What to do if you’re laid off in 2008 recession

January 23, 2008 By

It’s sad to hear about layoffs at companies like Yahoo. Right now it seems like a bad time to be laid off. I’m here to offer some hope.

I laid myself off in February 2002. Remember that time? It was far worse than what we’ve seen so far in the economic turmoil of 2008. It seemed like EVERYONE was laid off. There was even a Website, fuckedcompany.com, that tracked layoff after layoff. No good news, like the funding of Automattic, was coming out. 9/11 just happened and it seemed to be particularly dire.

But even in that tough time I found a job working at NEC. Here’s some tips I learned from that time.

1. Don’t get lazy. It might seem dire, but if you work it you WILL find a job. Some of my friends went on vacation, started drinking, or generally just hung out with their families. Those people took a LOT longer to find a job than the friends of mine who approached their time off with these tips.
2. Make sure you spend at least 30% of every day trying to find a job. That means working on your resume. Getting your cover letter finished. Sending out resumes. Searching the web for work. Networking. Etc. At first your time spent on these tasks should be a lot higher, but after weeks of watching the job sites for jobs and having your resume checked over by 10 of your friends you will naturally have more time to spend on other things.
3. Start a blog on the field you want to work in. Want to be a PHP programmer? Start a PHP blog and make sure you put world class stuff there. Link to EVERYONE who has a PHP blog. But that’s only the beginning.
4. Do things that will get you to be recognized as a world leader in the field you want to be in. Are you a programmer? Build something and put it up! Share your knowledge on your blog (give tips you’ve learned). Are you a program manager? Those jobs will be tougher to find, but you should demonstrate that you are a great manager of people as well as that you’re expert on the kinds of things you want to do. Demo! Demo! Demo!
5. Learn from Loic Le Meur. How did he get thousands of videos uploaded on Seesmic everyday? He networked. He visited tons of journalists, bloggers, executives. He is a consumate networker (you should watch him work the halls here at the World Economic Forum).
6. Do a video everyday on YouTube that demonstrates something you know. Loic does a video everyday. If you’re laid off you have absolutely no excuses. Get a cheap Web cam and get over to YouTube or Seesmic.
7. Show your friends your resume and cover letter. Don’t have any friends? Now is the time to make some. Call up some interesting people and ask for an informational interview. This is particularly key if you work at a big company and are getting laid off. I watched people at Microsoft get laid off and the ones who had tons of internal informational interviews got new jobs fast. The key is to meet people everyday and get in front of them. Not to beg for a job, but to do research on the industry you want to work in. You’d be amazed how showing some interest in your industry will get noticed itself.
8. Do the basics. I got my NEC job by sending a resume into a job that I found on Craig’s List. Yes, my blog helped me AFTER I got the interview, but I got the interview just by having a great cover letter and an interesting resume.
9. Don’t feel bad about taking government assistance. You’ll need it to pay your bills. I took it and it helped me get over that tough period.
10. Go to any job networking session you learn about. All of them were valuable to me, even though they didn’t necessarily bring me a job. Part of it is just feeling like you’re doing everything you can to get back on your feet. It’s an attitude thing. If you have an attitude that you’re going to work at this that will come across and will bring opportunities to you.
11. Go where the money is. If you are laid off and you haven’t sent your resume to Matt Mullenweg this morning, why not? People with new funding are the ones who are hiring. You want to work for them, so do what you can to at minimum get an informational interview. Why don’t you interview Matt for your blog? You never know, he just might give you an interview and that might lead to a discussion about how you could fit into his company. Even if it doesn’t, at least you get an interesting interview with someone in the industry who is seeing success. Other employers want to be like Matt, so if you have some insights to his success you might be surprised by how that gets you job interviews.
12. Take a little bit of time to work on family and health. You probably haven’t been paying enough attention to these two things. This is the time to start some healthy habits. Give up smoking, if you’re doing that. Drink less (the temptation will be to drink more, don’t give in). Get more exercise. Yes, I should take my own advice (I went for a long walk this morning in Davos and had fish last night).
13. Volunteer. Let’s say you are going to be out of work for six months. What could you do with six months of your time? Make sure you come away with it with a great project under your belt. Why not volunteer your time with a charity that could use your skills? Not only will you feel good about yourself, you’ll come away with job experience so you won’t have a hole in your resume (building an IT system for the Red Cross looks damn impressive — saying you were “on the beach” for six months does not). Plus you’ll make great friends with people who are trying to improve the world (they are typically the kinds of friends you should have anyway).
14. Make sure you take advantage of any help your former employer is offering. Sometimes they have retraining or other programs that might help you land an even better job.
15. See if you can keep coming into the office. This isn’t open to everyone, but at Userland I kept coming into work everyday after the paychecks stopped. That made me feel better, plus it gave me the ability to use phones, stay away from negative situations (do you really want to be around family all day, everyday, who might remind you that you need to find a job?) as well as give you a place to work hard on finding your new job.
16. Go to every business event you can attend. Can’t afford to get in? Me neither and I have a job! Hang out in the hallways. You never know who you might meet. At minimum you’ll get interesting interviews for your blog. Have your resumes ready.
17. Always have your suit ready. Some interviews happen fast “can you be here this afternoon?” The one who is ready will get the interview.

