Things You'll Need:
- Your resume
- Your work samples/portfolio
- Personal contact information from trusted coworkers
- A positive attitude despite poor circumstances
- USB thumb drive (optional)
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Step 1
Get Your Coworkers' Contact Info. This is very important, because you'll want to keep in contact with your coworkers for job leads, networking, and for references for your next position. You may also want to meet with your coworkers over lunch to discuss new opportunities and companies that are hiring. At the least, it'll keep you sane as you vent about the job search and what a bummer it was to have been laid off. Misery loves company, right?
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Step 2
Sign Up for Linkedin.com. Linkedin.com is a great website for business networking. Have your coworkers sign up as well, add each other in Linkedin, and start expanding your network. Remember, it's all about who you know!
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Step 3
Join a Business Networking Group in Your Community. This is a great way to meet a diverse group of people and share job leads, career tips, and companies who are hiring. These groups often meet in churches, libraries, and other public venues.
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Step 4
Don't Become Too Casual. Don't come to work dressed in sneakers and sweats just because you'll be gone soon. Keep business casual in mind, and remain as professional as possible. You don't want to make a poor impression on your coworkers, who you may have to call upon as a reference for a new position.
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Step 5
Check Your Attitude. Layoff rumors aren't fun to endure. In my experience being laid off from a mid-size telecom firm during the tech bust of 2001, the company actually had two major layoffs before I was caught up in the third. It's not fun to see this happening and wonder if you're next on the list. Thus, the temptation is to become embittered and resentful. But at the same time, it is imperative that you try to keep a positive attitude as if nothing is going on around you. People like a little positivity and optimism, and they'll respect you for it. The result: you'll garner the respect of your coworkers and possibly gain more contacts and positive references.
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Step 6
Continue Your Work As Normal. Unless the company is completely going out of business forever, show your coworkers you care by continuing your work so they won't have to pick up the slack. They'll appreciate it and will be more likely to give you a really good reference for your future job opportunity.
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Step 7
Don't Gossip About Other Coworkers. Before a layoff, you may be tempted to gossip about coworkers you didn't particularly like thinking, "I won't see them again anyway." Avoid this temptation; gossip leads to hurt feelings and may make you look bad. And you don't want to look bad to people you may look to for help and support when you're jobless.
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Step 8
Get Your Resume In Order. Is your resume up to date? Perhaps you've become so comfortable in your job, you haven't looked at it for 10 years. Make sure your employment history is up to date and the style is eye-catching. Also make sure the resume is organized logically. Share your resume with your coworkers and get feedback.
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Step 9
Get Your Work Samples or Portfolio In Order. If your position requires work samples or a portfolio, go through your work files and begin printing out samples of your best work. If you have a USB thumb drive, copy these files and take them home with you. You can also e-mail them to your private e-mail account as attachments.
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Step 10
Always Remain Professional. It's very important to maintain an air of professionalism despite an impending layoff. You don't want your contacts (who you will need for references and job leads) to think of you in a more negative way. Unprofessional behavior includes off-color jokes, overly casual clothing, and "locker-room" or gossipy talk.
