# I Just Got Laid Off **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 1, 2018, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-laid-off/823843 "2018-11-01T16:10:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2018, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-laid-off/823843/101 "2018-11-17T00:17:14Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > What a different thread this would have been, if the last word in the title had been left off. Hah! I’m sure the landscape has changed since I contacted my employer 20 odd years ago, but has anyone ever heard of a two resume process? I applied for a job earlier this week and almost immediately after I hit send I got a call from a place called Right Now Employment. This call was to set up a phone interview for this evening, to see if I would progress to the second round for this position. I had about a fifteen minute call. I was told they couldn’t tell me anything yet about the the specific company. Right Now is an executive recruiter, so it may be a bit over my head, but I said what the hell. The requirements matched my qualifications and I could stretch myself. He asked me what I was most proud of and I had my answer ready, then he goes into a spiel about how my resume was good for the interview, but I needed a “submittal” resume, presumably to get past the automatic screening process, and he would submit my resume for review and then send me templates to choose from. I pinned him down and got him to admit my resume would be forwarded to the company HR for consideration regardless of whether or not I paid for a resume service. My company is paying for an outplacement agency that will give me resume help and I am not going to shell out money right after I’ve been laid off. Is this a thing? ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2018, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-laid-off/823843/102 "2018-11-17T01:21:18Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > Hah! > > I’m sure the landscape has changed since I contacted my employer 20 odd years ago, but has anyone ever heard of a two resume process? > > I applied for a job earlier this week and almost immediately after I hit send I got a call from a place called Right Now Employment. This call was to set up a phone interview for this evening, to see if I would progress to the second round for this position. > > I had about a fifteen minute call. I was told they couldn’t tell me anything yet about the the specific company. Right Now is an executive recruiter, so it may be a bit over my head, but I said what the hell. The requirements matched my qualifications and I could stretch myself. He asked me what I was most proud of and I had my answer ready, then he goes into a spiel about how my resume was good for the interview, but I needed a “submittal” resume, presumably to get past the automatic screening process, and he would submit my resume for review and then send me templates to choose from. > > I pinned him down and got him to admit my resume would be forwarded to the company HR for consideration regardless of whether or not I paid for a resume service. My company is paying for an outplacement agency that will give me resume help and I am not going to shell out money right after I’ve been laid off. > > Is this a thing? Sounds sketchy. Typically a recruiter is hired by the company and should be providing viable candidate’s resumes directly to the HR recruiter or hiring manager with whom they have a relationship. There should not be a need to submit another resume to “get past the automatic screening process (ATS)”. Now sometimes consulting firms or contractor placement agencies have a specific resume format. They’ll either reformat your resume for their template and have you approve it or give you a template to complete yourself. What this sounds like, at best, is a recruiter with no relationship with the hiring company trying to independently search for resumes and job postings with the hope of finding a match they can submit. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2018, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-laid-off/823843/103 "2018-11-17T12:48:46Z")
They didn’t seem to have much of a web presence. I’ll keep digging. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2018, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-laid-off/823843/104 "2018-11-17T15:28:49Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > but I needed a “submittal” resume, presumably to get past the automatic screening process, and he would submit my resume for review and then send me templates to choose from. He wanted you to pay for using one of those templates? Scam! ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2018, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-laid-off/823843/105 "2018-11-17T16:29:59Z")
He worded it as that after I accepted one of the templates, then they would submit my resume to the employer. I flat out asked him if I decided not to use their resume service if that meant my resume would not move on, and he said it would be forwarded either way. So, we’ll see. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2018, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-laid-off/823843/106 "2018-11-17T16:36:25Z")
There are some low-rent people in that business who are in the business of stockpiling resumes so they can present themselves to employers as having a lot of clients available. Note that this one’s interest isn’t in you or how well you match to a specific opening for which he’s been retained, because there isn’t one. Maybe a keyword will match something he finds on a job board posted by an employer, and then can jump in and claim to be representing you, and then the real time-wasting will begin. You needn’t waste your time with that sort, or with anyone else who’s just raking contact info off of Monster. Just ask if this is in regard to a specific position, and press for details. If you don’t get an answer, just hang up and move on. He can’t help you and isn’t trying to. Doing what a good outplacement program says will be well worth your while, even if you’re itchy to get hold of something or anything instead of going to all those damn seminars. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2018, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-laid-off/823843/107 "2018-11-17T17:37:39Z")
