or something you’ve always thought about pursuing. Reflect on those activities you once enjoyed as a child before societal judgement and life pressures set in. Browse articles that highlight hot jobs, growing industries, or companies proactively hiring.

While no path may immediately jump out to you, focus on those that could broadly take your career in a more promising direction. If you struggle to narrow your options, try filtering your list by evaluating whether you can leverage any of your current skills, where you could add unique value, which organizations have people you admire, and of course, what path is financially viable. If the list is still too long, target those opportunities that could provide you with more of what matters most to you right now.

2. Update Job Materials

Creating precise job materials with a clear positioning is much easier once you know exactly which role or opportunity you’re targeting. However, even if you only have a rough idea of which opportunities may be interesting, you can reduce the friction of pursuing them by updating a few key job search materials.

First, create a cover letter template. While eventually customizing your cover letter is important, start by having a broad structure written out so you can more easily fill in the blanks later. Your cover letter template should include at least three parts: why you’re interested, what makes you a strong candidate, and administrative next steps.

Second, update your social profiles. You should assume hiring managers and recruiters will be Googling you online. On LinkedIn, update your professional headline, summary statement, featured content area, work history, and ideally, your recommendations section. On Twitter, update your summary description and ensure your publicly visible tweets align with your desired personal brand. On Facebook and Instagram, ensure your happy with how your bio, About section, and publicly visible content appear. Take a couple minutes to do a Facebook Privacy Checkup. Across all social platforms, ensure you have an up-to-date profile photo and header image featured at the top.

Third, update your resume. Your full work history should include your job responsibilities and key accomplishments, especially those that align well with your target opportunities.

3. Explore Potential Paths Proactively

In my ten years of working with clients and audiences navigating career transitions, the vast majority did not necessarily know exactly where to take their careers next. However, they embraced experimentation and exploration to illuminate potential paths forward. Engaging in the following three activities can help you understand where to take your career next.

First, reconnect with existing contacts in your network, which not only allows you to know you’re on the hunt but also enables you to be in the right place at the right time. Focus on rekindling existing relationships with key contacts including former managers, colleagues, recruiters, industry contacts, mentors, school alumni, and really anyone with whom you enjoy connecting.

Second, build new relationships. Conduct informational interviews to learn about a new sector, role, location, or company. Tap into online resources like EventbriteEB -4.9%, Lunchclub, Fishbowl, Hive Index, and TheOrg to uncover opportunities to virtually engage with new professionals and communities. Try to surround yourself with people you admire living the life you desire for yourself.

Finally, dip your toe into new professional paths you’re considering in a low-risk fashion. Upskilling through an online course or certification program can help you expand your skillset, bolster your credentials, and test how much you enjoy this new path. Attend an industry conference or talk. Volunteer your time.

Make Your Move Once You Feel Ready . . . Enough

At some point, the only way to really know whether a new career path can work for you is to go for it. To change industries, pivot into that other role, or move to a different organization. To take a sabbatical, shift to a different work arrangement, or focus more on your family or personal interests for a while. Or to start that business, launch that initiative, or finally follow up with that person who’s been trying to convince you to go for a certain opportunity.

Navigating any professional transition will always feel uncharted, unsettling, and uncertain. Making this effort to patiently assess what you truly want and then proactively take small steps to start the next chapter in your career will help you be more deliberate and intentional when you decide to make your leap.

 

Forbes.com | December 2, 2022  | Joseph Liu

 

#JobSearch : What You Need To Do To Successfully Bounce Back From A Layoff. Downsizings will Continue Until Inflation Falls from Around 8% to 2%.

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The job market abruptly ricocheted from a war for talent to layoffs becoming commonplace. The Federal Reserve Bank’s inflation-fighting measures include raising interest rates, and leading companies to downsize employees to cut costs.

Downsizings will continue until inflation falls from around 8% to 2%. This may take one to two or more years. Many Americans will, unfortunately, lose their jobs. Here is what you need to do if you are laid off from your company.

Work On Your Mental Health And Emotional Well-Being

Losing your job is a traumatic event. There is a loss of income, fear of what to do next and a loss of identity that’s wrapped up with your career. It’s normal to feel anger and resentment. You’ll feel depressed and anxious. The loss of your routine will be disorienting. There will be an absence of the esprit de corps you had with your work buddies.

It’s easy to start feeling isolated and adrift. You avoid talking to people, dreading the point when they ask about your job and you have to relive the painful experience all over again. Many people who lose their jobs socially withdraw. They are ashamed of the job loss, their ego is wounded and it takes a toll on their self-esteem.

Take some time to process what happened. Don’t bottle your emotions. Share with your family and friends what happened. It’s okay to grieve and feel sorry for yourself–just for a while. Then, you need to move forward. If it’s hard to bounce back, seek help from a therapist.