On your resume and cover letter. I found a TON of tips online for how to improve yours. Those tips work. Listen to them. My cover letter is what got me my interview (the guy who ran the group told me that later). My cover letter’s approach came off of tips I found online. Do Google searches for things like “how to write a great cover letter.”

Do you have any tips? Help out people by posting your own blogs and linking to them in my comment area here. Good luck and keep your head up. Lots of people have gotten fired. I’ve talked with quite a few CEOs here at the World Economic Forum and you’d be surprised at how many of them have had bad times in their careers.

I’ll be asking business leaders this week for their tips and will come back to this topic later in the week.

Filed Under: Scoble family
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  • Thomas Wenzl

    Hey Robert. Really liked this one. Some very good advice for people in such a situation. As in many areas in life it’s all about the people. A high percentage of people do get new jobs through people they know – and it’s very often the people they don’t know very well. I also got some nice job offers from people I don’t talk to every week or month.

    Good luck on finding a new job to everybody who sadly has just being laid off.

    Cheers,
    Thomas

  • Thomas Wenzl

    Hey Robert. Really liked this one. Some very good advice for people in such a situation. As in many areas in life it’s all about the people. A high percentage of people do get new jobs through people they know – and it’s very often the people they don’t know very well. I also got some nice job offers from people I don’t talk to every week or month.

    Good luck on finding a new job to everybody who sadly has just being laid off.

    Cheers,
    Thomas

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  • thecubemonkey

    Fantastic read. The list is practical and creative. My suggestion is that you select from some of the ideas and use the ones that will help you and your career personally.

    I’m going to be writing a practical “what to do” if you get laid off but in the mean time, check out Six Steps…to a Recession-proof Career, Six Steps…to Financially Surviving a Recession, and this from Slackermanager.

  • thecubemonkey

    Fantastic read. The list is practical and creative. My suggestion is that you select from some of the ideas and use the ones that will help you and your career personally.

    I’m going to be writing a practical “what to do” if you get laid off but in the mean time, check out Six Steps…to a Recession-proof Career, Six Steps…to Financially Surviving a Recession, and this from Slackermanager.

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  • Vis

    The tips are required and will make us to constantly remember what are the actions we are doing daily towards the goal and these kind of tips will practically give results as Robert is explaining.Good work Robert.

  • Vis

    The tips are required and will make us to constantly remember what are the actions we are doing daily towards the goal and these kind of tips will practically give results as Robert is explaining.Good work Robert.

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  • http://seeminglee.com/ See-ming Lee

    This is a great article.

    I think however that these are things that you should do regardless of whether you’re laid off or not. :)

    Cheers,
    SML

  • http://seeminglee.com See-ming Lee

    This is a great article.

    I think however that these are things that you should do regardless of whether you’re laid off or not. :)

    Cheers,
    SML

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  • ctsavage

    I have been a stock broker for 20 years and it has come to my attention that many people don’t know how to use their company stock which they may hold to generate monthly revenue. I specialize in this form of “Covered Call Writing”. You can actually generate 4% to 20% of total stock holdings in cash each month. I have helped many people in this situtation. This is basically free to do, just a little education. You can look at my website at http://www.ctsglobalinvestment.com or you can call me at 770-972-4476.

