Laid off? Get moving with a plan

Take control, losing your job needn't affect your re-employment prospects

By Joyce Teo, The Straits Times, 11 Jun 2012

YOU assume that you and your company are doing just fine.

Of course, every now and then, you hear of staff being laid off, but it has never seemed likely that you will get the dreaded pink slip.

Then suddenly it happens.

Losing a job can be hell and your self-esteem can take a battering even if you are shown the door through no fault of your own.

But just remember: You have the power to turn this around. And while you may be convinced that losing your job will affect your re-employment prospects, this need not be so.

'More employers are aware of the challenging business environment and hence would be more receptive towards a previously retrenched applicant,' said Mr Dhirendra Shantilal, Kelly Services' senior vice-president, Asia-Pacific.

'In that respect, there would be more objectivity in the way employers deal with job applicants.'

RecruitPlus Consulting managing director Adrian Tan said the stigma of retrenchment is almost gone now.

'The line manager or human resource person might have been through the same thing, and more importantly, job hopping is a tougher issue to tackle than someone who is loyal and was retrenched.'

So what you need is a post-layoff plan.

Stay energised

IT IS easy to slump into a funk. Sleep in, have a late lunch and an afternoon nap, then sink into your sofa in front of the TV set, and the day's almost gone.

Instead, tell yourself that you have an important goal: to look for a new job.

In the meantime, you may want to get to the tasks that you've always been wanting to do - paint your house, clear out your junk, do some volunteer work or start a garden.

Gauge your finances

NEXT, look at your expenses and see if it is time to cut down on dining out or on other luxuries.

Celebrity chef Siti Mastura Alwi told me a few months back that she bought a $2,000 brand-name bag to pamper herself after she was retrenched from her previous job. But she said the bag did not help her feel any better.

If you are lucky enough to get a good retrenchment package, do not splurge it on a luxury item that you do not need, just to feel good temporarily. Save or invest the money.

Take control

BEFORE you start looking for a new job, think about what you can do, what you want to do or what motivates you.

We are often so caught up with work that we may not have time to consider what we really want to do. A layoff could provide that vital break enabling you to reinvent yourself.

Many people have found that a redundancy pushed them to bigger things, like starting their own business or switching to an entirely different field that they love.

Update your CV

REWRITE your CV and keep it clear and succinct. A recent survey by recruitment firm

Robert Half showed that 10 minutes is all that a chief financial officer here will take to read a CV on average.

Make sure your CV highlights your achievements and reflects your potential.

Build an online network, which can help you land a job, or update the network if you already have one.

Let those in your network know that you are looking for a new job, and make use of online search engines to check for jobs.

You can, for instance, personalise your job search using the LinkedIn job search engine.

Mr Tan's advice is: 'Before you start grabbing a hammer to bash things up, you should really go to your LinkedIn and update it. This is because chances are, your colleague who sits next to you is also being let go. You have to compete on the first-mover advantage, especially if you know he may stand a higher chance.'

Be frank about layoff

EXPERTS advise that an applicant should be upfront with a potential employer about his retrenchment.

'There is no need to volunteer that you were retrenched in your application material. However, be prepared to talk about the situation tactfully and truthfully in an interview,' said Robert Half director Stella Tang.

Misrepresenting the circumstances of your departure could quickly come back to haunt you, she warned.

'You might say something like, 'I realised early on that I wasn't the right fit for this particular position and corporate culture. Instead of speaking up and trying to improve the situation, I stayed silent and hoped things would get better. It's not a mistake I'll repeat. I'm looking towards the future and, based on my research of your organisation, I'm confident I possess the skills, attributes and values you seek.''

Move forward

TALK about what you achieved in your old job and not about the old job itself.

'During a job search, the job seeker should emphasise the value and contribution he can bring to the prospective employer, rather than the reason for the layoff,' said Mr David Wee, managing director of HR firm Lee Hecht Harrison.

Remember not to display bitterness or criticise your former employer, as it will only work against you, advised Ms Tang.

Said Mr Shantilal: 'Just be neutral and objective. Displaying sincerity and honesty is most important in such a situation, so focus on what you can offer to the organisation.'

He added that any prospective employer would like to hire someone with confidence, who knows what he or she can do for the company.

'They are more interested in somebody who knows his or her strengths and weaknesses, and is willing to more forward, ever evolving and improving.'

This the last of a two-part series on coping with retrenchment. Read part one here.