Getting “let go” from a job can feel just like that – you’re holding hands/connected, and then the other party lets loose their grip. If it’s a gentle separation, you land on your feet and start running in a new direction. If it’s sudden/unexpected, it can feel like a free-fall – resulting in a hard landing and splatting like one of those flattened cartoon characters from a Looney Tunes episode. In either case, there’s much assessment you need to do before you apply to any jobs (what happened, what do you want, how do you best “pitch” yourself, do you have the contacts you’ll need to find the best fit for your talents).
Start by creating a brief update statement – something that positions what’s happening in your work life. Think about what you say about your job loss …to family, to friends, to colleagues…and primarily to yourself. The separation might have been mutual (your department was eliminated, you were asked to move and couldn’t, etc). Or your old company might be closing down. Or there could be an issue (performance, personalities, etc). It’s empowering to draft a statement of how you wish to describe your change. It’s similar to describing a break-up in your love-life. In either case, YOU want to choose how to position the altered status. ADVICE–> If you can’t cough-up a gracious statement about the departure, at least be diplomatic. Anger and bitterness will reflect worse on you than on your intended target – your former employer.
Once you have your state-of-the-nation worked out (write it, edit it, sleep on it, then edit it again), let people know! Send an email to your network of friends, family, colleagues, and clients. You want people to know you’ve started a job search. How else will they be able to help you make connections on the road to your new career? You can send the message to yourself and BCC: your list of selected contacts. If you have a LinkedIn or Plaxo profile, post your statement in your summary since these are people who have chosen to stay connected with you. Another BIG reason to make sure the statement is diplomatic.
I didn’t attach a resume to my announcement email since the notice was brief and general – I just told them about the change and what type job I was looking for. Folks aren’t ready to see your resume until you’re relating it to a specific job. Next post I’ll talk about tips I learned about refreshing my resume and updating all Social Network profiles.
My Daily Steps 