  • ctsavage

    I have been a stock broker for 20 years and it has come to my attention that many people don’t know how to use their company stock which they may hold to generate monthly revenue. I specialize in this form of “Covered Call Writing”. You can actually generate 4% to 20% of total stock holdings in cash each month. I have helped many people in this situtation. This is basically free to do, just a little education. You can look at my website at http://www.ctsglobalinvestment.com or you can call me at 770-972-4476.

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  • http://500jobsthatsuck.blogspot.com/ Brent

    I followed this advice religiously and got a an offer 20 days into my search…

    What is even weirder and cooler is that it is also with NEC!

    Rock on!

    Brent

  • http://500jobsthatsuck.blogspot.com/ Brent

    I followed this advice religiously and got a an offer 20 days into my search…

    What is even weirder and cooler is that it is also with NEC!

    Rock on!

    Brent

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  • ctsavage

    IF YOU HAVE ANY STOCK, NOW IS THE TIME TO DO COVERED CALL WRITING TO GENERATE CASH EACH MONTH…..WWW.CTSGLOBALINVESTMENT.COM

  • ctsavage

    IF YOU HAVE ANY STOCK, NOW IS THE TIME TO DO COVERED CALL WRITING TO GENERATE CASH EACH MONTH…..WWW.CTSGLOBALINVESTMENT.COM

  • http://www.commonsenseatwork.com/ Ramon Greenwood

    How To Handle The Dreaded Axe
    by
    Ramon Greenwood

    In these times of economic turmoil anyone can get the axe at any time. It happens to good people and bad ones…hard workers as well as slackers.

    “We feel you would be happier working for another company.”

    “Sorry, business is falling off. We no longer need your services.”

    “Operations are being consolidated in Mexico. The Bedrock Plant will be closed March 1.”

    Sugar-coated or not, the message is the same: You’re fired! You are out of a job! Your career path has been disrupted!

    Therefore, your career plan should include knowing what to do to survive and reach your career goals should you ever get the dreaded “pink slip”.

    13 Career Tips To Survive and Prosper

    1. Keep in mind that in the current environment the idea of womb to tomb job security is as dead as a hammer. Be loyal to your present employer, but never develop a romance with the organization. Know that the relationship can end at any time. There is enough suffering in store for anyone over the loss of a job without adding the pains of an unrequited love. Look out for yourself first.

    2. Be alert and well informed at all times about the outlook for your employer and your job. If you know things are going down the drain, begin a below-the-radar search for other opportunities. If the axe falls, you’ll have a head start on finding another job.

    3. Stay prepared financially. Always try to have enough cash in reserve to cover at least three months living expenses.

    4. Keep your skills up to date with the needs of the job market. Capitalize on opportunities for additional training. Read the literature of your field.

    5. Maintain an up-to-date record of your accomplishments so you can produce a resume in 24 hours.

    6. Nurture contacts with people in your line of work and with those likely to employ your type of qualifications. Be visible through outside activities and positive publicity.

    7. Help others who lose their jobs. Also, be of assistance to those who are looking to recruit employees. They may help you some day.

    8. Understand your emotions.

    Psychologist Bill Weber says getting fired is very much like dealing with the death of a loved one.

    “The first reaction is denial, or wishful thinking. There’s been a mistake. This can’t be true,” Dr. Weber says. “Then the shock sets in, followed by anger, depression, frustration and fear. Worst of all is the loss of self-esteem.”

    9. Let it go. Allow some time for grieving, but not too much. Don’t just sit there feeling sorry for yourself. It’s natural to be angry with your employer, but don’t let your feelings show. You still need him. Negotiate the best possible severance package possible for continuing pay and benefits, particularly insurance coverage. Don’t forget good references, too.

    10. Start immediately to launch your search for another, better job. Use this time to reassess the goals you have set for the rest of your life. Define the job that will enable you to achieve these objectives.

    11. Prepare a plan to market yourself. Let it be known you are available; “advertise” what you have to offer. Involve your network of friends and family in the job search.

    12. Be patient. Recognize it will take time to find another acceptable position.

    13. Don’t panic. If you possibly can afford to wait, don’t jump on the first opportunity that comes down the pike, unless, of course, it really matches up with your objectives.

    Career advice: remember two things.

    1. It can happen to anyone.

    2. A high percentage of people end up with better jobs than the ones from which they were fired.

    —
    To subscribe to Ramon Greenwood’s free semi-monthly newsletter and blog please go to http://www.commonsenseatwork.com> His advice comes from a world of experience, including serving as Senior Vice President of American Express, an entrepreneur, professional director, career coach and author.

