The Keva Dine Agency™’s Post

I got laid off 23 years ago, and that became the catalyst for my biggest growth moment. Picture this: it's 9/11, and I'm an agent at a big staffing company. The world is in chaos, and I'm called into a meeting with the big managers. I knew what was coming, but I wasn't afraid. I walked into that room armed with my folders, my lists, and my unwavering confidence. And then, it happened. They laid me off. But here's the thing: I had been laid off before, and I refused to let fear control me. I looked them in the eye, and they were taken aback. "You're so professional," they remarked. "I'm prepared for this," I replied. And then, they said something that would change the course of my career: "You don't need us. You can just recruit on your own, start your own agency." So, I did. Fast forward 23 years, and I'm still here, running my own successful agency. If you find yourself in a similar situation, facing a layoff or a role cut, I have some advice for you. First and foremost, don't be scared. Be honest with yourself. Sometimes, those roles aren't the perfect fit, and this could be an opportunity in disguise. The best thing you can do is be prepared. Layoffs happen to everyone, from junior employees to senior vice presidents and executives. It's never fun, and it always feels like a punch to the gut. But if you find yourself in that all-hands meeting or that ominous one-on-one, remember to stay calm, cool, and collected. Ask questions, especially legal ones. Fight for your severance. And then, take a step back and look at this as an opportunity. Another door just opened, and it's up to you to walk through it.

I got laid off 23 years ago, and that became the catalyst for my biggest growth moment. Picture this: it's 9/11, and I'm an agent at a big staffing company. The world is in chaos, and I'm called into a meeting with the big managers. I knew what was coming, but I wasn't afraid. I walked into that room armed with my folders, my lists, and my unwavering confidence. And then, it happened. They laid me off. But here's the thing: I had been laid off before, and I refused to let fear control me. I looked them in the eye, and they were taken aback. "You're so professional," they remarked. "I'm prepared for this," I replied. And then, they said something that would change the course of my career: "You don't need us. You can just recruit on your own, start your own agency." So, I did. Fast forward 23 years, and I'm still here, running my own successful agency. If you find yourself in a similar situation, facing a layoff or a role cut, I have some advice for you. First and foremost, don't be scared. Be honest with yourself. Sometimes, those roles aren't the perfect fit, and this could be an opportunity in disguise. The best thing you can do is be prepared. Layoffs happen to everyone, from junior employees to senior vice presidents and executives. It's never fun, and it always feels like a punch to the gut. But if you find yourself in that all-hands meeting or that ominous one-on-one, remember to stay calm, cool, and collected. Ask questions, especially legal ones. Fight for your severance. And then, take a step back and look at this as an opportunity. Another door just opened, and it's up to you to walk through it.

Hey you. Person who got laid off. I need you to be kinder to yourself. I need you you stop thinking… -There’s no way I’ll replace my income, the market is in the toilet -I’m just not that good, or they wouldn’t have led me go -There aren’t any jobs for me right now -The news is all bad for people like me I also need you to stop thinking… -My greedy former employer just wanted to f*@k me over -There aren’t any companies that care about employees -This is the worst economy ever EVER -This is all out of my control Here’s the truth. People have gotten laid off during MANY stock market downturns and recessions. They ended up finding something - often something BETTER than what they left. You will too. Also? There are companies that care. And… Even companies that care sometimes have to do layoffs. Finally… You can do this. You have Skills Experience People who care about you And if you feel like you need more of any of that? There’s NEVER been a better time in history to find the right resources. So stop talking crap to yourself. Start saying things like… I can do this I am a professional What I want matters I will wake up and do the thing It might take a while, but your brain will get used to it. ———————————- 𝙃𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙜𝙤𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙣 𝙡𝙖𝙞𝙙 𝙤𝙛𝙛? 𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙙𝙞𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙞𝙩? ———————————- ------ Repost ♻️ if you found this helpful All my posts on one page at #workshouldfeelgood Click my name, follow me, and ring my 🔔 to get notified when I post. #careergrowth #jobsearch #careercoaching #leadership

Today was layoff day and I was not a survivor. While it's easy to view this as a setback, I see it as an opportunity for growth and reflection. The commute home, a 1.5-hour burden which I am happy to be rid of, allowed me to re-start "Your Next Five Moves" by Patrick Bet-David, and to dig deep on the past few years. Does a layoff make me a failure? No, it's a turning point, a chance to reassess and redirect. In my recent role, I observed that promotions and raises weren't always correlated with innovation or objective contributions. Today's layoffs seemed similarly uncorrelated, affecting even some of the most innovative contributors I had ever worked with. Losing or keeping a job doesn't define success or failure. Many good successful people kept their jobs today, in spite of many good successful people having lost them. Misalignment between personal vision and company goals isn't a failure; it's an opportunity for a better fit elsewhere. That said, blaming corporate minutiae for my layoff felt unsatisfactory for self-evaluation. Instead, I'm focusing on what I can control and learning from the experience. Now, as I gear up for the next chapter, I'm returning to the playing field armed with newfound skills and three of the greatest traits any worker or entrepreneur can bring to the table: enthusiasm, enthusiasm, and more enthusiasm. Bring on the future!

