If you've been through a RIF or know someone who has, this episode is here to help you get back on your feet.
I'm sharing a six-step lifeline for anyone treading in these choppy waters—all to help you find a new job, position yourself well, and reach out when you need help.
Transforming a setback into a setup for a greater comeback, we pivot to the mechanics of a job search strategy that feels less like a chore and more like a quest for your next and better job. Let's align your skills and passions to build a career in a company that gets you.
In this episode, I get into the nitty-gritty of setting actionable goals, the details behind writing a resume that gets through AI-based resume screeners, and the undeniable power of networking.
Whether you're a seasoned professional facing uncertainty or a recent graduate eager to make your mark, this episode offers a compass in the storm and a community waiting to welcome you aboard.
Book a complimentary management coaching conversation at https://calendly.com/catherine-vanderlaan/free-60-minute-leadership-consultation
Email me at catherine@managementmaterialcoaching.com to ask a question or get in touch.
Join our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/managementmaterialcoaching
Find out more about Management and Leadership Coaching at https://managementmaterialcoaching.com/
Episode Transcript
Welcome back.
My name is Katherine Vanderlaanand I am so excited to see you
on this podcast.
I'm excited to be back.
If you don't know anythingabout my life, my family moved
to California about a year and ahalf ago mid-2022.
Life was crazy.
We had an assignment, we didour assignment and then we moved
(00:27):
back at the end of the summerin 2023.
We bought a house.
We've been adjusting.
I've been managingsavorstreetcom and the coaching
business.
I've been spinning up a lotmore management leadership,
coaching.
If you are listening to thisright now, you for sticking with
me.
Thank you for coming back.
Thank you for listening to thispodcast.
(00:49):
This topic that we're going intotoday is about how to get back
on your feet after being laidoff.
It's not really a fun topic togo into.
It's difficult, but if you findyourself in a position right
now where you have been laid off, it's essential to know how to
(01:12):
get back on your feet.
Layoffs are in the news.
It is touching the techindustry.
That's, first and foremost onthe news, but it's also touching
the finance industry, thehealthcare industry.
I'm seeing it in the media andnews industry.
I'm seeing it in a lot ofdifferent places.
If you have been touched by alayoff.
(01:32):
You are in a lot of companyright now I've been laid off.
How many people know that I'vebeen laid off?
But it wasn't expected for allthe reasons that you would think
, because being laid off is notabout poor performance.
It is certainly not about yourworth as an individual.
(01:54):
If you find that you've beenlaid off, it says absolutely
nothing about your value as anemployee, about the value of
your work.
It says everything about thecompany that you're working for,
in that they did not employother techniques before doing a
(02:16):
larger layoff.
I have now been doing groupleadership coaching within
organizations for wholedepartments.
I have been doing managementcoaching, one-on-one with
different up-and-coming managersto do first-time manager
training and also a little bitof advanced manager training to
help them get on the ball againso that they can be the best
(02:39):
manager, a leader that peoplewant to follow.
Some people would call thatexecutive coaching.
I think executive coaching is alittle different, although I
have done a little bit of thatas well.
It's more about finding astrategy and creating it.
Anyway, we're not here to talkabout that.
Layoff are affecting a lot ofpeople right now.
If you have found that it isaffecting you or someone that
(03:03):
you know, then you need to know.
If it's someone that you know,send him this podcast.
If it's, you, then listen upbecause I have six steps for how
to get back on your feet afterbeing laid off.
Let's dive right in.
Let's just get into the sixsteps.
I'm a very practical, to thepoint person.
When I coach people, I like tobe practical, to the point, help
(03:26):
them.
It's a little bit of trainingand coaching and problem solving
and mentoring and a little bitof everything, because I don't
really subscribe to the wholeblue coaching thing Like no,
let's just get steps.
Let's do it.
Let's stay accountable.
Let's get stuff done.
Let's do training.
If you need training, I almostalways share my coaching with
(03:48):
courses and downloads andresources and all this stuff to
reach you.
Anyway, let's get into thosesix steps that it takes to get
back on your feet after beinglaid off.
I learned these six steps afterbeing laid off myself.
I was kind of expecting it, notbecause of poor performance or
anything.
