Confession: I got laid off in January
Names redacted because… you know.
Last month, I meant to write an article about what to do when you get laid off or find yourself suddenly unemployed. This is because, and I’m sure you’ve guessed, I was laid off in January. Great news though, just one month and some change later, I am about to be employed again! I am SO excited to have health insurance, money, and a reason to post on Linkedin.
When I got laid off, there were two other people in the room with me, my roommate and her friend visiting from Indiana. Normally, this would be an awkward situation, but I’m wired to love awkward situations so I immediately texted a group chat.
Getting laid off is odd because they say things like, “budget cuts,” “we’re so sorry to have to do this,” and you’re thinking to yourself, “Okay… let’s keep this moving…” and in my case, you end the call with, “Thanks! Or I guess, maybe not haha.”
Now for the important part - what DO you do after you get laid off?
Email the appropriate people with any questions you can possibly think of. Examples -
What happens to my 401K?
When do I get my last paycheck and then my severance check?
How long does my health insurance stay active?
Who can I use as a reference when applying to new jobs?
Do I get PTO + sick time payout? (In AZ, legally they don’t have to)
CONFIRM in writing you are being laid off and NOT fired. You can also ask your now-former employer their reason behind you being laid off if you want that in writing, too.
Text your work group chat if you have one and complain a little. Maybe Facetime.
Apply for unemployment benefits ASAP.
After you do this, you will need to file weekly claims here.
Apply for Medicaid if needed.
Go out with your friends and enjoy the rest of the day. I personally went shopping with my roommates.
Being serious here, it would also be a good idea to sit down and evaluate your savings and your monthly living costs to see how much time you have to find a new job. I lived at home for a year after college, so I had a good chunk in savings, but I know many are not as fortunate to have that safety cushion. Make a spreadsheet, see how long you can make it work and hit up Linkedin.
Speaking of applying to jobs, I can provide some other sites besides Linkedin to check out if you are between jobs.
Takes Indeed job postings and removes the potential scams and ghost listings. Says that it scrapes companies' listings that post on their own websites.
Pretty obvious, for remote jobs.
Only lists jobs directly from the company site.
Job board provided by an ATS company, so you are only applying to jobs directly on the company's system.
Some guy on reddit put this together and constantly updates it for various industries. The goat fr.
And now for some Linkedin tips (you can trust me on this because I was in a business fraternity).
Look up keywords in search regarding your job field - many times you can find people who are involved in the hiring process posting direct links to the job.
If you see a job posting within 6 hours and you apply, even if it’s Easy Apply, your application will likely be seen. This does not apply to when the job is ‘reposted.’
This is actually how I got my new job… I EASY APPLIED within 2 hours of the job posting. Literally could not believe my eyes when I got a call back. Absurd.
Connect with anyone you can find in the field you are aiming to be in. Even other people who are looking at the same jobs as you … because you can see when they comment underneath posts going, “Just applied, would love to connect and chat about this!” My bad if this is a little evil but game is game.
That’s all I got for now, but remember - rejection is redirection. Yes, that saying is overused and sounds stupid, but cliches are always there for a reason. And if you’re employed and reading this, IDGAF!!! THIS ISN’T FOR YOU!!