  • http://www.commonsenseatwork.com Ramon Greenwood

    How To Handle The Dreaded Axe
    by
    Ramon Greenwood

    In these times of economic turmoil anyone can get the axe at any time. It happens to good people and bad ones…hard workers as well as slackers.

    “We feel you would be happier working for another company.”

    “Sorry, business is falling off. We no longer need your services.”

    “Operations are being consolidated in Mexico. The Bedrock Plant will be closed March 1.”

    Sugar-coated or not, the message is the same: You’re fired! You are out of a job! Your career path has been disrupted!

    Therefore, your career plan should include knowing what to do to survive and reach your career goals should you ever get the dreaded “pink slip”.

    13 Career Tips To Survive and Prosper

    1. Keep in mind that in the current environment the idea of womb to tomb job security is as dead as a hammer. Be loyal to your present employer, but never develop a romance with the organization. Know that the relationship can end at any time. There is enough suffering in store for anyone over the loss of a job without adding the pains of an unrequited love. Look out for yourself first.

    2. Be alert and well informed at all times about the outlook for your employer and your job. If you know things are going down the drain, begin a below-the-radar search for other opportunities. If the axe falls, you’ll have a head start on finding another job.

    3. Stay prepared financially. Always try to have enough cash in reserve to cover at least three months living expenses.

    4. Keep your skills up to date with the needs of the job market. Capitalize on opportunities for additional training. Read the literature of your field.

    5. Maintain an up-to-date record of your accomplishments so you can produce a resume in 24 hours.

    6. Nurture contacts with people in your line of work and with those likely to employ your type of qualifications. Be visible through outside activities and positive publicity.

    7. Help others who lose their jobs. Also, be of assistance to those who are looking to recruit employees. They may help you some day.

    8. Understand your emotions.

    Psychologist Bill Weber says getting fired is very much like dealing with the death of a loved one.

    “The first reaction is denial, or wishful thinking. There’s been a mistake. This can’t be true,” Dr. Weber says. “Then the shock sets in, followed by anger, depression, frustration and fear. Worst of all is the loss of self-esteem.”

    9. Let it go. Allow some time for grieving, but not too much. Don’t just sit there feeling sorry for yourself. It’s natural to be angry with your employer, but don’t let your feelings show. You still need him. Negotiate the best possible severance package possible for continuing pay and benefits, particularly insurance coverage. Don’t forget good references, too.

    10. Start immediately to launch your search for another, better job. Use this time to reassess the goals you have set for the rest of your life. Define the job that will enable you to achieve these objectives.

    11. Prepare a plan to market yourself. Let it be known you are available; “advertise” what you have to offer. Involve your network of friends and family in the job search.

    12. Be patient. Recognize it will take time to find another acceptable position.

    13. Don’t panic. If you possibly can afford to wait, don’t jump on the first opportunity that comes down the pike, unless, of course, it really matches up with your objectives.

    Career advice: remember two things.

    1. It can happen to anyone.

    2. A high percentage of people end up with better jobs than the ones from which they were fired.

    —
    To subscribe to Ramon Greenwood’s free semi-monthly newsletter and blog please go to http://www.commonsenseatwork.com> His advice comes from a world of experience, including serving as Senior Vice President of American Express, an entrepreneur, professional director, career coach and author.

  • Phil Rosenberg

    Great comments Robert!

    Most job seekers today still use old school strategies that worked when resumes were made of paper. In today’s Web 2.0 world, there are so many ways to give yourself an unfair advantage in the job seeking world, and you mention a few.

    I disagree with one tip #8…because cover letters are dead. Check out my podcast interview with

    I’ve got one point of disagreement with you Robert….cover letters that you mention in tip #8. Cover letters are the dinosaur of today’s job search. Cover letters are dead, a waste of time, and can actually be detrimental to your resume.

    Web 2.0 tip: Customize your resume, not your cover letter! Check out my interview with Chris Russell here (http://recareered.blogspot.com/2008/02/ugly-job-hunting-truthsand-what-you-can.html) and see why cover letters are dead (hint…resume databases strip the cover letter off, and don’t search them).

    For more ways to get an unfair advantage in your job search, Job Search 2.0 techniques, and Resume Search Optimization tips, check out http://www.reCareered.blogspot.com.

