Here’s what to do if you’ve just been laid off

Suddenly finding yourself unemployed is a precarious position to be in, and not even severance pay can take the sting out of the confidence knock a lay-off brings.

The unprecedented tech layoffs that have occurred in recent weeks at the likes of Meta and Stripe have sent shockwaves through the industry, as thousands of workers brace themselves for the task of finding a new role in a less buoyant job market.

However, the industry as a whole remains stable. In fact, according to a report by Gartner, IT expenditure is expected to increase by 5.1% and hit $4.5 trillion by early 2023, meaning the picture is broadly positive.

Take stock

Mass redundancies are nothing personal (even if they aren’t handled very well by senior management or a new CEO) and are not reflective of your skills, expertise, or work ethic. So, instead of looking at your lay-off as a negative, use it as an opportunity to reassess and re-establish where you really want to go next in your career.

You could consider switching to a fully remote role that gives you the flexibility you’ve been craving. Or you could think about pivoting in a different direction into an emerging and growing sector like AI, cybersecurity, or cloud services.

Give your CV the once over

A good way to keep your head in the game is to update your current CV with your most recent achievements while they’re still fresh in your mind. However, don’t be tempted to fire off the same CV to multiple outlets that are currently hiring. Instead, take this time to tailor it to individual job specs, paying close attention to keywords in the job description.

Not only will this help you make a good first impression—only 2% of candidates who apply for a role are selected to attend a job interview—it will also help you beat the automatic tracking system (ATS) bots that many companies now use to filter applications before they ever reach a hiring manager’s inbox.

Put yourself out there

If the last three years have taught us anything, it’s that face-to-face communication is key and in-person meetings will always yield better results than virtual networking. As such, tap into your network and arrange one-on-one meetings with your professional peers. While they might not be able to offer you a job, they might have valuable insights about other companies that are hiring, or be able to connect you with others in your industry.

Networking is also invaluable in another way: it helps with bouncing ideas around, and staying up-to-date with the latest industry developments. Networking events and conferences are an opportune way to stay connected to your professional community.

As with any kind of rejection in life, professional or otherwise, dusting yourself off and getting back in the proverbial saddle is the only way to move on.

So if you’re ready to re-enter the job market and future proof your career in 2023 and beyond, don’t forget to check out The House Of Talent Job Board, or take a look at the three roles below that are hiring right now.

Engineering Manager (m/f/d), Flink, Berlin

The Engineering Manager at Flink will be tasked with building and growing full-stack engineering teams to meet business needs. You will drive the delivery of business outcomes for teams and seek to reduce complexity to help these teams deliver solutions. You’ll also drive internal and external hiring and develop the engineering team to ensure the business retains its top talent. See the full job spec here.

Content Manager, DACH, ByteDance, Berlin

Working in the DACH regions (Germany, Austria and Switzerland), the Content Manager will be responsible for executing local content strategies by leveraging understanding of local content trends and the digital marketing landscape. You’ll curate and localise in-app content, develop editorial campaigns to nurture content, and analyse data to make decisions with the goal of improving content consumption. Advanced level German and English is required. Apply now.

User Experience Design, Chrome Privacy, Google, Munich

Google user experience (UX) is made up of multi-disciplinary teams of UX designers, researchers, writers, content strategists, programme managers, and engineers. As User Experience Designer, you’ll rely on user focused design methods to craft industry-leading user experiences—from concept to execution. You’ll also collaborate with design partners to leverage and evolve the Google design language to build beautiful, innovative, inspired products.

Requirements to qualify for this role include a Bachelor’s degree in design or equivalent practical experience, a portfolio of work showcasing UX prowess, experience with motion design, and experience collaborating with multidisciplinary teams. Find out more here.

For more great opportunities in tech, visit The House Of Talent Job Board today