Making the Transition After a Layoff

Network and Connect – Here’s something you should know - traditional career search strategies like online job postings, advertisements, and employment centres represent about 20% of the available jobs in the market, but more than 80% of people use these methods to find their next position. On the flip side, 80% of jobs are available through networking, friends and business contacts, but only 20% of job seekers use their contacts to find work. Now is the time to make yourself extremely visible and to promote your credibility. Get out and meet people. Attend as many networking events as you can. You never know who you’ll meet and where those contacts might lead. Remember the phrase “six degrees of separation” – you could be a couple of contacts away from a great opportunity.

Stay in the Marketplace - Don’t wait around for gainful employment. Remember that you can learn new skills and earn some much-needed income from temporary or part-time work. Get your resume out there by joining online recruiting sites or sending it to recruitment or temp agencies. Part-time work can bring in some financial support while allowing you free time to look for a full-time position.

Hire a Career Coach – A job search is just like fitness training - if you are looking to see BETTER results in a SHORTER time frame, then you need to hire a professional. Career coaches are objective. They can help keep your motivation high and get you taking the right steps and moving in the right direction. You can bounce ideas off of them, vent when you need to and turn that negative energy into productive action. Often coaches can help link you to resources and referrals too. In times of unemployment, most people tighten their belts in anticipation of a long layoff. In reality, this is the best time to invest in yourself. Consider what that investment means. If you could see better results in 3 weeks, as opposed to 6 weeks, wouldn’t that be a good use of your money? On the other hand, if you wait 6 or 8 weeks and then realize you need professional help, you may be in a weaker financial position and less able to make that investment.

Don't Delay: Plant Seeds Right Away. We all need a break. A layoff is often a good time to recharge your batteries, but if you take too much time off to ponder your next steps you’re going to lose your momentum. Instead, why not plant a few seeds by getting the word out as soon as possible to your network? Let people know you are on the market and tell them what kind of work you are interested in. You can even let them know you may be looking for a career change or a part-time job. If you are planning to take some time off, then tell them you are looking for opportunities starting on a specific date. Like most things in business, new opportunities take time to grow. Before you take off, plant those seeds and let your contacts do some “growing” for you while you’re off basking in the sun. The alternative is that you take time off, come back and then start planting your seeds. By the time new opportunities sprout up, several more weeks could pass. That is a lot of time wasted. As time passes and money runs out, many people become desperate and spiral down into a cycle of mild depression, low activity, and fear-based decisions and actions. They end up making quick and unwise decisions that they later regret as they struggle with a job that is not ideal.

Buff it UP. Take a course. Get your resume prepped and buffed up. Join an organization or association and attend meetings and events. Look for government-funded programs to advance your career options, skills set and personal planning tools. If you feel like it is time to start your own business, look for programs to support your entrepreneurial endeavours.



Making the Transition After a Layoff - To learn more about this author, visit Cassandra L. Gierden's Website.

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