    If you’d like a free resume review, or for help or coaching to get an unfair advantage in your own job search, go to http://www.reCareered.com.

    Phil Rosenberg
    President, reCareered & Rainmakers Global
    Phone: 773-831-4628
    Email: phil.rainmakers@gmail.com
    Web: http://www.reCareered.com
    Blog: http://reCareered.blogspot.com
    LinkedIN: http://www.linkedin.com/in/philrosenberg
    Facebook: http://profile.to/philrosenberg/

  • http://www.reCareered.com,www.reCareered.blogspot.com Phil Rosenberg

    Great comments Robert!

    Most job seekers today still use old school strategies that worked when resumes were made of paper. In today’s Web 2.0 world, there are so many ways to give yourself an unfair advantage in the job seeking world, and you mention a few.

    I disagree with one tip #8…because cover letters are dead. Check out my podcast interview with

    I’ve got one point of disagreement with you Robert….cover letters that you mention in tip #8. Cover letters are the dinosaur of today’s job search. Cover letters are dead, a waste of time, and can actually be detrimental to your resume.

    Web 2.0 tip: Customize your resume, not your cover letter! Check out my interview with Chris Russell here (http://recareered.blogspot.com/2008/02/ugly-job-hunting-truthsand-what-you-can.html) and see why cover letters are dead (hint…resume databases strip the cover letter off, and don’t search them).

    For more ways to get an unfair advantage in your job search, Job Search 2.0 techniques, and Resume Search Optimization tips, check out http://www.reCareered.blogspot.com.

    If you’d like a free resume review, or for help or coaching to get an unfair advantage in your own job search, go to http://www.reCareered.com.

    Phil Rosenberg
    President, reCareered & Rainmakers Global
    Phone: 773-831-4628
    Email: phil.rainmakers@gmail.com
    Web: http://www.reCareered.com
    Blog: http://reCareered.blogspot.com
    LinkedIN: http://www.linkedin.com/in/philrosenberg
    Facebook: http://profile.to/philrosenberg/

  • Neil

    trite bullsh*t

  • Neil

    trite bullsh*t

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  • James S. Klich II

    I have been out of a job for 14 months. I had to get food stamps a few days ago. You may think I am unhappy but I am not. You have to make the best of any situation. I may have no money and things are hard but I am the Happiest I have ever been! When you got through a bad time just enjoy the ride and take a laugh. I continue to look for work and will find a career soon. I would tell anybody look for a job and volunteer at the same time. Take advantage of this time and make the best of things. Whatever happens don’t read too much into anything. If our economy gets worse than we as Americans will have to rise to the occasion and make the best of things. When things get better and they will we as Americans can work harder and make this country into what it used to be.

  • James S. Klich II

    I have been out of a job for 14 months. I had to get food stamps a few days ago. You may think I am unhappy but I am not. You have to make the best of any situation. I may have no money and things are hard but I am the Happiest I have ever been! When you got through a bad time just enjoy the ride and take a laugh. I continue to look for work and will find a career soon. I would tell anybody look for a job and volunteer at the same time. Take advantage of this time and make the best of things. Whatever happens don’t read too much into anything. If our economy gets worse than we as Americans will have to rise to the occasion and make the best of things. When things get better and they will we as Americans can work harder and make this country into what it used to be.

  • KP

    Excellent tips…

    Keep up the good work pal !

  • http://none KP

    Excellent tips…

    Keep up the good work pal !

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  • http://frugalcanadianliving.blogspot.com/ fcl

    One of the things that you could have mentioned is always be prepared to be laid off. Always keep your resume up to date.

    Make a brief summary of that project you worked on last month. You might not remember the details a year from now.

  • http://frugalcanadianliving.blogspot.com fcl

    One of the things that you could have mentioned is always be prepared to be laid off. Always keep your resume up to date.

    Make a brief summary of that project you worked on last month. You might not remember the details a year from now.

  • Nz

    All good advice, except for the part about taking government assistance. You should feel bad about this. It means you are living off of others who have no choice in the matter. Legalized theft.

    Borrow from family, friends, seek charity, churches etc, don’t take from me.

  • Nz

    All good advice, except for the part about taking government assistance. You should feel bad about this. It means you are living off of others who have no choice in the matter. Legalized theft.

    Borrow from family, friends, seek charity, churches etc, don’t take from me.

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