WEBVTT - Surviving Your First Layoff 0:00:00.680 --> 0:00:07.880 LinkedIn News. I had just moved to New York and 0:00:07.920 --> 0:00:10.040 then a layoff happened and I was like, oh crap, 0:00:10.800 --> 0:00:13.119 I can't get a job. What is it for me? 0:00:13.200 --> 0:00:14.840 I called up my mom. I was like, I'm going 0:00:14.920 --> 0:00:17.479 to come back to DC. She was like, I will 0:00:17.480 --> 0:00:19.919 help you, you know, pay your rent if you need it, 0:00:20.000 --> 0:00:21.959 I will help you, but I am not going to 0:00:22.000 --> 0:00:24.919 allow you to come back here. You you have something 0:00:25.079 --> 0:00:26.840 that you need to do in New York. And Mommy, 0:00:26.880 --> 0:00:29.319 if you're listening to this episode, from the bottom of 0:00:29.320 --> 0:00:31.400 my heart, oh my god, I'm gonna get teary eyed, 0:00:31.440 --> 0:00:35.400 but like it, I am so thankful because she's knew 0:00:35.800 --> 0:00:38.000 that if I had given up on that dream, then like, 0:00:38.040 --> 0:00:39.839 had I moved back home to DC, I wouldn't be 0:00:39.880 --> 0:00:41.760 here with you. I wouldn't be on LinkedIn. There's so 0:00:41.760 --> 0:00:43.360 many things that would be different in my life. 0:00:44.920 --> 0:00:46.919 From LinkedIn News and I heard podcasts. 0:00:47.040 --> 0:00:49.760 This is Let's Talk Offline, a show about what it 0:00:49.760 --> 0:00:52.240 takes to thrive in the early years of your career 0:00:52.600 --> 0:00:55.560 without sacrificing your values, sanity or sleep. 0:00:55.920 --> 0:00:57.520 I'm Gianna Prdente and. 0:00:57.440 --> 0:01:00.480 I'm Jamaie Jackson Gadsden. So guys, today we're going to 0:01:00.520 --> 0:01:02.760 be talking about something that's kind of uncomfortable and it's 0:01:02.800 --> 0:01:08.200 also scary. Layoffs. They're unexpected and they're super anxiety inducing, 0:01:08.400 --> 0:01:10.440 and I mean, honestly, we hope you never have to 0:01:10.480 --> 0:01:13.880 experience one in your career, but your work bestie Jamay 0:01:14.000 --> 0:01:15.520 is going to tell you if someone who has gone 0:01:15.520 --> 0:01:18.360 through four that the reality is we've seen a lot 0:01:18.400 --> 0:01:21.160 of layoffs these past few years, and they've also hit 0:01:21.360 --> 0:01:22.520 many different industries. 0:01:23.319 --> 0:01:26.679 It really is rough out there and super scary to 0:01:26.720 --> 0:01:28.720 know that an employer can kind of just drop you 0:01:28.800 --> 0:01:32.040 on a dime. Layoffs can feel out of your control, 0:01:32.280 --> 0:01:35.000 and that's because they largely are. But what you can 0:01:35.080 --> 0:01:37.360 do is be prepared. That's what we're going to talk 0:01:37.360 --> 0:01:40.240 about today. We're gonna help you deal with the uncertainty 0:01:40.280 --> 0:01:42.720 of possibly getting laid off and share what to do 0:01:42.880 --> 0:01:44.000 if it actually happens. 0:01:50.080 --> 0:01:51.920 So I know a lot of you guys have probably 0:01:51.960 --> 0:01:56.280 seen on social media that people are posting their layoff 0:01:56.360 --> 0:01:59.920 stories more and more. It's really interesting because I remember 0:02:00.160 --> 0:02:02.960 time when we weren't talking about layoffs so publicly, and 0:02:03.000 --> 0:02:04.560 I would just say, over the last couple of years, 0:02:04.600 --> 0:02:07.240 in particular, I've been seeing a lot of people share 0:02:07.360 --> 0:02:10.720 their stories, some even going as far as recording the 0:02:10.840 --> 0:02:15.000 actual moment they get laid off and posting it online. Now, 0:02:15.120 --> 0:02:17.480 there's