I was one of the rock stars inthe organization, I was one of
(04:11):
the fair managers, but I wasexpecting it because I knew that
we were going to have areorganization and I was one of
the last in the department.
So all of the signs were there.
I knew that, how thereorganization was going to take
effect.
I knew some big points.
I helped with some of thereorganization and reassignment.
(04:32):
It took me by surprise.
They didn't tell me everything,but I definitely went through.
I was helping rate employeesand assessed them.
I knew it was coming.
I thought, hey, I'm one of theyoungest here, I am one of the
last in in management, I'mprobably going to be laid off.
So of course I built anemergency fund, a bigger one
(04:54):
than we already had, and we wentfrom there.
So I learned these six steps bygoing through them myself and
then also through coaching otherpeople how to find a new
full-time job after being laidoff.
I've worked with at leastdozens of people I don't really
(05:15):
count at this point, but atleast dozens of people who have
been laid off.
So I'm going to tell youstories throughout these six
steps to illustrate what thesepoints really mean.
So first I'm going to give youall six points.
Number one is take some time toemotionally adjust to your new
situation.
Take some time.
(05:37):
Number two is decide on yourjob search strategy, and that
could mean a lot of differentthings to a lot of different
people, so we're going to getinto it.
Number three is create some jobsearch goals and a plan to
tackle it and then execute theplan, guys.
Number four is to get communitysupport and reach out to your
network.
Number five is to lower yourmonthly budget, because I mean,
(06:01):
okay, if you're listening tothis on management material, my
podcast knows that I'mcross-posting this to the money
minister.
So I got money on the moneyminister and I need to say
actually to anyone in thissituation please enact your
emergency budgets.
So we're going to put into thatone.
And the sixth one is ask forhelp.
(06:22):
If you need it, please ask forhelp.
So let's get into all six ofthose points, one at a time.
The first one is to take timeto emotionally adjust.
Take some time, whether that isa day or two or a week maximum,
maybe two weeks.
Take some time to adjust toyour new situation.
(06:44):
Understand what it means.
Go through the paperwork, lookand sign up for Cobra, if you
have that option.
Take the time that you need toemotionally adjust so that you
can be your whole self for thenext steps.
And what that doesn't mean isgo, take all of your savings and
go on vacation.
It doesn't mean to just playvideo games for two weeks
(07:09):
straight.
It does not mean to spiral intoa depression and isolate
yourself.
Instead, taking some time toemotionally adjust means look at
your reality in the face,understand your financial
situation and your job situation, what people you can reach out
to think about how you'refeeling right now.
(07:30):
If you need to go talk to atherapist, go talk to a
therapist.
But take the time that you needto emotionally adjust.
Give yourself a deadline Maxtwo weeks if you can afford it.
If you cannot afford it, takeone or two days.
Almost everybody can afford aday, day after they were laid
off to adjust to the newsituation.
(07:52):
All right.
The second step is to decide onyour job search strategy.
Now, this does mean to a lot ofdifferent people, but here's
what I mean Figure out what kindof job you're going through or
what kind of job you are lookingfor.
That job is usually anintersection between your
(08:15):
personality, your skills andyour passions.
What makes your heart sing?
Those are your passions.
Skill what do you have proofthat you can do?
What have you done in pastcareers?
Look through that and yourpersonality.
Are you an introvert or anextrovert?
Do you love talking to peopleor do you hate talking to people
(08:36):
?
That kind of thing?
Who are you?
Are you organized?
Are you a passionate person bynature?
Do you like to communicate intext or in voice?
Are you a post office?
Are you afraid of publicspeaking?
All of those things?
What is your personality?
What are your skills and whereare your passions?
(08:57):
Your next job is in theintersection of all three.
All right, so that will helpyou decide on your job search.
By the way I go into that is thevery, very first thing in my
group Find your next full-timejob group coaching session.
It includes workshops.
It includes coaching within thegroup.
(09:20):
Bring your questions.
This is not a sales pitch, butI want to let you know that I'm
very passionate.
I help a lot of people findtheir next full-time job.
It is within my unlimited groupcoaching package.
I also stand alone.
It comes with a two-week freetrial where you can get access
to almost everything, but youhave to do it one at a time.
(09:42):
You can join at any time with aconversation with me.