 

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Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, Llc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, the UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of our corporate partners for the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment!

Article continued …

Hiring Managers Want Positive People–Not Complainers

If you carry the resentment baggage to an interview, it won’t go over well. Interviewers are attracted to positive, enthusiastic and motivated candidates. If you come across angry or talk poorly about your former boss, co-workers and company, it’s not a good look. The hiring manager may feel that you are a malcontent who blames everything on others. It may be hard, but cast aside your negative feelings.

Show up to an interview exuding confidence. When the subject of the layoff comes up, say, “My manager said that this was no reflection on my work. In fact, she said that I was one of the top performers. Unfortunately, with the mass layoff, I was impacted. Despite the temporary setback, I’m excited about the future. This may have pushed me to try something new. If I weren’t let go, I’d probably be with the company for another five or more years. Now, I have the chance to pursue new and exciting opportunities. I’m so happy to be here for this interview. The job looks great. I love your company’s mission and my skills are a perfect fit. If I wasn’t let go, I would never have thought of applying. It’s great how things can turn out so positive.”

Looking For A Job Is Your New Job

Get in touch with recruiters, career coaches and résumé writers. Contact people in your network to see if they know of any job openings. Target the companies you want to work for and find out if you know anyone who works there. Ask them to share your résumé, along with a recommendation for the job you want at the organization. Go on LinkedIn to post comments, articles and short-form videos to position yourself as an expert in your field to gain attention. Put together an elevator pitch. Practice role-playing commonly asked interview questions.

The Practical Logistics

Although your emotions will run high, don’t sign a severance or other agreements without evaluating them appropriately. Get everything you discuss at the exit interview and with management in writing, so there are no surprises down the road. Consider asking for a reference for when you start interviewing. Find out how your termination will be positioned in future references.

As you leave, remain professional and don’t burn any bridges by getting into ugly fights and no-win battles that could work against you when you seek a new job. Was there another– possibly discriminatory or illegal–reason why they fired you (i.e. race, religion or age)?

File for unemployment. Start preparing how you will position this event to prospective interviewers. If you’ve been putting off any healthcare appointments, make them now while you still have coverage.

Stay Active

Use this time to start a physical exercise routine to keep you occupied and healthy. Exercise, walk, do yoga or Pilates, join pick-up basketball games or ride your bike.

Utilize this time to catch up on all new developments within your field. Maintain a positive attitude, no matter how hard it is to do so. Consider finding temporary, part-time work or some management consulting. Start thinking about your next career move. Help others or volunteer.

Don’t ever give up hope. Keep pushing forward and remain positive and strong. The best-case scenario is that you will find an even better job and earn more money than before.

 

Forbes.com | November 10, 2022 | Jack Kelly 

#JobSearch : Worried About Layoffs? 5 Tips For Job Seekers (And Job Seekers-To-Be) In A Slowing Economy. Study: Nearly 80% of Americans Worried about their Job.

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More workers are finding themselves out of a job (or becoming worried they might soon be) as a string of high-profile companies, mostly startups and in tech, have moved to freeze hiring or even to slash workers and rescind job offers.

New unemployment claims edged up to an eight-month high last week. Initial unemployment claims increased by 7,000 to 251,000 in the week ending July 16, making the four-week moving average rise by 4,500 to 240,500, according to the Department of Labor. Those numbers are still a marked improvement from last July, when the four-week average of unemployment claims hit more than 405,000. And the actual unemployment rate in June (the last month reported) is still a rock bottom 3.6%.

Still, fears of an impending recession have made nearly 80% of Americans worried about their job security, with almost a quarter of workers extremely concerned about their job security, a recent survey found. With more cuts expected in the near future, you might be wondering how to prepare in case of a layoff, or what to do if you do lose your job.

1. Maintain and expand your network

“Relationships can always expedite your success,” says Kimberly Brown, a career coach and author of Next Move, Best Move: Transitioning Into a Career You’ll Love. “I know someone who may be unemployed may not want to hear that…but they are literally the only thing that can expedite your success in that way because if someone’s able to put a word in when there’s 1000 applications, and you have a contact there, you can at least get an interview.”

Brown says she wishes that during her time working in college career development offices, she provided students a more structured approach to maintaining relationships.

“It doesn’t have to be a big thing to maintain a relationship,” she said. “I think people will think that you need to meet with folks once a quarter, you need to have a one hour conversation once a month. Maintaining a relationship doesn’t necessarily look like that, there’s so many different ways to keep top of mind, even something as simple as being active on LinkedIn.”