been a lot of layoffs in different industries over 0:02:17.480 --> 0:02:20.600 the years, and I know how daunting and scary that 0:02:20.680 --> 0:02:23.320 can feel. But it's been really also nice to see 0:02:23.320 --> 0:02:25.560 how people are talking about it in such an open way. 0:02:25.919 --> 0:02:27.679 I think what it's doing is it's allowing for a 0:02:27.720 --> 0:02:31.200 lot of community and support and also for you to 0:02:31.280 --> 0:02:33.560 just understand this is not just the me thing, like 0:02:33.760 --> 0:02:38.120 I am in this shared experience with other people. So Gion, 0:02:38.200 --> 0:02:40.800 I want to ask you, like, have you ever gone 0:02:40.840 --> 0:02:41.520 through a layoff? 0:02:42.000 --> 0:02:45.480 So I've never been laid off myself, but now being 0:02:45.480 --> 0:02:48.560 three years into my career, I've experienced the past, you know, 0:02:48.600 --> 0:02:51.720 two years of all of those layoffs that were happening 0:02:51.760 --> 0:02:56.640 across industries, and they happen at LinkedIn, and that was 0:02:56.840 --> 0:02:59.320 when I was like, Okay, wow, this is really hitting 0:02:59.360 --> 0:03:02.320 close to home. Obviously, there's a lot of anxiety when 0:03:02.320 --> 0:03:05.400 it comes to layoffs. You hear chatter online. I mean 0:03:05.400 --> 0:03:07.560 there's like a lot of websites for people who work 0:03:07.600 --> 0:03:09.680 in tech and people are commenting, you know, I think 0:03:09.760 --> 0:03:12.160 layoffs are happening, and it just I'm on those apps, 0:03:12.320 --> 0:03:15.520 so listen, I'm not because it was just creating more anxiety. 0:03:15.600 --> 0:03:17.680 So when layoffs happened, people were like, oh, how did 0:03:17.760 --> 0:03:18.880 you not anticipate this? 0:03:18.919 --> 0:03:21.320 And I'm like, I'm not on those sites, like I can't, 0:03:21.400 --> 0:03:21.840 I can't. 0:03:22.440 --> 0:03:25.839 So you know, it just creates a lot of anxiety. 0:03:25.880 --> 0:03:28.600 And I remember when layoffs were happening at our company, 0:03:29.160 --> 0:03:31.480 I had just moved out and I remember sitting in 0:03:31.520 --> 0:03:35.600 my apartment reading that email, thinking, crap, what if I'm next? Right, 0:03:35.640 --> 0:03:38.800 because you feel so out of the know, and it 0:03:38.840 --> 0:03:42.600 can feel sometimes super out of the blue, and it 0:03:42.640 --> 0:03:46.560 affects the entire you know, vibe of the team and 0:03:46.600 --> 0:03:49.760 the larger company, right, and then just that general anxiety 0:03:49.920 --> 0:03:51.280 of are there going to be more? 0:03:51.560 --> 0:03:54.160 Is it going to be me next? And I think 0:03:54.160 --> 0:03:55.040 for me it was. 0:03:55.000 --> 0:03:57.520 A real wake up call of like, Okay, things can 0:03:57.880 --> 0:03:59.920 change on a dime, So you need to. 0:04:00.080 --> 0:04:02.000 Be proactive with your work. 0:04:02.040 --> 0:04:04.640 If something's not working, don't wait for someone to tell you. 0:04:04.640 --> 0:04:05.880 You got to shift it yourself. 0:04:06.000 --> 0:04:08.280 Yeah, I totally agree. I think something that a lot 0:04:08.320 --> 0:04:10.280 of people don't talk about when it comes to layoffs 0:04:10.320 --> 0:04:13.720 is survivor's guilt, which is what you me so many 0:04:13.760 --> 0:04:17.240 people experience right where you are not impacted by the layoff, 0:04:17.640 --> 0:04:20.560 but you feel so guilty because now you're asking yourself, well, 0:04:20.600 --> 0:04:22.320 why was this person? You know, these are some of 0:04:22.320 --> 0:04:24.560 your friends or your colleagues, people