Even if you joined in themiddle or at the end of the
eight-week program.
You'll get a lot of benefitsout of it.
You will be able to view allthe recordings, download the
handouts, do the workshopsyourself and catch up if you
want to.
A lot of people go through ittwo or three times because they
(10:06):
catch different things differenttimes through.
So anyway, all right, I'm nottrying to.
Well, I guess I did plug that,but you can click the link below
.
Click on that button.
Talk to me.
I am happy to help you findyour next full-time job.
Anyway, so go ahead.
This is the first lesson.
The first workshop is to helpyou find that next job that
(10:29):
you're going for and create yourjob search strategy.
All right, the second step isto create some job search goals.
Goals are different than astrategy.
Notice, when I said create yourjob search strategy, I didn't
say here's your strategy, here'syour plan, because strategy and
a plan are two different things.
Now that's its own podcastepisode.
(10:49):
If you listen to managementmaterial, then you will hear
that as a podcast episode.
Real quick.
I love talking about thedifference between a strategy
and a plan.
Anyway, all right.
Third step is to create somejob search goals and a plan to
tackle it.
That's difficult If you arecurrently laid off and you have
(11:16):
emotionally adjusted to it, youare looking for a new job and
you are diving in, create yourjob search goals, chances are
you're not going to meet yourgoals.
That is where that group comesin.
But let's say that you havesome goals in place.
You create those goals and yourgoals are applied to three
(11:38):
different jobs a day.
And then you put together thatplan.
You tackle it.
You have a master resume, which, again, we go into in the group
.
You have a master resume.
You modify it for every singlejob that you are applying to.
You create a lovely coverletter that you modify to every
single job you reach out.
(12:00):
You're networking.
You're finding these roles, youare applying to these roles.
You are that.
I mean.
That's how you land theinterviews.
Now, creating the goals for jobsearching is usually done the
real way.
A lot of people together goalsthat say I'm going to get five
(12:23):
interviews by the end of theweek.
I'm going to have a new job bya month or two from now.
Those goals are outside of yourcontrol.
You can't get an interview.
What you can do is apply tothree jobs a day.
You can't get yourself a newjob within a month or two.
What you can do is reach out topeople in your community
(12:47):
network and find theopportunities that your resume
in front of the right people,create goals that you can
achieve, that you have controlover.
Okay, those are goals that areachievable by you because you
can control them.
Please listen to what I'msaying.
When you, after you havecreated your job search strategy
(13:12):
, your jobs, that you're goingfor their titles, that is when
you create plan, outreach, planto then get that job.
The strategy is all aroundpositioning yourself as the best
candidate for that job.
The goals are around what youcan achieve and plan to get you
(13:36):
to getting that job.
It's around everything that youcan control.
That is what the plan and thegoals are about.
The strategy has theuncontrollable aspect in it.
All right, if you need clarityon that, come talk to me.
I have a link below, let's chat.
Number four is get communitysupport and reach out to your
network.
When you are first looking fora new job, you need community
(14:01):
support.
Now, a lot of us are introverts.
We just don't want to talk topeople.
It feels icky being laid off.
You feel like a pariah.
Nobody wants to talk to you, orso you think, but you know what
.
That's not true.
What is not true?
You have a community of peoplewho want to support you, I don't
(14:22):
care how introverted andawkward you are.
You have a community of peoplewho want to help you.
I promise you people who havegotten your work and it's been
amazing work they will give youa recommendation, they'll write
something on LinkedIn.
They will recommend you todifferent roles.
They will network on yourbehalf and send your LinkedIn
(14:45):
profile to your friends or totheir friends in different
industries, at differentcompanies.
They will help you because theycare and they're human.
Almost nobody actually nobodythat I have coached into finding
a new job has reached out totheir network, acquaintances,
people that they call friends intheir office and gotten a core
(15:08):
or charitable response.
Everyone has reached out totheir network and, yes, a few
people didn't reply.
Big portion, a large portion ofpeople came back and said that
sounds awful.
I had no idea.
They didn't announce who waslaid off.
I'm so sorry to hear that.
I know that person and thisother person who are looking for
(15:29):
candidates in X field.
Does that fit you?
Hey, yeah, it probably does.