In the last few months, several of my acquaintances have been laid off across companies and cities in the U.S. Here’s what I have learnt about layoffs so far: 1. If you get laid off, try as you may, you may not be able to find a reason that’ll seem reasonable to you or even make sense to you. 2. A lot of the times, even your own manager won’t be aware of the fact that you will be laid off next. 3. One big reason surrounding layoffs at the moment is just the general economic turmoil, looming recession, companies looking to cut costs. Basically it’s not you, it’s something else. 4. No matter how much you worry, if the axe has to fall, you will only know the day it falls, not one day before, not even half a day before. 5. Don’t pre-stress yourself. Pre-pare yourself. If the layoff in your company is not an isolated event, start applying to jobs externally. At least you’ll get to know the market conditions. 6. Find a way to contribute more at work. Do a little more than asked for, learn a bit more than needed. This won’t guarantee that you’d be safe, but at least you’ll know you did your part. 7. Remain cool, don’t lose your composure if you hear about your teammate who got laid off. No company enjoys doing this to their people. Take a deep breath! 8. Be kind towards people in your company who were laid off. Offer help in any way, even if they don’t ask for it. Chances are, they may have trouble asking for help. 9. Brace for impact. Be mentally prepared. Have some options, plan B, next set of actions ready, so you don’t feel completely helpless. 10. Believe in yourself. Have a little faith. The markets won’t remain this way always. Hope this helped in some small way! P.S. I’m Shreya Mishra an international student turned TPM at Visa and I write about my academic & corporate life experiences in the U.S. Follow along to keep learning with me!

An honest post Layoffs are undeniably challenging, and my heart goes out to everyone affected. 🙃 A month ago, I faced a layoff myself. It's a difficult experience, especially when you can't quite understand why it's happening specifically to you. It wasn't due to performance issues but rather a result of company restructuring and reprioritization. My performance reviews have always been very positive. I am deeply passionate about my profession and every product I work on. Some might say that's a risk, but it's how I approach my work. My layoff came just two months after I declined a very attractive offer, which added to the stress of the situation, I was blaming myself for not taking the chance. 💔 Initially, I wasn't too disheartened, as I've always been able to find new opportunities quickly. However, as I began exploring the job market, I realized how tough the current market is for product designers. I received an offer with a lower salary than expected which I declined and faced rejections due to my salary requirements. There were only 1-2 job postings per week in Staff.am or Linkedin. The IT and design markets have changed significantly over the past two years. ❤️ Despite these challenges, within 1 month, I received my first offer, then second, and then third. The main challenge then became selecting the best one for my career growth. Ultimately, I made a decision that offered stability and growth, which I believe is the right step for me. 🙌 If you're going through difficult times, remember that enduring short-term struggles are often necessary for a better future. Even if you feel disappointed or sad, try to recover quickly. In the end, you will be proud of yourself for persevering.

Laid off? I’m sorry. There’s no denying it: layoffs suck, but remember it’s not you, it’s them. Unsurprisingly, I work with impacted folks on a regular basis and here are two tips that I regularly come back to. TIP #1: Reflect on what happened. Layoffs can feel incredibly personal – you’re a person, not a line item dammit! But before your mind ventures there, try to understand whether you were laid off due to factors outside of your control (budget cuts, consolidation) or if there was a performance element that played a factor. If it’s due to outside circumstances, you’ll have that peace of mind going into your job hunt. If you’re told that performance contributed, I challenge you to set your ego aside and take the feedback as constructive criticism then apply it to your next move. TIP #2: Check your mindset. How are you feeling about your value? If a layoff has left you feeling less valuable than you were yesterday, then this can be a costly misconception which leads to diminished long-term earnings. Anytime I work with someone impacted by a layoff, I always make it a point to tell them: Your work status does not define your value. Your work status does not define your value. Your work status does not define your value. Now go say it to a mirror until you genuinely believe it. If you’d like to dive deeper into this topic, drop me a message or check out the Peak Blog post on How to Negotiate a Job Offer After Being Laid Off