who have been in 0:04:24.600 --> 0:04:29.000 companies for a long time, right, and there's just all 0:04:29.040 --> 0:04:31.360 these questions. And the truth of the matter is there 0:04:31.400 --> 0:04:34.719 are more questions than answers usually. Now for me, I 0:04:34.880 --> 0:04:36.760 have been on the other side of this. 0:04:37.160 --> 0:04:37.520 I have. 0:04:39.160 --> 0:04:42.680 Survived for layoffs, and I've also been impacked by one. 0:04:42.920 --> 0:04:45.599 And the one that I was impacted by hurt the 0:04:45.680 --> 0:04:47.800 worst because I had just moved to New York and 0:04:47.839 --> 0:04:51.039 I had actually just moved out of my friend's apartment 0:04:51.160 --> 0:04:55.320 into my own spot with roommates. So I was feeling like, oh, yes, 0:04:55.360 --> 0:04:57.240 I'm a big girl now, like I can you know, 0:04:57.240 --> 0:04:59.880 I'm paying rent, utilities, all the things, and like I 0:05:00.160 --> 0:05:02.760 my own room. And then a layoff happened and I 0:05:02.800 --> 0:05:05.880 was like, oh crap, and I was out of work 0:05:05.960 --> 0:05:09.120 for over six months. Now. I had a really great 0:05:09.160 --> 0:05:12.520 severance package that essentially paid for like six months worth, 0:05:12.560 --> 0:05:14.719 so it was nice, you know, I think for me. 0:05:14.960 --> 0:05:16.680 I first got in there and I was trying to 0:05:17.320 --> 0:05:20.560 get a job immediately right, and then I realized, oh, 0:05:20.640 --> 0:05:23.640 this is harder than I thought. And around month one 0:05:24.200 --> 0:05:27.080 then the depression kicks in because now I'm like, holy crap, 0:05:27.120 --> 0:05:29.599 I've moved to New York. I can't get a job. 0:05:30.320 --> 0:05:32.000 What is it for me? I called up my mom. 0:05:32.000 --> 0:05:33.440 I was like, I'm going to come back to DC. 0:05:34.000 --> 0:05:36.599 Like by month two, I was over it. She was like, 0:05:36.839 --> 0:05:39.480 I will help you, you know, pay your rent if 0:05:39.520 --> 0:05:41.440 you need it, I will help you, but I am 0:05:41.480 --> 0:05:43.560 not going to allow you to come back here. You 0:05:44.360 --> 0:05:46.360 have something that you need to do in New York. 0:05:46.400 --> 0:05:48.920 And Mommy, if you're listening to this episode from the 0:05:48.920 --> 0:05:51.200 bottom of my heart, oh my god, I'm gonna get teary. 0:05:51.279 --> 0:05:52.080 I but like it. 0:05:52.560 --> 0:05:56.279 I am so thankful because she's knew that if I 0:05:56.320 --> 0:05:58.320 had given up on that dream then So I say 0:05:58.360 --> 0:06:01.760 all of that because a moment, momentary circumstance doesn't dictate 0:06:01.800 --> 0:06:04.039 your future. Right Like, had I moved back home to DC, 0:06:04.080 --> 0:06:06.200 I wouldn't be here with you, I wouldn't be at LinkedIn. 0:06:06.240 --> 0:06:07.920 There's so many things that would be different in my life. 0:06:08.560 --> 0:06:12.599 But the layoffs that I survived are also difficult. One 0:06:12.800 --> 0:06:16.320 the survivor's guilt that I talked about. Two. Usually when 0:06:16.360 --> 0:06:19.560 you have a reduction in workforce, and if a layoff 0:06:19.720 --> 0:06:22.760 is the reason why, it's not like they're immediately backfilling 0:06:22.760 --> 0:06:25.040 those roles. So you put a lot of pressure then 0:06:25.040 --> 0:06:26.160 on the people who are left. 0:06:26.839 --> 0:06:29.120 Yeah, and we saw that especially over the past few years, 0:06:29.120 --> 0:06:31.000 because a lot of the layups were due to budget 0:06:31.040 --> 0:06:31.800 cuts exactly. 