Corporations have initiated massive layoffs globally, resulting in an uphill battle for employees to jump into another firm immediately. Some organizations have even embraced “Quiet Firing” to get unwanted workers to resign on their own – without taking any bad PR and backlash. Overall, the labor market looks tense, and job security is starting to look bleak.

According to Challenger Gray, US-based employers announced 76,835 cuts in November, a 417% increase from the 14,875 cuts from November 2021. If you got the sack recently or are on the verge of being booted out, here’s everything you can do to cushion the blow and get back on track.

What Happens When You Get Laid Off?

Getting laid off can be a traumatic experience. The employee struggles to stay on track and stick to their goals. If it happens abruptly, they may not even have a buffer period to recoup and win another job. Paying the bills, EMIs, and handling other expenses start looking impossible. The journey to securing the next big gig looks worrying. However, there are multiple engagements you can get into to smoothen the process to come out on the other side with a substantial offer letter from a credible organization. Here’s what you can do:

• Negotiate a severance package to manage the upcoming financial burden.
• Request references that reflect your contributions, behavior, and overall performance.
• Don’t fabricate; keep it genuine. Compile concrete facts and explanations about your layoff.
• Don’t get emotionally raw. Attend to your well-being. Don’t let the firing cloud your judgment.

What to Do After Being Laid off Work?

Take a course and upskill: Learn something new, a new skill or hobby that either elevates you professionally or personally. New abilities can lead to new opportunities. It strengthens your profile and makes you more employable. Either reinforce what you know or pick up alien concepts that can add more value.

Get a certificate or pursue a degree and win that edge over other jobless candidates. When the market opportunities are bleak and hiring looks slow, you must do everything to ensure you come out on top. Additional capabilities automatically make you the preferred resource. Why? Because employers look for more – show them you can go above and beyond your default responsibilities.

Upgrade your resume with an expert advisor: Rework your resume – make sure it reflects all your recent contributions and career highlights. Some employees spill their duties and responsibilities on a document without giving it any thought. This leads to an unstructured and cluttered resume that lacks flow and puts recruiters off fast. Avoid going down this lane. Instead, get your resume vetted by an expert. Draft a version that neatly lays out your strengths, work, awards, completed projects, etc., in a template and language that stands out and looks professional.

Register for unemployment benefits: Laid-off employees may be eligible for unemployment benefits, which is some form of short-term cash assistance for jobless workers while they run pillar to post for new employment in the form of direct deposits, paper checks, or state-issued debit cards. The benefits vary depending on the state; check the state’s unemployment office to see whether you qualify for these federally taxed payments.

If you have a work history (base period) of at least 12 to 18 months, you should qualify for compensation for up to 26 weeks or less, but not if you were fired for misconduct. If you were fired for other reasons, your eligibility could depend on multiple factors, including the state where you live. The compensation could go as far as $974 per week in Massachusetts and as low as $235 in Mississippi.

Start a hunt on job portals: Get started as soon as you hear the news. Update your profile on all the relevant job portals and recruitment marketplaces. It will take a while for the portal to register these changes. Add all the necessary keywords, tags, certifications, experience, and relevant information, and start applying for jobs. Apply to as many openings as you can. It’s good to be bombarded with more responses than hit fewer options and come up short. Activate notifications, subscribe to their newsletters and keep logging in daily to capture newer vacancies.

Network on Social Media: Social media is a powerful tool to reach out and connect with a range of Talent acquisition experts, HR managers, C-level executives, etc., from various verticals and business types. Try LinkedIn, Facebook, and other relevant communities to present your case. Make a post, a video, a blurb, an article, etc., and upload it.

Any shares, retweets, comments, etc., could mean more visibility and traction for your situation. The growing WFH model means any global company could leverage your skillset if needed. Get proactive, go out there, and make some noise. Let them know you are available, resourceful, skilled, and ready and eager to join.

Talk to peers, friends, and former colleagues: It’s time to get in touch with friends and get them to spread the word. Your friends and former colleagues in other organizations can add more weight to your job search and possibly find any suitable vacancies in their organization. Connect with your college peers and other influential friends you think can be instrumental in getting you a job. Work with your associates to figure out quality options that will further your agenda and position you at a decent post. As the days go by, the career gap only widens, making it harder to land the next gig.

Conclusion

Getting laid off is hard; it can demotivate you and disrupt your career growth. However, you don’t have to let this setback bring you down. Show more resilience and use this opportunity to evolve, sharpen your skills, and strengthen your portfolio. Also, corporates can hire better, so they won’t have to fire down the line – better if you reach out to BorderlessMind. We have the best experts who can support your business objectives and turn them into reality on time and within the predefined budget.