Hey you. Person who got laid off. I need you to be kinder to yourself. I need you you stop thinking… -There’s no way I’ll replace my income, the market is in the toilet -I’m just not that good, or they wouldn’t have led me go -There aren’t any jobs for me right now -The news is all bad for people like me I also need you to stop thinking… -My greedy former employer just wanted to f*@k me over -There aren’t any companies that care about employees -This is the worst economy ever EVER -This is all out of my control Here’s the truth. People have gotten laid off during MANY stock market downturns and recessions. They ended up finding something - often something BETTER than what they left. You will too. Also? There are companies that care. And… Even companies that care sometimes have to do layoffs. Finally… You can do this. You have Skills Experience People who care about you And if you feel like you need more of any of that? There’s NEVER been a better time in history to find the right resources. So stop talking crap to yourself. Start saying things like… I can do this I am a professional What I want matters I will wake up and do the thing It might take a while, but your brain will get used to it. —————————— 𝙃𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙜𝙤𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙣 𝙡𝙖𝙞𝙙 𝙤𝙛𝙛? 𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙙𝙞𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙞𝙩? ------ Repost ♻️ if you found this helpful All my posts on one page at #workshouldfeelgood Click my name, follow me, and ring my 🔔 to get notified when I post. #careergrowth #jobsearch #careercoaching #leadership

A few weeks ago, I conducted a poll inquiring if this was the most challenging layoff season you've ever experienced. Just yesterday, I initiated another, probing how everyone was holding up Allow me a moment to respond to both The challenges of the past year have been immense. Managing organizational and role shifts firsthand, I truly understand the gravity of the situation. Every day, I'm reminded of my gratitude for emerging from these challenges, and I channel this sentiment to improve the situation for others However, there's no sugarcoating the reality: it's profoundly distressing Multiple times a week, organizational insiders inform me about layoffs, either recent or impending. On an even more frequent basis, individuals reach out, sharing their stories of job loss and the ensuing struggles in finding new opportunities. These stories are, typically, gut-wrenching to listen to but I must; we all must On a personal level, the effects are undeniable. Amongst my closest friends, numerous have faced job loss. Shockingly, from my innermost circle of approximately 20 individuals, more than half have either lost jobs or transitioned due to untenable situations Such times are unprecedented, intense, and ever-present I share all this for three reasons: 1) Recognize that I'm not detached from these challenges. Your experiences mirror my own. However, despite the overwhelming circumstances, I endeavor to uplift us all with genuine hope and encouragement, envisioning brighter days ahead 2) I hinted at this recently, but it bears emphasis: if you hold any role, particularly managerial, please be profoundly attuned to the present situation. Exercise heightened empathy, especially during check-ins or tough decisions. Make the extra effort to understand your team's well-being. Given the unusual circumstances, offering occasional respites can make a world of difference to their mental well-being and motivation 3) The sheer number of talented individuals currently jobless or facing instability is staggering. I remain committed to this community and its relentless drive. Yet, it's heart-wrenching to witness With fervent hope, I aspire for brighter horizons within the next 18 months. But this community will never just hope or offer words - we will never stop trying to change the course of events through action We will never let you down I will never let you down

Seeing the layoff posts in the feed brings me back to 2023 and some controllable actions that seemed rational at that time of uncertainty. 🔹 The first thing my team in EMEA did was having a long VC call with everyone being present and vulnerable. Nobody blamed anyone, and we never limited anyone expressing their concerns. Emotions can be both comfortable and uncomfortable, and there is no magical filter to adjust it or block it. You let it be there, observe and process. 🔹We reviewed our priorities. It's important to remain allies with your management team, as well as the leadership team, to align on all possible handover scenarios in case layoffs impact your team. I am a strong believer that regardless of the circumstances a mature professional is not the one slamming the door and making this 'cruel and unjust' world responsible. 🔹Re-allocate your budget. My favourite client pitch phrase back in the good old days of AdWords support 😜. Nobody is asking you to save insanely and count every single penny as lunatic, but you must ensure the basics are covered: food, housing and health. The rest of the non-critical spend can be parked for the time-being. Saying that, cancelling all the fun stuff isn't going to change anything, apart from adding extra grey hair to your head. But non-critical ones should be paused for some time. You decide what is critical vs. non-critical 🤟 🔹Update your CV. You need to remember that you have work experience. Adopting a mindset of 'who the hell needs me' is a very easy road down the victim path, which has a hard way out. Again you can't cancel your own experience and the skills you developed, and nobody can hijack and purge it. And since it's there, put it down the lines of your CV. I can only imagine what sort of feelings and emotions folks are going through now in these waves of layoffs, and I don't know what positions will be kept and eliminated. All I know is not a single company can overwhelm my entire personality, identity and life. And I hope more people will come to these terms, make rational decisions and move on.