0:06:32.160 --> 0:06:34.400 And then you also have issues where like if a 0:06:34.440 --> 0:06:39.000 particular industry is being impacted, now you're getting droves of people, 0:06:39.160 --> 0:06:41.640 Like it's wild to me sometimes when I'm talking to 0:06:41.640 --> 0:06:44.440 my friends who particularly don't work in tech, because in 0:06:44.480 --> 0:06:47.760 their minds, they're not processing, Oh, all these tech companies 0:06:47.839 --> 0:06:51.600 have essentially over hired right after the pandemic, and they're 0:06:51.640 --> 0:06:55.400 like they can't conceptualize it. Whereas we're hearing ten, fifteen, 0:06:55.480 --> 0:06:58.679 thirty thousand people getting laid off, and then you're worried 0:06:58.680 --> 0:07:00.560 because you're like, oh, gosh, now all those people out 0:07:00.560 --> 0:07:03.400 in the job market, and so like, now you know 0:07:03.520 --> 0:07:04.800 for every job there's. 0:07:04.839 --> 0:07:06.120 Five thousand competition. 0:07:06.320 --> 0:07:09.279 Yeah, And so I would definitely say like surviving layoffs 0:07:09.320 --> 0:07:12.880 has not been easy, but I think for me, what 0:07:13.000 --> 0:07:15.840 helped me get through the one, particularly with our company, 0:07:16.240 --> 0:07:17.920 was I had been through so many I knew how 0:07:17.920 --> 0:07:20.400 this was going to play out right, Like it's almost 0:07:20.440 --> 0:07:22.560 like a rinse and repeat. I know how this is 0:07:22.560 --> 0:07:24.680 about to feel. I know how this is about to go. 0:07:24.800 --> 0:07:26.280 I know the space that we're going to have to 0:07:26.320 --> 0:07:31.280 hold for other people. So again, layoffs are not easy 0:07:31.640 --> 0:07:34.080 for anyone out there who's been impacted. My heart goes out. 0:07:34.120 --> 0:07:36.600 I know what it feels like. But take it from 0:07:36.640 --> 0:07:39.880 your work bestiage. You may you will get through this. 0:07:40.080 --> 0:07:42.520 You will survive this. I hope this episode is going 0:07:42.560 --> 0:07:45.560 to be helpful for you, and also do see that 0:07:45.600 --> 0:07:48.240 this could also be a positive redirection that pushes you 0:07:48.360 --> 0:07:51.600 into something even bigger, better, in something that will blow 0:07:51.720 --> 0:07:52.280 your mind. 0:07:52.840 --> 0:07:56.680 I appreciate that perspective because as somebody who is early 0:07:56.720 --> 0:08:00.000 in my career and hasn't experience that personally being laid off. 0:08:00.440 --> 0:08:02.920 I mean, my voice literally just quivers thinking about that 0:08:03.080 --> 0:08:06.080 happening to me. And like I was saying earlier, when 0:08:06.160 --> 0:08:09.960 layoffs hit the company, I thought, holy crap, am my next? 0:08:10.160 --> 0:08:13.120 And it really did get me thinking, you know, what 0:08:13.160 --> 0:08:16.360 would I do if this was me? And especially around 0:08:16.400 --> 0:08:18.640 that time, there were so many headlines around layoffs, like 0:08:18.680 --> 0:08:21.960 you couldn't ignore it, And so I started thinking, and 0:08:22.000 --> 0:08:24.680 I hadn't given you know, enough thought to it, probably, 0:08:24.720 --> 0:08:26.920 but I started thinking, you know, what would I do? 0:08:26.960 --> 0:08:30.160 Because honestly, like, if I'm being transparent, my initial reaction 0:08:30.400 --> 0:08:34.000 would be like to freak the heck out, Like I 0:08:34.040 --> 0:08:37.160 would freak out, like I would have a full blown 0:08:37.200 --> 0:08:41.960 panic attack. And I mean, you don't have a salary anymore, 0:08:42.080 --> 0:08:45.840 and you have expenses, and that's so terrifying. And I 0:08:45.840 --> 