I mean, you've created yourjobs, your strategy.
You know what you're going for.
Go, network, connect, meet andkeep.
Absolutely reach out to yournetwork and find that new job.
That is the best way to find anew job is to network and reach
(15:52):
out to your people.
Okay, number five is lower yourmonthly budget.
Now look, if you are listeningto this on management material.
I need to talk about this.
I look at a lot of people'sbudgets.
If you have been laid off, gothrough and cancel a bunch of
subscriptions.
(16:12):
Figure out how you can loweryour monthly budget and enact
your emergency budget.
If you don't know what anemergency budget is, then Google
it or come talk to me, becausethat is what I do, saber Street,
with financial coaching.
I train financial coaches, Iwork with some people one-on-one
, I handle groups and I trainpeople on how to manage their
(16:34):
personal budgets.
So go through, look at yourspending, see what you can cut.
Stop eating out If it is eatingthrough your savings.
If you've just been laid off,you're not gonna have an income
for a while and make sure youcan maximize your savings to
maximize your time before youneed to have that first paycheck
.
Your first paycheck might withyour next job and, yeah, you
(16:59):
will find a next job.
Join my group.
You definitely.
Well, I can't guarantee itbecause it really depends on
what you put into it, but you'llvery likely find your next job
and faster if you join the group.
Anyway, lower your monthlybudget.
See what you can cut out.
Stop eating out and go get thatnext job.
(17:19):
Okay, maximize your time byminimizing your spending.
That will help you not get intoa ton of debt if you have been
laid off.
And when you do get that nextjob, your next paycheck could
come two, three weeks afteryou've started.
So just remember that and loweryour spending right now.
(17:44):
Okay.
The sixth step is to ask forhelp.
If you need it, go, please askfor help.
Join your church group and ifyou don't have a church, go join
one.
Okay, ask for help if you needit.
If you need to reach out to atherapist, reach out to a
therapist so that you can get,so you can emotionally adjust.
(18:06):
If you need help finding thetools, the resources, the
strategy, knowing what a craft,a resume that will land you an
interview, how to create a coverletter, then join my group.
We have a two week free trial.
See if it fits you.
All right, ask for help if youneed it.
It says a lot about you somereally good things about you as
(18:31):
an individual.
If you are willing to ask forhelp when you need it, so go
ahead and ask for that help.
Okay, the two big, big bigthings that I hear after
somebody has been laid off,maybe it's been a week or two,
or three or four.
They've been laid off andthey're really not terribly
excited about where they are.
We go through these six points.
(18:51):
The first thing I hear is I'moverwhelmed, I don't know what
to do.
Where do I start?
Start at the beginning, juststart at the beginning.
After a holiday, the kitchen isa disaster.
Right, absolutely a disaster.
Something has come out of theoven.
The oven might be a disaster onthe inside.
You have tons of pots and pansand utensils and plates and the
(19:15):
dishwasher is already full andyou know how you clean it up.
One dish at a time, one thingat a time.
So start at the beginning,emotionally adjust, decide which
jobs you're going for and yourjob search strategy.
Then do it one step at a time,keep going until it's done.
(19:37):
That's it All right.
So take that overwhelm and thatanalysis, paralysis and just
start Doing it will help youfigure out how to do it.
If it has been your first timein 10, 12 more years that you've
(19:57):
had to job search, or maybeyou've never created a resume,
one thing at a time, just do itone thing at a time and you will
get there, ask for help if youneed it.
That is step number six, for areason, okay.
The second thing that I hear alot, a lot, a lot, is I don't
(20:21):
know which job to go for.
I don't know how to list myskills.
I don't know how to list mypersonality.
What do you mean when you saythat my next job is in the
intersection of my skills, mypersonality and my passions?
I don't even know what I'mpassionate about.
I didn't like the job that Ihad and I don't know what to do
(20:42):
going forward.
I don't even know if I qualifyfor any of the jobs that I want.
That's when you talk to me,let's figure it out.
I hear this a lot Within adiscussion.
We will figure out what you cango for.
Okay, I help people with thisall day, all day.
Join the group.
(21:04):
You get a free two week trialon purpose so that you know if
it fits you, okay.
The last thing that I hear isI'm about to run out of time.
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