Aki is the author of TalentStories newsletter where he surveys a world of work in the midst of massive upheaval, and explores how we can adapt, lead and thrive through so much change.
He also trains and advises leaders and companies wanting to build and grow great teams in this same, changed world. Previously, Aki led Asia recruiting at Netflix, Uber, and Google.
Guest Author: Aki Taha
Two wild, real-time videos of people being laid off went viral and got all the attention this weekend.
But they shouldn’t mask that the thousands of layoffs across tech, finance and media have made for a crappy start to the year. 😔
Or cheapen the experience that so many thousands of people — peers of ours on this platform — have just had.
To those folks, below is some unsolicited advice and perspective. And a free offer, if you’re wanting some help in starting to sift through next steps. ⬇️
First, the perspective, from a long-time recruiter who’s been through two big downturns, and thinks a lot about careers:
* I’ve been laid off, and I’ve laid off others. It sucks. Healthy or not, we take tremendous meaning from our work; so it’s hard when we suddenly don’t have it — or our colleagues — to pull from.
* This makes finding your support — and being kind to yourself — the orders of the day. **Grace**, compassion, support, anywhere you can find it; but starting with yourself.
* There is no shame in this. It is not about you. It is what businesses do in downturns: they lay off when the economy goes south. The sooner you can find a way to internalize this, the better.
* If you don’t have the luxury of time off and need to get going on what’s next, start w/:
– Your story, and specifically, “Why did you leave?”
– We’re understandably raw after an experience like this, but this question comes at the start of every interview, so learning to answer it well is key.
– Type out a response, different versions if need be
– Practice, practice, practice: out loud, w/ a friend, a partner, a pet — over and over.
– Your goal is positivity, brevity, and confidence.
* As you think through next steps, and might have more time on your hands: don’t be afraid to dabble in something new or tangential. Downturns can be a great time to explore and invest in yourself — to pick up new skills, and expose yourself to new places, new ideas, new people.
* The journey is long, and this kind of exploration 👆🏻 gives you career capital. That capital will compound, remix, and recompose, and you will eventually deploy it — often in ways and with a size of impact you cannot appreciate, as you’re accruing it. 🙂
* Last but not least, to quote my mom: “This too shall pass.” And of course — you never know what it might lead to; in the short-term, much less the long.
Now, the offer:
IF you were recently impacted by a layoff, and you’re in a place to start thinking through next steps — this means you have either a) taken a breath and licked your wounds or b) do not have that luxury — DM me.
I’ll invite you to a free online session I’ll be holding that I hope can help.
It will be a mix of how-to for crafting your story after a layoff, and some very practical things you can do as you start to explore next steps.