0:08:49.559 think what's so unsettling about, you know, being in an 0:08:49.559 --> 0:08:53.280 atmosphere of layoffs is like people are having conversations about 0:08:53.320 --> 0:08:55.760 you when you're not in that room, and that is 0:08:55.880 --> 0:09:00.600 such a horrible, unsettling feeling. So yeah, yeah, I think, 0:09:00.679 --> 0:09:02.079 you know, if you're early in your career and you're 0:09:02.120 --> 0:09:04.800 listening to this and you haven't been laid off and 0:09:04.880 --> 0:09:06.960 you feel this way too, you know, like, what would 0:09:07.000 --> 0:09:09.840 I do if that is an experience that I have? 0:09:09.960 --> 0:09:10.600 At some point? 0:09:10.840 --> 0:09:13.080 We're going to talk today about the steps that you 0:09:13.080 --> 0:09:15.480 can take to kind of create a plan, because listen, 0:09:15.559 --> 0:09:18.320 I need one, you need one, So hopefully we can 0:09:18.440 --> 0:09:18.880 figure this. 0:09:18.880 --> 0:09:19.480 All out together. 0:09:22.840 --> 0:09:26.040 All this layoff talk makes me nervous, But what helps 0:09:26.120 --> 0:09:28.800 is having a strategy coming up. We're going to talk 0:09:28.840 --> 0:09:31.520 about the things you should consider. I'm putting together your 0:09:31.880 --> 0:09:43.280 layoff plan. All right, guys, So we are back and 0:09:43.320 --> 0:09:45.160 we are going to be talking about how to deal 0:09:45.200 --> 0:09:48.280 with the anxiety of possibly getting laid off, as well 0:09:48.320 --> 0:09:51.200 as what to do if you actually are. Now the 0:09:51.240 --> 0:09:54.520 reality is, when it comes to layoffs, the first thing 0:09:54.600 --> 0:09:58.839 you're probably going to experience is layoff anxiety, and that's 0:09:58.880 --> 0:10:01.840 the feeling of uncertainty and at the thought of possibly 0:10:01.880 --> 0:10:03.720 getting laid off. It doesn't even have to actually have 0:10:03.800 --> 0:10:05.360 happened yet, it's the fear of it. 0:10:05.720 --> 0:10:06.000 Yeah. 0:10:06.080 --> 0:10:09.600 Maybe you know you're starting to hear rumors about possible layoffs, 0:10:09.679 --> 0:10:13.400 or your company isn't doing well financially, so you're thinking, okay, 0:10:13.880 --> 0:10:17.440 are cuts coming? Maybe they already have started doing layoffs 0:10:17.520 --> 0:10:21.920 and you're wondering, okay, am I next that layoff anxiety 0:10:21.960 --> 0:10:25.240 can really affect the overall work environment and the morale 0:10:25.280 --> 0:10:28.559 of the team, but also your work. Right, it's really 0:10:28.600 --> 0:10:32.600 hard to focus when you're concerned that your job isn't safe. 0:10:33.120 --> 0:10:35.120 And we all have the right to feel scared during 0:10:35.200 --> 0:10:38.000 such an uncertain time. So, Jimmie, I'm wondering from you, 0:10:38.080 --> 0:10:41.080 as somebody who's experienced for layoffs in your career, how 0:10:41.120 --> 0:10:45.360 have you dealt with that anxiety of potentially being laid off. 0:10:45.679 --> 0:10:47.920 Yeah, there's a couple of things that I would recommend. 0:10:47.920 --> 0:10:50.920 First of all, lean on your community and your network. 0:10:52.000 --> 0:10:54.280 One thing that a friend of mine told me years 0:10:54.320 --> 0:10:58.240 ago was that she, having worked in HR, would be 0:10:58.280 --> 0:11:00.640 in rooms with people and when it was time for layoffs. 