I’m so sorry to hear this. I was laid off in June, and even though I’m at a new job, I don’t really feel “over” it. I’m constantly going over my last few months and looking for things I could have done differently, comparing my new job to my old one, and feeling kind of resentful of the people who didn’t get laid off. It’s not the mindset I recommend.
I’m hoping that good things come your way. I hope you get a fantastic outplacement counselor (I’m of the belief that s/he should be all you need for an effective resume, rather than paying extra) and a great new job.
Commiserations, It is a scary and upsetting situation and the first time is the worst. It has happened to me three times and I feel your pain, the first time especially I felt physically sick.
You are probably not ready just at the moment to absorb this possibility but…there is a very good chance that this situation, especially one that is backed up by a decent severance package, might lead to an even better opportunity.
On each of my three occasions it lead me to take a slightly different direction and things turned out well and there is no reason why it can’t do so for you. Keep in good contact with your colleagues who are also leaving, reliable people of solid character are hard to find and if they are in a hiring position they may want you and vice-versa.
That’s what everyone is telling me. I’m going to hold off searching for jobs on LinkedIn, Indeed, and such until after I speak to the outplacement agency. I feel like I’m floundering, that I’ve been doing my job for so long I can’t think of how I would fit somewhere else. Stuff that might be a huge deal to someone is really just all in a day’s work on a Tuesday for me, so it’s not top of mind.
I’ve talked to some of my staff via text and they were all stunned, shocked, in tears, etc. I told them to help themselves to my stash of chocolate. My boss is going to box up the stuff on my desk on Monday. I grabbed some photos and some of my knitted things (I had a little garden, knitted flowers and ladybugs and butterflies and one of these but I had too much other stuff to box up myself.) I’m hoping when things settle down I can meet them for lunch and say a proper goodbye. I needed to stay mad while I was grabbed things or I was going to start ugly-crying and not be able to stop.
Sounds like a sensible course of action and an absolutely understandable reaction to it all. My lay-offs happened as part of large-scale processes so I know of plenty of people who were in the same boat. Most that I know of ultimately found something better and didn’t regret it, a couple that I know who ended up unhappiest grabbed the first job that came along out of fear and uncertainty. Even if that job was obviously not right for them they were concerned that there just wouldn’t be anything else.
A sober appraisal with a professional in the cold light of day and after the shock has worn off is exactly the way to go. Come Monday morning you may well start to get brief flashes of positivity, nurture them if you can.
Anyhow, for the moment, none of our platitudes and advice can beat a hot deep bath, the cool embrace of alcohol and a therapeutic movie.
Sorry to hear it.
My daughter jot got hired as a project manager for the sales division of a big cable company, so your field is still good.
When you’re ready, think not about the minutia of what you did but the skills you used. For instance, if you talked to customers for post-sales support, that’s a great skill. Think about anecdotes and stories about successes you’ve had showing off your strengths. When I interviewed people I tried to get them to tell me about their experience, which is far more interesting than lists of skills.
Definitely concentrate on keywords - that’s how sorting is done these days, and don’t be shy about including ones that are the slightest bit justifiable.
Keep the resume employer focused, not you focused, I hated resumes where the objective was the growth of the candidate. The objective should be around making the employer money. Just like you did in the last job.
Finally, unlike 20 years ago, today there is no stigma about being laid off. Most managers have had it happen to them.
I’m betting you’ll get a job in no time.
I understood that as “If you choose to sleep late instead of going after a new career, I have no sympathy for you”.
And that’s true - it’s easy to let the anger and depression after being laid off last more than just a few days, and wonder why the job offers don’t just come to you. The frame of mind you have to be in is that getting a new job, or career, IS your job and career now, full time, for as long as it takes. Keep busy at it and you won’t have time to wallow.
Having 40 weeks of income to support you is a pretty good cushion, and will let you avoid the trap of taking the first thing that comes along, but unfortunately Florida unemployment is a pittance. A good outplacement program will help immensely in reorienting you to what comes next. Part of what they’ll tell you is that you’re far more marketable than you may realize, and the opportunities are out there. It’s scary, yes, but odds are you’ll be happy and better-paid in your new position long before your severance runs out.
I was “laid off” only once. I worked in a government job that I liked, but my division was relocated several provinces away and I didn’t want to follow it. I was offered a lateral move into the accounting branch, which I almost didn’t accept because accounting would have been very boring after my last job. I did take it, and ended up spending over 30 years in the accounting field doing things I liked and was very good at. Anecdote, yes, but a forced change is not always a bad thing.
A friend of mine gave me her contact at a staffing agency. She said anytime she needs work she give them a call. They got her her current (permanent) job. I’ll send him an email while I wait for the outplacement agency.
I know everyone is different in what they need and what their situation is. That said, I seriously think you should take some time off to relax, grieve, think about what you want to do in your next chapter. You got laid off on Thursday, and on Sunday you are planning on sending emails. You just spent 20 years in a relationship… take some time and don’t rush into anything. I had 28 years and another 6 before that invested in my careers, and the “sabbatical” I took was actually very helpful to me.
I think you also mentioned keeping in touch with old work friends. I did exactly that and it is great to still keep some connection with them and what is going on in their lives. I now appreciate even more the friendship I shared with them for many years.
I’m going to a job fair on Wednesday, but as my VP of HR friend says, they probably won’t be looking for someone with my experience level but I can still get my resume in front of people. I will not be jumping at the first job offer that comes my way, but I feel the need to get back in the game and learn the ropes. It’s been a long time since I’ve been on an interview and I need to see what the new rules are. I think we’ll be fine, financially, but I need to resharpen my presentation and interview skills.
Funny enough, I haven’t really cried yet. I had a few minutes of sobbing, but mostly I’m pissed. I think that’s a better frame of mind than weepiness. I’m going to show them EXACTLY what they lost. And with this economy, higher wages, and lower jobless rate, I should stick the landing like Kerri Strug.
At least you’re going back into the job market at about as good a time as one can hope for. But it still sucks to have to do the looking.
If I had any brilliant advice to give, I’d give it, but like you, I’ve been working at the same place for 20 years now, so I know about as much as you do about looking for a job in 2018.
Sounds like a healthy attitude to me, competency and confidence are always welcome to an employee.
Best of luck with getting those interviews and sticking that landing! (though be careful of taking that too literally. Spangly leotards are eye-catching certainly, but rarely are they considered suitable formal interview-wear…hah! I won’t make *that *mistake again.)
Right, but some states (like mine, Indiana) require that you have a bank balance below a certain amount to qualify for unemployment, and they ask for 3 months of bank statements as proof. In Indiana, having 2/3rds of a year’s salary drop suddenly into my bank account would automatically disqualify me from benefits.
I talked to the accountant, and we’re going to take the lump sum payment in January. I have a call into HR. If they take out 401k from the lump sum then I will drop my contribution down to the company match. She also wants me to find out if I will be filling out a form for withholding or if they will just take out what they’re already taking out.
When I get a new job, I can adjust my withholding at the new job to offset the lump sum payment for taxes. She did say, with the tax cuts, getting laid off this year is much better than getting laid off last year.
It happens. Don’t wait to start the job search. Holiday season is often busy; many businesses slow down the first 2-4 months of the year.
First best choice is networking- ask everyone you know, friends, friends of friends, and work contacts.
Then you will be laid off and hungover. Is that what you want?
