LIFE AFTER LAYOFF: HOW TO RELAUNCH YOURSELF AND YOUR CAREER
Big layoffs have been big news recently with companies such as Meta, Twitter, Amazon and Salesforce cutting their workforce in Australia as well as internationally. And it’s not just employees in Big Tech who are affected by layoffs. The finance sector has also been hard hit.
The reality is that layoffs can happen in any sector at any time and for a range of reasons, including cost-cutting measures, company relocation, mergers & acquisitions and outsourcing. For individuals, the impact of redundancy can be far reaching, financially, physically and psychologically. As well as the financial hardship associated with unemployment, laid-off employees may experience feelings of hopelessness, anger, anxiety and depression. And the experience may result in some individuals finding it hard to trust future employers and work opportunities.
In this short guide ‘Life After Layoff: How to Relaunch Yourself and Your Career’ we provide you with tips to motivate and inspire.
How to Relaunch Yourself
- Find your calm. However hard it might be, try to put the anger and frustration of job loss behind you. Focus on your future rather than the past.
- Consider counselling. After job loss you will likely experience different stages of grief (denial, anger, etc.). A trained professional can help you navigate complex emotions and suggest strategies for effectively managing them.
- Think practical. Put together a 6-month budget, calculating your outgoings as well as income e.g., severance pay and government payments. If it looks like you’re going to fall short, now is the time to look into, and apply for, unemployment benefit and other assistance.
- Eat healthily and exercise regularly. When you lose your job, it can be easy to let everything slide. A balanced diet and regular exercise (even a short daily walk) can have positive effects on both body and mind.
- Start a personal project. Perhaps you’ve been wanting to grow your own veggies for the last 10 years; maybe you have a complex paint-by-numbers canvas gathering dust. Working on a project may help you regain energy and enthusiasm, especially as you see your efforts pay off.
- Reach out to your family and friends. Admittedly, this can take courage, but having a solid support network is important, especially when times are tough.
How to Relaunch Your Career
- Reconnect with past employers and co-workers on social media, by email or phone. Taking the first step may be challenging. But tapping into your professional network is a smart move. It signals to your professional network that you are active in the job market.
- Revamp your resume to showcase recent professional experience, skills and achievements.
- Consider further study. There are heaps of short – and longer – courses out there. Upskilling/reskilling shows motivation and will add value to your professional profile.
- Browse jobs online to get a feel for what is available. Then, apply for relevant roles once you feel ready to take that next step.
- Approach a selection of recruitment agencies and request an initial interview with one of their team. Once you’re on their books, they can contact you when a suitable opportunity comes in.
There is life after layoff. By focusing initially on your personal wellbeing – relaunching yourself – you’ll then have the energy and enthusiasm required to successfully relaunch your career. Good luck!
The Optimal Recruitment team are here to help relaunch your career. Contact us today on info@optimalrecruitment.com.au or 02 8416 4181.
