Surviving after a lay off

Over the last couple of months, reports on organisations moving or shutting down certain operations have received a lot of attention in the media. In a bid to improve a firm’s bottom line, companies first look to the highest recurring costs and in many cases, the staff costs are the first to receive attention. This is the single most important reason why you can never get comfortable in your current position or organisation. In light of a less certain employment environment driven by ownership changes, bankruptcy or a change in operations, what are the career moves that will serve you far into the future?

Keep learning

There’s nothing as destabilising as becoming obsolete. With the advent of ICT for all fields, it is easier than before to keep up to date with best practices and developments. Continuously learn about what is going on around you, this allows you to make a transition if your career or industry is at risk of becoming phased out or changing drastically.

Bridges

The worst thing you could do is burn bridges. It doesn’t matter that your current, former employer is the worst there has ever been in the history of work. It doesn’t matter if you felt that you were unfairly treated. Once you make the choice to leave, try to do so with as few enemies as possible, none if you can help it. We live in a more accessible climate, things that we say on social media can very quickly make the rounds and get to the objects of conversation. Treat every ex-employer or ex-colleague as a potential opportunity. You never know when else your paths will cross.

Brushing up on your resume

In most cases, at the point at which we need to apply for a job, there’s usually not enough time to be reflective about your resume. Make it a habit to review your resume every month or at the worst, every two months. In that case, you will have one ready if someone needs it on very short notice. Also, always have a ‘master resume’ which includes all your skills whether relevant to your current career or not. This helps in case you need to apply for a different kind of job.

TIPS

- Do not burn bridges when leaving a job or employment, even if you left on less than pleasant terms. Always be professional.

- Keep learning about your profession and industry, and exploring opportunities for growth.

- Do not wait until you have to apply for that great job to look at your resume, get into the habit of frequently updating it.