A layoff can be a devastating experience, even when it is expected, and first reactions to it may not be productive. Panicking can result in settling for the first available opportunity and then living to regret it. At the other extreme, overconfidence about job prospects can result in complacency and insufficient activity.
Addressing the following questions helps professionals to move forward successfully:
Have you dealt with your emotional baggage?
Some people’s first reaction to a layoff is to rush into calling everyone they can think of before preparing sufficiently for the search. The result may be many burned bridges and lost opportunities. Unresolved emotional baggage may also result in inappropriate behavior in interviews. To present themselves well, candidates must be ready to focus on the next opportunity.
Have you learned all you can from the past?
Decide if your personality, aptitudes, attitudes or interpersonal skills played any part in the layoff. Learn all you can from your career history; determine where you are heading and decide if that is where you want to go.
Do you have a realistic picture of your opportunities and enough
confidence to explore them?
A layoff can result in a very significant loss of confidence. You can build confidence and self-esteem by gaining insight into your strengths, your marketable skills and your career options. You will then be prepared to search for a position that is both attractive and attainable.
Do you have the skills and techniques to present yourself well?
To move forward with confidence, it is essential to have excellent presentation and interviewing skills. You will need to create a winning resume. You will also need the skills to market yourself effectively to headhunters and employers, and to excel in all types of interviews.
OUR “MOVING FORWARD” PROGRAMS
You may feel the pressing need to land a new position quickly. Alternatively, you may wish to take the longer view, step back, carefully examine your skills and develop a career plan. In either case, we can support you through the process. Work with an experienced career coach with an extensive recruiting background to move forward productively. All sessions are one-on-one and are customized to meet your specific needs.