Ex-Indeedian (Layoff Week 2)
I’m blaming myself for this layoff. Let me tell you why by telling you a story.
In February 2020, I signed up for StitchFix’s Style Pass (one year of unlimited “fixes,” e.g., boxes of clothes to buy or return.) That was just a bit more than a month before Indeed went fully remote for the COVID-19 pandemic. I might have been the only person to get more and more dressy throughout the first year of the pandemic.
Here’s the thing. Last month I signed up for the Style Pass again. I needed some new jeans and a few replacement shirts. I had no idea that a StitchFix subscription could trigger another significant shift in my life, let alone for many others who had no idea it was coming. I’m sorry y’all.
Now, obviously, my purchase of Style Pass didn’t cause the layoff. Still, I tell this story to remind us that our brains will take the easiest path to explain a situation. It’s not healthy to only ruminate on what you did that caused you to be included in the layoff. So let’s look back and learn, look forward at what’s to come, make the time to laugh a little, and make a plan for our next step.
Looking back
At Indeed, we often talked about the flywheel effect. Maybe you’re thinking of the Job Seeker flywheel, the Performance Management flywheel, or some other flywheel within the business. The flywheel effect is one of my biggest takeaways from Indeed. Looking for ways to create flywheels/feedback loops/virtuous cycles to get to where we want to go. (4 min read)
The same concept applies to your job search right now. Doing the next right thing, even if it’s small but moves the ball forward, builds momentum. Set a routine. Take a call. Practice interviews with peers. Take interviews with a company to get back out there. Whatever it is, a little momentum will help you through this tough time. Even rejections help move you forward. They tell you a place where the door is closed and help you refine your process of explaining the value you bring.
Looking forward
OK, it’s been over a week since we were laid off. Hopefully, you’ve taken some time to reflect on what you learned and what you want to do next. This week, even without a full-time job, I still found myself very busy. Coffee with old friends and former coworkers. Lunch with potential teams I could interview to join. It all added up to a lot of time on the road and away from my desk. This article on managing your time was a good reminder to pay attention to where my time is going. (8 min read)
In terms of things to get rolling this week, it was time to do a number of boring procedural things too. Investigating and filing for unemployment. Looking for replacement insurance to compare against the COBRA coverage. Making sure I got all the last bits of data (payroll stubs, performance data, legal documents, etc.) from Indeed.
Today’s Tip
Last week I mentioned how important using your network was. This week I’ll share a really tactical tip on using LinkedIn introductions. When you introduce yourself via LinkedIn (or when someone else introduces you), you can remove individuals from that conversation, much like moving someone to BCC when using email.
Clicking the … at the top of the conversation gives you the option to leave or remove people from the conversation reducing it to just the people who will be conversing post-introduction.
Fun Stuff
You made it this far. Here are a few fun cracks at the layoff market and one cat gif to cleanse the timeline until next week.
Final Words
If I can help with your search, please contact me. Please give me feedback on what you like or don’t care for in this newsletter, and I’ll adjust. For full transparency, I have no affiliation with any of the tools, companies, or resources I share. These are just my impressions, not tainted by any outside influences.
Wishing you all the best week!
RC, thanks for posting these. It takes more courage than I have to talk about a situation like this.
I have now unsubscribed to all my monthly subs. That was the key takeaway right? ;)