What to Do Before and After a Layoff.

Don’t know what to do during a layoff? I’ve got you covered.

Table of Contents

Reid Hoffmann once said: “If you have to conduct layoffs, which is always a regrettable thing, there’s kind of three things that are very important.

One is to communicate well with your employees in order to help them understand why it is you’re doing, and how.

Second is to make sure that the employees who are part of the go forward, understand kind of what happened and are not like the ground doesn’t keep moving. It’s like, okay, we did that, we’re moving forward, here we go.

And then for the employees that you unfortunately have to let go, try to provide as much support for them as possible.”

Reid Hoffmann

Let’s face it, it doesn’t always happen that way. Layoffs happen, sometimes no matter how much you try, it may still affect you one way or the other.

Layoffs Can Come with Any Word or Phrase:

Workforce Reduction
Rightsizing
Restructuring
Employment Separation:
Downsizing
Performance Improvement Plan (PIP): While not always a precursor to a layoff, a PIP can be a sign that the company is considering letting someone go.

Ken heard one of those words recently: Downsizing. That cold, corporate term felt like a punch to his gut.

After five years at GreenTech, he was out. This wasn’t the end; it was a detour. He stood up to it. Ken’s story and the lessons therein are the purpose of this article.

How to Make the Best of Your Layoff.

Ken pictured himself, not drowning in resumes, but crushing a content marketing interview with a newfound opportunity.

Here’s how he turned his layoff into a power move:

Here’s how:

Personal Bootcamp: Think of your layoff time as your personal content marketing bootcamp.

If you suspect a layoff, take action.

I always advice my students that if you are a valuable employee in your place of work, you should start doing something aside your work for yourself.

Take one hour every day to work on something that will benefit you in the long run. Below are a few things you can do to prepare yourself:

Take courses on platforms like

Udemy or
Coursera.
Teachable

Start a side hustle before the layoff.

Before the gates are closed behind you and you receive that dreaded sack letter or whatever it’s called, you should have figured out a side hustle.

The easiest way to go is to start a blog. I have heard it asked a million times if you can truly make money blogging. The answer is yes.

If you are still in doubt about it, go check out the 4 THINGS I GAINED BY OWNING A BLOG.

Dive deep into areas that fire you up, like SEO or social media strategy. Imagine yourself wowing hiring managers with your expertise in the latest content trends!

You may also want to read how to: Start a Blog and Make Money Even If You Have No Experience

Use the off-work time as Your Content Creation Blitz!

It’s time to showcase your newfound knowledge! Create a killer portfolio of content—blog posts, infographics, even a whole website—if you’re feeling ambitious. This is your chance to prove you can walk the walk, not just talk the talk.

Create a digital product of some sort based on your knowledge and experience.

Network Like it’s no man’s business: Let’s get you connected!

Hit the industry events and online webinars and fire up your LinkedIn if you are a creator or writer.

Don’t Neglect Networking During a Layoff

Talk to marketing folks, share your knowledge, and learn from their experiences. Building relationships is the way to go.

You never know who might have the perfect job lead! A good place to start is on LinkedIn.

Spend Some Time on LinkedIn During Your Layoff time:

When on LinkedIn,

take the time to optimize your profile.
use clear banner
invest in a good head-short image of yourself
Write a killer about infor
include a clear call to action on your featured space.
I don’t advise turning the “open to work badge on” sometimes, it’s a red flag
Then, follow top creators on LinkedIn to boost your visibility.

Layoff Time is Freelance or Volunteer Time:

Are you feeling the itch to put your skills to work? Don’t worry if no one is hiring you now.

Look for freelance gigs or volunteer with non-profits. This gives you practical experience, expands your network, and shows employers you’re a go-getter.

Become a Content Marketing Sherlock:

Here’s the secret sauce: look at the content strategies of successful companies in your area.

What kind of content are they crushing it with?
How do they engage their audience?
What are the people talking about?

By cracking their code, you’ll gain insights that will set your content apart.

Are you feeling motivated during this time of layoff?

That’s awesome!

Let me tell you, that with these tips and the right content, you’ll be the most in-demand content marketer out there.

10 Place to Publish Your Content Without Owning a Website.

As someone planning for a layoff or facing one now, you may not have enough resources to get yourself a good website. That is not a problem, as any one of the following can get you started.

Medium: A popular platform for writers and thinkers like you to share their ideas on a diverse range of topics.
LinkedIn: After building your knowledge on something unique, head over to LinkedIn and share your professional expertise and reach a network of businesses and potential employers.
Guest blogging: Reach a new audience by writing for an established blog in your niche.
Online communities: Engage with like-minded people and share your knowledge on forums and message boards. If you know a thing or two about affiliate marketing, then Warrior forum is for you.
Social media: Share your content and connect with followers on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
News platforms: Submit your content to relevant online publications or news websites. A simple Google search will show you more.
E-zines: Publish your work in electronic magazines focused on specific interests.
Content directories: Submit your articles to online directories where people can search for content on specific topics.
Quora: Use Quora to answer questions and establish yourself as an expert in your chosen field.
YouTube: Create video content to share your ideas and stories in an engaging format.

Understand these platforms provide various features and cater to different needs, so choose the one that aligns best with your goals! And if you need something with more features go check this out: Where and How to Publish Content Without Owning a Website

But if you need more boost, I have one for you.

And guess what? I can help you craft winning content that gets results.

Shoot me a message if you’d like to discuss how my writing services can take your job search to the next level! (Be sure to ask of me by name, so that I can attend to you immediately.)