Layoff Lessons Learned – One Year Later

In January of 2023, I was laid off. By March of 2023, I had an amazing new career with an awesome company. One my one-year anniversary, I wanted to share some of the things I learned in hopes that it might help others.

Sometimes it is better to be lucky than good

While it would be great to say that my new career was mainly due to skills / network / resume / or some other attribute, this was not the case. I was lucky. A contact in my LinkedIn network reached out to me after I posted that I have been laid off and was looking for work. I was qualified for this opportunity, it was extremely interesting, and offered great compensation. Yes, the opportunity came from my network. Yes, I took the time to format my resume to highlight accomplishments. Yes, I researched the company and prepared for my interviews. However, it was pure chance that I was laid off at the precise time the organization needed someone with my skillset.

Plan ahead; start now

While I was lucky, there are things you can do to increase the chances of landing a new opportunity.

First, invest in your network before you need it. Think of a network as a retirement fund; you don’t start saving for retirement the day after you retire; you start saving for retirement years before you retire. Treat your network the same way…something you need to invest time in every day for years before you need it.

Second, never assume your current career will last forever. Keep your resume, your LinkedIn profile, and other tools up to date. This will reduce the need to scramble if the unexpected happens.

Third, be discipline with your finances. Put money aside so that you can survive for several months (longer if possible). Even if you land a great career that pays well, don’t assume everything will be fine until you retire.

The grass is not always greener on the other side

Be careful when considering your next opportunity. I had a great career with a great employer that I loved. I left that role for what I thought was a better opportunity. That opportunity ended up not being as good as it sounded. It can be tempting to “jump ship” if work is hard, you aren’t getting promoted, or other issues arise. Having changed careers several times, I can say that most of those changes were positive, but not always.

I am not suggesting people who find themselves in a toxic work situation stay put no matter what. What I do recommend is to think carefully about your next move. Don’t assume that moving from one employer to the next is going to magically solve your challenges.

Culture eats strategy (everything) for breakfast

The author Peter Drucker once said “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” I would argue that culture eats everything, not just strategy, for breakfast. It is important to work for a company where you can be yourself and be happy. I am not a fan of labeling companies as “good” or “bad,” I prefer to look at companies as entities that have a certain culture, and if that culture is a fit for you, great. If not, you might be happier elsewhere.

While there is no certain way to gauge a companies’ culture before joining, asking questions and doing research ahead of time can help reduce the risk of ending up somewhere that makes you unhappy. Given how much time we spend at work, it is worth the time and effort to find a place where you can be yourself, be valued, and be productive.

Next steps

Below are some next steps that might be of help:

Step 1 – follow recruiters on LinkedIn to learn about their side of the process. I recommend Amy Miller , she has created a great series of videos that can help everyone (people looking for work, hiring managers, etc.).

Step 2 – if you want help with your resume, be picky about whom you use. With the rollout of ChatGPT, there are organizations that charge money for things that people can do themselves. I have had great success with Rebecca Pay 🍦 and Nicki Massman , but please do your own research before spending you hard earned money.

Step 3 – leverage existing tools. I have had great success with Teal. I have changed careers several times, and it was previously done with spreadsheets and multiple resumes. Modern tools like Teal can save you time, use them.

Step 4 – build your network and your skills. Figure out what is important to you, and keep up with the latest developments in those areas. Some people I follow:

·       Gaming - Amir Satvat .

·       Leadership - Ethan Evans , Omar Halabieh , and David Anderson .

·       AI / ML - Cassie Kozyrkov and Allie K. Miller .

·       Security topics - Brian Krebs .

·       Robotics - Brad Porter .

·       HR / Legal - Jon Hyman and Suzanne Lucas .