 

 

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Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

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Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

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2. Reach out to past recruiters

Interviews with past job-and job offer-losers demonstrate that maintaining relationships with recruiters can be key.

For Patrice Ju, founder and lead coach at Carpe Diem Careers, the current wave of layoffs are reminiscent of the job cuts many, including herself, experienced during the Great Recession. “​​I was devastated and in shock. I didn’t think that that could happen to me,” Ju said of losing her first job out of college in 2008. But her first step of reaching back out to recruiters she had been in touch with during her initial job hunt proved advantageous.

“One of my tips is, if possible, to stay in touch with old recruiters, because you never know where you may land down the road,” Ju said. “So I reconnected with a recruiter, reconnected with my friends that were then working at Deloitte, and was able to get some interviews and then eventually got the job offer.”

Ju’s story is similar to that of Jenna Radwan, who previously told Forbes about her experience losing a job offer due to the economic downturn. Radwan was able to quickly land on her feet because she reached back out to previous recruiters she’d been working with during her job search — one of whom offered a position that she ultimately accepted.

3. Keep learning

Ju has offered career coaching for more than 400 individuals across all types of industries but one piece of her advice always remains the same: “keep your skills up to date” and always keep learning “​​so that if something does happen to your role or to your job, you can easily and quickly pivot and interview and then show a future employer that you are still very competitive in the current marketplace.”

Ju earned an industry-based certificate during her time between jobs, something economist Anthony Carnevale, director of the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, says can help job seekers stand out from a crowd of applicants. “It makes you look more like an experienced worker somehow.”

Earning a certificate is one way to stay competitive as a candidate and keep your skills up to date, but so could be going back to school or learning on your own. But make sure “whatever it is you’re doing will yield something,” says Brown. She suggests looking at job descriptions to “make sure you’re doing and gaining those skills, whether it’s public speaking, or coding, or writing, communications.” She adds: “Whatever it is, make sure it’s directly correlated to the job and is not just a nice-to-have skill [because] you can get the nice-to-have skills from having a really great mentor or a coach.”

Brown says that if you choose to go back to school — as many people did during the Great Recession — make sure it’s to a program that will help you land your next job, whether it’s through a robust career development office, alumni network or job placement program. Indeed, Carnevale says, many people view education as “a safe harbor from recessions and bad economic news” — and for good reason. Hiding from a recession in college “is not only safe, it improves your position when you come back into the labor market,’’ he says.

Zachary Herrmann, executive director of the Center for Professional Learning at the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education, says that he has found the networking that comes from participating in one of their programs to be “remarkably valuable.” In other words, it’s not just what you’ll learn in some professional or continuing education program. “So much of the value that comes from engaging in some of our professional learning programs, is the ability to form networks and relationships with other individuals in the field,” Herrmann says.

4. Hone your interviewing chops

“When people are getting laid off, it’s hard to not feel desperate,” Brown said. “And while you may be desperate, I think it’s really important that you don’t convey that in interviews and in conversations and still keep your conversation skill-based.”

Brown recommends the STAR (situation, task, action, and result) method when answering behavioral interview questions, meaning job applicants describe a specific situation, the goal they had, what steps they took to reach that goal, and what the outcome was. She stressed that answering questions with the STAR technique might not come naturally, so people should practice telling stories that showcase professional success.

“If you have not interviewed in many years, don’t think that you’re magically going to put those shoes back on and it’s going to be fine. It’s not going to be fine,” she said. “You don’t need to test it when the stakes are high. So you have to practice. Whether you’re practicing with a friend or just yourself, make sure you know what are the stories that showcase you being successful? What are the stories that showcase you being resilient and navigating through a problem? What are the core stories that really share who you are and what you’ll be able to do? The secret to interviewing is that most of the time, all these doggone questions are the same.”

5. Be open-minded

Brown recommends staying flexible during a recession, particularly for recent graduates. “We have to think a little bit more long term when there’s a recession [about] how can you build skills now or take a step now that will allow you to do exactly what you want to do later,” she said. For example, if you’re able to get your foot in the door of a company you want to work for, but maybe in a different field, be open to that, and “when things get better make that transition” to what you’d rather be doing.

In some instances, being laid off might provide the time to consider changing industries or doing something slightly different — in which case practicing interviewing and practicing “communicating your skills” and how they would benefit a different type of company are paramount, says Ju.

Herrmann echoed Ju’s advice, encouraging individuals who were laid off to reflect “on what it is that they’re passionate about, the impact that they want to make [and] the type of organization they want to work for.” He added: “If they do want to make a transition, that might require developing new skills, interacting with different types of people or different types of organization. It might require some work, but that work might ultimately prove to be important in the long run.”

 

Forbes.com | July 22, 2022 | Katherine Huggins