7 Positive Steps After a Resource Action or RIF

Positive Steps after a Resource Action or RIF?

Yes, there are a lot of positive things to do after you have been laid off…I mean…affected by a resource action or RIF (reduction in force) or redundancy (UK term) or whatever else corporate America can think of to call a layoff.

1. Take a deep breath and chill – The worst thing to do is to start working on your resume and getting online to apply for jobs! It hurts. It hurts a lot. If you were to talk to any prospective employer, it will be evident that you are hurting. Take several weeks off and heal.
2. Take stock of your current lifestyle - This might be the right time to Repack Your Bags. Access why you are doing what you are doing. Are you still supporting adult children? Are you still living in the big house where you raised your kids? Are you properly taking care of your own health? In the past, I have written that I am a big fan of authors Richard J. Leider and David A Shapiro and their book Repacking Your Bags: Lighten Your Load for the Good Life. If you are a baby boomer, the statistics say you will make less in your next position.
3. Take stock of your current career path - Were you let go of because your job could be done cheaper by someone in another part of the world? Were you happy in your current career path? Come on—be honest with yourself! Would you like to do something completely different?
4. Take advantage of free resources - If you were laid off… I mean affected by a resource action or RIF … you were probably offered outplacement services. Take advantage of what they offer. There are lots of non-profits and religious organizations that offer job counseling services. I serve on the board of directors of Launch Pad Job Club, the largest and oldest organization of its type in Central Texas. I like to brag that we have been in existence for 13 years and served close to 14,000 people.
5. Work on your networking skills - Your next job will not likely come from submitting your resume on a job board. About 8% of jobs are filled through online applications. Your next job will likely come from a referral. Build yourself a fan club and network strategically. We live in a referral economy.
6. Work on your social media presence – For those of you who have worked for one employer for 15 or more years, this may be pretty scary. You need to build your personal brand. Your first step is to build a strong LinkedIn profile.
7. Take advantage of this moment of clarity - This could be a moment of clarity for you. A moment of clarity is when something big happens—lay off, new job, birth, death, marriage, divorce,…—that causes us to get clear. We look at life through filters. Those filters protect us. During those filters come down, and we see things clearly. What is really important to you? I devote a whole chapter in my book Repurpose Your Career: A Practical Guide for Baby Boomers dedicated to this topic. It is that important.

Being laid off … I mean affected by a resource action or RIF … can actually be a positive jolt to get you moving in the right direction!

What is your next step?

7 Positive Steps after being Affected by a Resource Action was originally posted in June of 2013 on the Career Pivot blog.

Marc Miller is the founder of Career Pivot, which helps Baby Boomers and others design careers they can grow into for the next 30 years. Marc authored the book “Repurpose Your Career: A Practical Guide for Baby Boomers.” You can follow Marc on Twitter or Facebook.