Being laid off can be a deeply destabilizing, emotional experience. Give yourself time to process it.
Inevitably, you will also need to take care of various housekeeping tasks such as reviewing any severance conditions, filing for unemployment, wrapping up in your current role, etc.
After the initial shock and feelings settle, reframe your perspective.
Every change is an opportunity for growth and expansion. Ask yourself:
- How can I emerge from this situation as a winner – professionally, mentally, financially? What would a truly successful outcome look like?
- What values do I want to embody in the next phase of my career? For example, do I value freedom, contribution to meaningful projects I believe in, less office politics – more impact?
- What have I always been curious about but never had time to do – until now? Maybe you’ve been passionate about a particular theme in your industry or a cross-cutting/adjacent field you could pivot to. Or perhaps you’ve always wanted to go freelance but haven’t found the time before.
While it may be tempting – and necessary in some cases – to jump onto the first decent opportunity, give yourself a chance to consider broader options.
Within the current remote work environment, you don’t have to rush to the closest 9-5 job. Instead consider:
- Interesting consulting/freelance opportunities through well-curated platforms
- Establishing as a self-employed and offering your services independently on a project basis
- Look at options away from home, remote ones, in other states and even countries
- Consider part time arrangements or a mix of all of the above that suits your lifestyle
While it may be difficult to do during a layoff, this is the time to be aware of and lean into your strengths, skills, accomplishments.
List all of your accolades, certifications, successes and use them to make your next move.
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