The word layoff is starting to be thrown around more and more these days. When there is economic uncertainty, there will be news of more larger organizations laying people off. If you find yourself in the position of being at risk for a layoff, take action to not only get back on your feet but find a job that you will love.
Take a Moment
That’s right, take a moment to breathe. If you have been cut or are at risk of being cut, try not to act out of panic. Press pause on rushing to send your resume out to any job openings you come across. Do a self-check-in first. Layoffs and job searching can be tough on mental health, so make sure you take the time to care for yourself. It is easy at this time to get pulled into a negative mindset. Remind yourself that the layoff is not a reflection of you or your skills but rather the problems of the uncertain economy.
Make a Plan
Go into your job search with a plan. Start by refreshing your resume and LinkedIn profile. If you are not on LinkedIn, make a profile and take advantage of that as a tool. Make a list of your accomplishments. Break those down into what the context was, actions taken, the result, and what you learned from it. Write these out to not only put them on your resume but to refresh your memory to be ready to speak on them when you are interviewing. Continue to sharpen your skills while applying for new roles. Are there any certifications or courses you can take that would improve or add to your skill set? Think about what you bring to the table. Prepare specific examples of your work history for situations you have handled or impacts you have had. Reach out to your network and connect with people in the industry. Connect with a recruiter specific to your industry, such as an animal health recruiter, to get insight into opportunities and trends in the industry.
Decide What You Are Looking For
Before applying to jobs, consider what your dream job would entail. What size company would you prefer? Midsized and smaller companies are more likely to take advantage of the newly available talent on the market when larger organizations are making cuts. Think about the type of company culture that you best fit in with. Do you feel most at home in a company that is more laid back or more buttoned up? Decide what work values mean the most to you outside of compensation. These could be things like flexibility, team environment, remote work, leadership responsibilities, or room for growth. When you start to interview, remember, it is not just you who is being interviewed. You should be interviewing the company to make sure the opportunity is going to meet the criteria you are searching for. Be intentional about your questions to discover if the company will off the values you want in a job. Research the company to see what its values are and what reviews have been left by employees or customers. Use your research and interactions during interviews to decide if this is a role you can see yourself enjoying.
If there is news that layoffs are coming soon or if you have been recently been part of a cut, take this as an opportunity to think through what you would need from a company or a role to truly love your job. It may be a cliché saying but it is true when one door closes another one opens. Take the power of making sure it is a door that will take you where you want to be in your career and in a work environment you will love.
Are you looking for top talent in the Specialty Chemical, Advanced Materials, or Animal Health industry?
Contact us to discuss how we can bring top leadership talent to your team. Boaz Partners is a premier executive search firm focused on the direct recruitment of executives and professionals for the specialty chemicals and animal health space. We are your partner, and our focus is on custom recruiting solutions.