360 Degree Career Search Blog

10 Tips for Surviving a Layoff:

10. Know What You Are Worth
Understand that you have enormous amount of talent and with that comes your value to another company. When you begin to take yourself seriously others will as well.

9. Know What You Are Made Of
Knowing and understanding your talent and skills is not an easy thing. Take a full inventory of what you offer. Put yourself in the place of an employer and think about what you could offer them.

8. Brand Yourself
Branding is what Tom Peters, author of Brand You 50, is the process of reinventing yourself. To be a brand, create a portfolio of your talents, skills, and attributes. Start with pen a paper.

7. Your 30 Second Commercial
After you have determined what your brand is, explain who you are in 30 seconds or less. This takes some practice. Some call this the elevator speech. The point is that you become as clear as you can be about who you are and what you offer.

6. Keep Learning
Determine if you should upgrade your skills. Take an inventory of your current skills. Don't be afraid to take a few classes to beef up your marketability and increase your value to a new employer.

5. Create Your Network
Do you know any big thinkers? Who do they know? Take these people to lunch or breakfast. Spend time with people who know how to make things happen. Companies are not looking to fill jobs, they are looking to solve problems, reduce cost and increase profit. Meet people who work where you want to work and ask for an informational interview.

4. Embrace Change & Understand Transition
It's normal to feel a little out of control and "like a lost puppy on the highway." Emotions are healthy. Learn to re-group yourself and plant your feet back on the ground.

3. Raise Your Standards
Be clear in your mind about what you will not accept. When the unacceptable rears its head and it will, you will know what to do. Some "unacceptable" things may be in area of pay, position responsibility, "starting over", or any other aspect of a job that will make you feel undervalued. Ultimately if you are not happy about something in your job proposal, you will grow unhappier by the day.

2. Build Your Emotional Support System
It is important to harness positive energy. Your emotional support system consists of new contacts, close and trusted friends and family. When people ask how you are doing be honest: "This is the best time of my life ever! I am in a good place and learning a lot!" When they hear your optimism they will be uplifted and so will you!

1. Nurture Yourself
During this time of transition, you will need plenty of stamina. Your mental and physical resources will be tapped on a daily and even hourly basis. Take care of yourself. Know what your body needs. Listen for signals of fatigue, mood swings, and stress. Build in breaks in your day to do and focus on something other than work. Watch what you are eating. Maintain a healthier diet than before. Exercise throughout the week to keep your body healthy and alert. Your body needs you too!