Leveraging a Layoff - How to Make the Most of a Hard Moment

Being laid off is not an easy thing. Whether you were in a job you loved or not, a layoff is a sudden change, imposed upon you by an external force that disrupts your status quo.

A layoff can feel destabilizing mentally and economically and throw you off balance. It can be a very scary time. But it also has the potential to be an inflection point, and an opportunity for change. We all go through the motions of our jobs and develop a sense of inertia, plodding forward. But being forced to stop, even for a moment, enables us to think and question. It gives us a moment to breathe, assess, and potentially change direction.

So once you’ve processed your emotions and the initial shock has lessened, take some time to reflect on these questions. You can even do it at the same time that you begin job searching, if you are feeling economic pressure to get on the market quickly:

• Was I (fulfilled/intellectually challenged/passionate) about my old job?

• Do I want to continue on the same path or make a change?

• What elements of my old job do I want to find moving forward, and what elements would I like to shed?

• What do I want to prioritize in my next job? (Money, quality of life, meaning/purpose, etc.)

These are only some of the questions I recommend you ask yourself. You may have been forced to stop, but that doesn’t mean you are disempowered. Take this opportunity to reflect and chart an intentional path forward for yourself. You have the power to decide which direction to go next.