If your resume gets a hit through your generic “web service” resume, and a recruiter who is trying to get matches for that job reaches out to you, you might want to personalize that resume for the job you are actually in. “Hey you look like a good fit for job XYZ, if you are interested, do you want to customize your resume for the job.” And, generously speaking, that could be what they were talking about. Or it could be a scam. When my husband was getting hits from executive recruiters it usually worked that they would find him from his linked in profile, tell him about the job they were recruiting for, and then ask if he was interested. If he was, they would coach him of customizing the resume for the job (which would usually be priority tweaks - put this sort of thing up top, drop this sort of thing - if you have ANY experience here we should mention it) and language tweaks…company has a way of referring to X as Y, its pretty much the same thing, change your references. i.e. I worked for one company who wanted you to “manage projects across a portfolio” and another company who called it “managing projects within multiple workstreams” (which should be inside a single project, but that wasn’t how they used the word). They didn’t charge for this - it was a service they provided because they were going to get paid by the client by placing someone. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2018, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-laid-off/823843/108 "2018-11-17T18:13:58Z")
I’m supposed to get the templates on Monday. I did look at their website and they do offer resume services that seem quite pricey. Are executive searches handled differently? I can imagine if company X is letting VP of Such and Such go, they may not want to advertise they’re looking for a replacement, hence the cloak and dagger. Applying for unemployment is a pain in the ass. I have my claim submitted, but I can’t get on the employment site. It keeps saying my credentials aren’t matching. I’ll have to go down in person. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2018, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-laid-off/823843/109 "2018-11-20T14:20:49Z")
Get a load of this crap: Red statements from original. > [@](#): > > Good Afternoon, > > I am Jill, the supervisor of the writing team at Right Now Employment. I was told you are looking for work again but you could use some tweaks to your resume to make its format more visually appealing to decision makers. First things first, you should know 93% of all hiring managers use a resume scanning software called applicant tracking systems (ATS) to filter candidates from their application pool. To get an idea of how you stacked up against your competition, I passed your resume through the very same software that hiring managers use to select the best talent out of hundreds of candidates. > > Here is what the software found: 19% of resumes in the current job market still look like yours which indicates that your format is outdated. With that, some older applicant tracking systems (ATS) will have problems reading your resume. > > Your resume only scored a 46% in the ATS software when compared to the other candidates pursuing the same jobs as you. Anything lower than an 80% is cause for concern. > > I know we’ve all been told that looks don’t matter as much as substance, but in the case of your resume this just isn’t true. I found your design to be visually uneven. The appearance is not polished, and it doesn’t say “high potential” as your experience suggests. Remember that your resume is your marketing tool. It’s the first impression a potential employer has of you. > > You should consider reworking a few of your bullet points to increase the impact to the employer. If employers see too many long sections of text, they might find it difficult to zero in on the most crucial information. The size and type of bullets should also be taken into account. Although seemingly minor, the visual impact of a resume is the key to ensuring that an employer will read it thoroughly. > > Your career summary is modern, defines you as a professional, and covers those areas most relevant to your career level and job target. This is a key component to compel the hiring manager to keep reading and yours is just the right length. > > From the way your resume is worded, you come across as a “doer,” as opposed to an “achiever.” Too many of your job descriptions are task-based and not results-based. This means that they tell what you did, instead of what you achieved. This is a common mistake for non-professional resume writers. To be effective and create excitement, a great resume helps the hiring executive picture you delivering similar achievements at his or her company > > When I read your resume, I did not find the kind of compelling language that would bring your work to life. Instead, I saw many passive words and non-action verbs. Strong action verbs, used with compelling language to outline exemplary achievements, are essential parts of a well-constructed resume. I have attached a couple samples to give you an idea of what the formatting should look like. However, because everyone’s work experience is different your content would need to adjusted line by line as needed. I hope this insight helps! (I know it’s a lot to take in.) > > Honestly, with all of the above concerns being considered, I’d suggest a rework of what you currently have. However, completing a rework of your resume will not be for the faint at heart. 