If your LinkedIn feed is anything like mine, it’s looking a bit bleak these days.
With high-profile layoffs affecting millions of workers, most recently at tech giants Amazon and Salesforce, more and more people have been announcing that they are #OpenToWork.
Honestly, this is a tough time to be navigating the U.S. job market. But, there is hope. Whether you’re gainfully employed but painfully stagnant, recently laid off and searching for what’s next, or feeling stuck in your current role and in need of a fresh start, you can get the job you want.
And yes, I know people say that all the time. In fact, you’ve probably had friends, family, coworkers, and a host of other people in your life patting you on the back and telling you it’s going to be okay. And while I’m sure their intentions are good, it probably feels like toxic positivity – that thing people do when they want you to feel better, so they dismiss your very real concerns about a situation.
But after years of coaching everyone from recent college grads with promising job prospects to career nomads with significant barriers to employment, I understand how important it is to give it to people straight. So, here it goes:
If you’ve lost your job, it’s normal to feel scared.
The job market is tough, the economy is even tougher, and if you’re anything like 63% of other Americans, you’re probably living paycheck to paycheck (or something close to it). So, yes, you should be scared.
But you should also understand that one of the best things to combat fear is strategy. Especially when it comes to job searching. So, here are the top three strategies you need to put in place now to move your job search forward in 2023 (hint: they all require at least a little bit of fear).
1. Revise your resume.
You probably saw this one coming. And while it may seem like an obvious next step after you’ve been laid off, the key here is to update your resume for potential employers and for yourself.
If you want to find a new job, you’ll need to update your resume to show potential employers what you can do. But you should also be using this time to take stock of your own skills and abilities. As you update each section of your resume (yes, you should be updating the whole thing, not just your most recent job), think about what you contributed to your now-former employer. However big or small the feat is, take note of it because you’re going to need to toot your own horn a lot throughout this process.
Which brings us to the next strategy…
2. Be ready to brag.
Every week, I have at least one client who says “I’m not good at bragging about myself”. My response is always the same:
Then it’s time to get good at it.
Bragging about the various ways you’ve made an impact on a client, team, company, etc. throughout your career is not just a necessity, it’s a right. Make no mistake, bragging does not have to be pompous or arrogant. It just needs to be true.
Did you helps increase sales? Tell them.
Were you apart of a key project that fixed a big problem? Share that.
Was your customer service the difference between retaining a major client and losing them? Let it be known.
When you’ve lost your job, unless you plan to take some time off to regroup, you have to hit the ground running. And this is not the time to be humble or modest. Take note of your wins, contributions, and achievements, no matter how big or small, and be ready to brag about them.
3. Know your worth.
To be honest, I never use this phrase. Something about assigning “worth” to human beings rubs me the wrong way. However, in this case, I kinda have to use it.
If you don’t read anything else, please read this: a layoff does not make you less desirable (or less hireable) in the job market. If you’re like most people, getting laid off can hurt your self-esteem. And that’s totally normal. Even the most confident people start questioning themselves and their abilities after learning that they’re being let go.
It’s okay to let yourself go through the motions and feel what you need to feel, but don’t let it impact your job search. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that an employer is “giving you a break” or “taking a chance on you” simply because they are hiring you after a layoff.
Remember those wins we talked about in the last strategy? Take them with you to every job interview, career fair, and networking event. A layoff means that your job search came sooner than you expected; it does not mean that you are less worthy of a great job, solid benefits, a competitive salary, and a healthy work environment.
Don’t wait for an employer to tell determine your worth – know your worth before you step into the room. And remember that it has nothing to do with having been laid off.
Where am I going with this?
There’s no way around the job search: applying for jobs online, reaching out to your network, facing rejection, and pivoting. It can be an ugly process at times, especially after being laid off. But if you stick with these solid strategies, you can bet you’ll always be moving forward.
And that’s the goal – forward motion. Your process may not be quick and it certainly won’t be perfect, but if you’re moving forward, you’re going to get to where you need to be.