Since early in the year, I have been helping an outplacement firm find jobs for the thousands of laid off executives who have been affected by the changing economy. The numbers have been staggering, with over 200,000 people at all levels and almost all industries being affected in the U.S. this year alone. Though it has caused me to step back from my own business for a while, I’m happy to provide job search services to mostly tech and finance talent who found themselves on the short end of budget cuts, reorganizations or outsourcing.
I learned a lot from the experience of working with mid and senior executives who are going through a layoff. Most of the over 150 people I have worked with since the beginning of the year were doing very well for themselves and had decades-long established careers. Many of them haven’t looked for a job in over 20 years so they found themselves in relatively unfamiliar territory. Others were only in their careers for a few years and were moving up the ladder of success. However, no matter their situation, I saw a lot of similarities between the $40,000 per year admin, the $80,000 per year software developer and the $150,000 a year vice president of finance. Here are the common themes and the lessons learned.
Optimism Rules
Getting laid off is an emotional experience for most. It was for me many years ago, especially since I got laid off on my birthday! Though people handle it in different ways, I was surprised to see nearly all of the clients I worked with this year feeling optimistic about their chances. The reality is that a lot of people knew that hard times were coming, and many told me that they weren’t all that happy in their jobs in the first place. Sure, the first few weeks were hard for most but I was impressed by the sense of focus and optimism that people took as they were moving to the next phase of their career. Optimism is important, not just for yourself, but it shows potential employers that you can handle change and are looking forward to a new challenge.
Job Hunting is a Learned Skill
If you haven’t looked for a job in a long time, you might not know that the job search these days is very different than in the past. With the prevalence of social media, the variety of job search tools and apps, and the rise of AI, there is a lot to learn, and there is a right and wrong way to do things. Most people still rely on job postings as their source for jobs, and though that’s a part of the strategy, it’s the least effective method. The main part of my job this past year has been to educate clients about the latest resume best practices, how to leverage social media to their benefit, and how to be efficient and strategic in their search. It’s always been about who you know, but there is an art to making the right connections to make the process more effective. I have plenty of examples of clients who have used these skills to get great jobs.
It’s All About How You Present Yourself
No matter your level of experience, you need to position yourself well so people know what your value is and what you bring to the table. Often, my clients never really thought about these things so I spend a lot of time doing a deep dive into their experience to see what makes them unique and what makes them shine. Promoting ourselves is not something many of us do, so pretty much everyone I worked with benefited from my outsider’s point of view to help them show their best and most marketable selves. Resumes and cover letters can do that, but social media is where you can really show what you have to offer. I’ve talked to enough recruiters to learn about what they look for, and I’m happy to pass that knowledge along to my clients.
Take Time to Reassess
I always say that all change brings opportunity, and I am happy to see how many people took this time to really focus on what they want, and to go for it. The same thing happened during COVID. Sure, it’s not what they planned but as I mentioned earlier, many people were not all that happy where they were so now they see this layoff as a chance to really go for what they want. It all starts with looking at what your skills are, and which ones you want to use going forward. Then, with a little repositioning and self-promoting, you can direct your career path and make the shift that you want. It takes a little time but with clarity and optimism, I’ve seen some great results. It’s also been a time for many to update their skills and take free and low-cost courses to make them more competitive. I’ve seen that people become more optimistic the more they do in terms of learning and repositioning.
Persistence (and the Right Strategy) Pays Off
One of the scariest things with a lay off is that you don’t know how long you will be without work, but I have been impressed with the persistence and focus of nearly all of my clients. Sure, having an income again drives most people forward, but I found that most people just want to contribute and be productive, as well as be part of a team. Being persistent, along with having an effective job search strategy that I show them, gets results and I’m happy to report that most people find employment relatively quickly, and are better off than they were before. It may take a few months but by making good connections and clearly demonstrating your value, your chances of getting what you want go way up. And that’s what I tell everyone at the start … that my job is to give them the best chance of getting what they want as soon as possible. Strategic persistence pays off.
I’ll keep working with an outplacement form while there are still layoffs, while keeping up with my own practice. For those of you in the job search, take these lessons to heart. No matter your level of experience, stay hopeful, learn the best ways to get a job, market your value to the world, regroup and see what your best next step is, and stick with your strategy. Everyone deserves a job with meaning and purpose and that lets you live the life you deserve. It’s not an overnight process, but it’s a process that pays off in the end.