😊 With that being said, I MUST let you know any changes you make at this point are optional. What we recommend can only serve to help increase your overall resume score, thus you’d increase your chances of being selected for an interview. Whether you change anything or not we can still submit you for this role!! > > Here are your options: > > Option #1 – Is a free option. You are welcome to work on your resume yourself using the samples we have included as a guide. Now, I can honestly tell you the hardest part for you will be is reconfiguring what you have now so that it serves you better. You have a strong background of experience, you just need to fine tune what you are presenting so that hiring mangers and CEO’s can see the value in chatting with you. > > Option #2- For a small fee you could have my team do the resume rework for you! I do recommend this option above reworking your resume youself. That’s mainly because with the time restraints in getting a revised resume back to your recruiter and the size of this task, it may be easier to have the professionals do it. Especially since we have the ATS at our disposal which will help us make sure we increase your score. With the ATS we can address and correct all the areas where you lost points. This is a much more efficient process than taking a guess at what to fix. If you think a rework by my team might be the way to go, I can tell you the cost is $250.00 and it includes a cover letter to use in conjunction with your submittal resume. > > If this is of interest to you at all just know our standard processing time for a rework is typically 1-3 business days for us to have a proof returned to you for review. We can process reworks in shorter timeframes if needed. Just let me know. Again no pressure either way. You can use what you already have, work on what you have yourself, or we can help you if you so desire! > > Good Luck! > > Jill I had my resume prepared by a service a couple of years ago. My resume looks very similar to the templates that were attached. My friend who is a VP of HR said it look great. I politely responded to Jill of these facts, told her I was seeing an outplacement agency provided by my employer next week who would do any tweaking for free, and that I looked forward to moving forward in the application process for this position. I have also submitted my unemployment claim and gotten onto the state employment site. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2018, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-laid-off/823843/110 "2018-11-20T22:25:20Z")
Wish I could find a resume service. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2018, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-laid-off/823843/111 "2018-11-21T01:46:43Z")
Try your state’s employment service. Employ Florida is the one I was pushed to after filling unemployment and the site has a ton of resources. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2018, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-laid-off/823843/112 "2018-11-21T14:53:55Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > Get a load of this crap: Yes, I received similar feedback from “Emily” at [TopResume.com](http://TopResume.com). > [@](#): > > We’ve all been told that looks don’t matter as much as substance, but in the case of your resume this just isn’t true. I found your design to be visually uneven. The appearance is not polished, and it doesn’t say “high potential” as your experience suggests.Remember that your resume is your marketing tool. It’s the first impression a potential employer has of you. > > I liked your use of bullets to add emphasis, but you probably want to consider limiting them in some areas to increase the impact to the employer. If they see too many bullets, they might find it difficult to zero in on the most important information. Size and type of bullets are also a consideration. Although seemingly minor, visual impact of a resume is the key to ensuring that an employer reads it thoroughly. > > Your career summary is modern, defines you as a professional, and covers those areas most relevant to your career level and job target. This is a key component to compel the hiring manager to keep reading and yours is just the right length. > > From the way the resume is worded, you come across as a “doer,” as opposed to an “achiever.” Too many of your job descriptions are task-based and not results-based. This means that they tell what you did, instead of what you achieved. This is a common mistake for non-professional resume writers. To be effective and create excitement, a great resume helps the hiring executive picture you delivering similar achievements at his or her company. … I’m pretty sure “Jill” is a robot. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2018, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-laid-off/823843/113 "2018-11-21T18:47:18Z")
I’ve brought up your thread 3-4 times but always when I was busy getting interrupted. Wanted to say I’m sorry you’re in this predicament. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2018, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-laid-off/823843/114 "2018-11-23T19:41:18Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > I’ve brought up your thread 3-4 times but always when I was busy getting interrupted. Wanted to say I’m sorry you’re in this predicament. Thank you. That means a lot. I’m going to meet with a former staff member of mine on Sunday to catch up. Apparently things have not been going well since I left. ---
