Okay, in today’s episode, I’m talking about how to regroup after being laid off or furloughed. Being laid off or furloughed is a scary and stressful time, and I get it. About 20 years ago, I was downsized with zero notice. It was awful. So I have felt your pain, and I’m sorry if you’re going through this right now. Please know I’m here to help you regroup and get back on the road to successfully navigating your job search. As an executive recruiter, I experienced the recession of 2008 and have talked to thousands of professionals who were laid off. Don’t be lulled into thinking you can’t do anything right now or that you have plenty of time to take action. The job search is going to take longer than you think. So after licking your wound, so to speak, you need to get started. When job searching, think of the search like a project project your boss asked you to complete. This time, your boss is your spouse or family, and your new project is all about you. Let’s call your project landing a new job. So how do you navigate this new project of yours? Here’s how.
You need to look at your job search like a construction project. Like any successful construction project, you first have to decide all the particulars of what you want to build. And this can be detailed, very detailed, if you’re actually building something. I’m not suggesting I’m not suggesting you get into the nitty-gritty, but I am suggesting you write down on paper the following. Number one, your top five locations. Where do you want to live? Probably want to start where you reside locally and work out from there. Number two, specific titles you are seeking. Number three, what industries? Number four, who are you going to report to? You need to have all that in check. Number five, you should jot down your ideal position responsibilities. How many people you want to manage? Maybe you don’t want to manage anybody. Maybe you want to go back to an individual contributor role, or maybe you want to move out from an individual contributor and manage a team. What does this look like? Write it down and get some specifics down on paper. Next, complete your blueprint. And in this case, it’s your game plan, and it’s going to include some tactics.
This means specifically, what do you need to work on to get to the building stage? Next, you need to hire a contractor or a builder. And in your case, you want to hire a coach or a mentor on your team who knows exactly how to advise you through the project. They can also ensure that your build or your project is completed strategically in a timely manner, is built efficiently, someone that ensures that all the building materials and equipment used are the best, and that coach or mentor can guide you to make sure that when you get ready to sell, you get a maximum payout. Let me make something really clear here. For those of you who think that your resume is good to go, less than 3% of you are correct. For those of you who think your LinkedIn profile is totally optimized, most of them are not. Some of you may not even have a LinkedIn profile. If you don’t, this is a big, big mistake. I see this all the time with senior-level execs. Most of you have been successful in your career and you’ve interviewed all along, but I guarantee you, you all need some fine-tuning.
People are leaving tens of thousands of dollars on the table. Don’t put yourself in this position. Now, think of it this way. Even Tiger Woods has a golf coach. Most of you have networks, and that’s a good thing, but I bet you haven’t created an affiliate army. You’ll need one of those. Almost all of you think you can wing it. That is a big, big mistake. In today’s economy, there is massive unemployment. In fact, just today, I learned that a company lost its entire C-suite in one full swoop. There are companies laying off or furlowing thousands of people every day. So what you have to do is you have to make sure that you stand out or you separate yourself from your competition and the chaos out there. You have to stand out in a very positive way as you navigate this job search endeavor. And if you don’t do it in what I consider the the most efficient strategic way you’re going to struggle to land a new position. So that’s the start of your new project tomorrow. And in upcoming episodes, I’ll be discussing all of the components of your project in more detail
Before I wrap up today, I have an exciting announcement. My podcast will soon include video. We’ll be posting on YouTube. My team and I have a launch date of May 20th, so be sure to watch, like, and share. I’ll continue to post daily. Again, beginning May 20th, you’ll have the option to listen and/or watch, or both. Thanks for listening to my executive search, Insider Secrets on how to leap or land your next great job. I’m Mike Sudermann. Thanks for listening, and have a great day..