**Author:** ![nikjft](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ea5d25/32.png) [@nikjft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nikjft)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2019, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-laid-off/823843/115 "2019-03-31T17:39:43Z")
This is an old thread, but since there’s a lot of people looking to take advantage of job seekers (who are generally the LAST people to have money to invest in additional services), I wanted to echo that Right NOW called, claiming to be an executive recruiter, then upsold me on resume writing services from topresumes. Feedback on my resume was identical to what everyone else received - clearly automated. There are lots of resume writing services out there, they vary widely in quality, and for the most part you can follow the advice of the many blogs and resources out there to get good guidance and save yourself the $ for something more beneficial. I also highly recommend keeping a good relationship with some honest and well-connected recruiters - among other things, they usually are willing to give your well-crafted resume a once-over and provide some honest feedback based on their experience at the front line. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2019, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-laid-off/823843/116 "2019-03-31T18:34:01Z")
I’ve been a lot more active on LinkedIn, connecting with recruiters at my targeted industries and generally trying to establish myself. I’m working a contract job through June so I won’t be actively looking until that comes to an end. Right Now does seem to be a scam. I did win a resume/LI profile review with Lindsay Mustain, and that was interesting, seeing what changes she suggested vs Right Management, which is the outplacement service my former employer gave me. It’s hard to know which is the correct way to go, which person has the magic bullet, and I’m slowly realizing there isn’t one. I need to take advice that works best for me, but it does seem networking is the way to go and offering up what help I can to others builds up good karma. Oh, and things at my old department continue to flounder, so I do have that little tidbit to make me smile. I do want the people to succeed, but if the department has some pain in my absence I’m okay with that. I also found Insight Timer, which is a free app for meditation. I’ve never meditated before but I’m finding it quite relaxing. My only worry is that I can’t show progression at my former job. I was in the same position for 20 years and that’s because there was NOWHERE to go unless I wanted to move to New York, which I didn’t. I’m not sure how to spin that. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2019, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-laid-off/823843/117 "2019-03-31T19:10:09Z")
Glad you’re “workin’ it”. And that you still have a good attitude. My experience (after getting first house and first baby and finding myself suddenly fired): I had months of nothing working, and the savings were being depleted… and suddenly I had three choices of good jobs materialize at once, results of contacts made months before, and one from a college friend of a guy I’d worked with ten years before! ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2019, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-laid-off/823843/118 "2019-04-03T21:25:16Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > Oh, and things at my old department continue to flounder, so I do have that little tidbit to make me smile. I do want the people to succeed, but if the department has some pain in my absence I’m okay with that. “Flounder” or “founder”? I always get confused. Or are both ok? ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2019, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-laid-off/823843/119 "2019-04-04T22:31:13Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > I’ve been a lot more active on LinkedIn, connecting with recruiters at my targeted industries and generally trying to establish myself. I’m working a contract job through June so I won’t be actively looking until that comes to an end. Right Now does seem to be a scam. I did win a resume/LI profile review with Lindsay Mustain, and that was interesting, seeing what changes she suggested vs Right Management, which is the outplacement service my former employer gave me. > > It’s hard to know which is the correct way to go, which person has the magic bullet, and I’m slowly realizing there isn’t one. I need to take advice that works best for me, but it does seem networking is the way to go and offering up what help I can to others builds up good karma. > > Oh, and things at my old department continue to flounder, so I do have that little tidbit to make me smile. I do want the people to succeed, but if the department has some pain in my absence I’m okay with that. > > I also found Insight Timer, which is a free app for meditation. I’ve never meditated before but I’m finding it quite relaxing. > > **My only worry is that I can’t show progression at my former job. I was in the same position for 20 years and that’s because there was NOWHERE to go unless I wanted to move to New York, which I didn’t. I’m not sure how to spin that.** Honesty seems to be doable. _“I knew fairly early on that, barring changes to my old company’s geographical distribution, my only advancement options would involve a move to NYC. I wasn’t interested in living/working there, so I decided to stick around and just get REALLY GOOD at the job where I was.”_ ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2019, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-laid-off/823843/120 "2019-04-04T23:57:48Z")
I can spin that. Thanks! My boss relied and trusted me to cover for her while she was out. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-laid-off/823843.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-laid-off/823843.md?page=7)