0:11:00.760 --> 0:11:03.880 Sometimes the one thing that separated a candidate being laid 0:11:03.920 --> 0:11:06.840 off and not is the rapport that that candidate may 0:11:06.840 --> 0:11:09.680 have had with their team. So if you are someone 0:11:09.760 --> 0:11:13.120 who comes in you do great work, you have, you know, 0:11:13.320 --> 0:11:16.760 sown seeds across the company. People can attest to your. 0:11:16.720 --> 0:11:18.040 Characters seeds like. 0:11:22.920 --> 0:11:25.240 Some sunlight on them, don't kill them. Now, I don't 0:11:25.240 --> 0:11:29.560 have a green thumb, but like, sometimes it would be 0:11:29.600 --> 0:11:32.680 that small right, And so obviously that doesn't apply for 0:11:32.760 --> 0:11:36.040 every opportunity, that doesn't apply for every layoff. But I 0:11:36.080 --> 0:11:39.120 have always carried that with me, that your community will 0:11:39.200 --> 0:11:41.280 rally for you, and your community will show up. So 0:11:41.640 --> 0:11:44.960 lean on your community and network. I mean, especially if 0:11:44.960 --> 0:11:47.080 you can start to read the tea leaves and it's 0:11:47.120 --> 0:11:50.160 starting to show something weird. Make sure you are connecting 0:11:50.200 --> 0:11:53.199 with those coworkers, your mentors, your family, your friends, set 0:11:53.280 --> 0:11:56.520 up those informationals right, start acting as if you were 0:11:56.559 --> 0:11:58.680 already looking for another job. You don't have to go 0:11:58.960 --> 0:12:02.280 as hard as if you are. But you can always 0:12:02.400 --> 0:12:08.320 operate in a season of networking. And yeah, definitely always 0:12:09.240 --> 0:12:11.400 getting laid off is not an uncommon experience, and so 0:12:11.520 --> 0:12:13.560 more than likely you are going to probably also find 0:12:13.559 --> 0:12:15.480 people who are gonna talk, who are gonna also share 0:12:15.480 --> 0:12:18.520 their layoff stories. Another thing that I think is super 0:12:18.559 --> 0:12:22.400 important is like thinking about that post layoff game plan. 0:12:23.200 --> 0:12:24.680 Do you need to sit down and you need to 0:12:24.679 --> 0:12:26.520 come up with some type of plan. Okay, this is 0:12:26.559 --> 0:12:28.960 gonna help you feel sure. This is when all of 0:12:29.000 --> 0:12:32.480 my structured girlies come to the front. Okay, because this 0:12:32.559 --> 0:12:35.520 is when you can be doing things like updating your resume, obviously, 0:12:35.640 --> 0:12:39.800 updating your LinkedIn right, sharing your portfolio, writing up your skills, 0:12:40.360 --> 0:12:43.160 looking and researching what resources are readily available to you. 0:12:44.120 --> 0:12:45.960 So this is gonna help set you up so that 0:12:46.160 --> 0:12:48.560 even if you are faced with the possibility of getting 0:12:48.640 --> 0:12:52.400 laid off, you know that if that happens, you are 0:12:52.400 --> 0:12:56.080 in a position where you have everything you need another thing, 0:12:56.360 --> 0:12:59.360 go and get those recommendations. You know, we always love 0:12:59.400 --> 0:13:01.439 to hit somebody up after we're like hey, big hey, 0:13:01.480 --> 0:13:04.559 can you like be like someone who like if they 0:13:04.559 --> 0:13:08.040 call you, like, be like how you said earlier, be 0:13:08.160 --> 0:13:11.720 on the offense. Gather those things up as you can. 0:13:11.960 --> 0:13:13.600 And then the last thing I would just say is like, 0:13:14.040 --> 0:13:16.520 know how to tune out the noise For me, I 0:13:16.600 --> 0:13:20.679 love to journal, I love to create vision manifestation boards. Right, 0:13:21.320 --> 0:13:25.000 do something that makes you not focus so much on 0:13:25.040 --> 0:13:28.040 what the apps are saying, right, because you will. You 0:13:28.080 --> 0:13:31.880 will fake news, right, You will literally like gaslight yourself 0:13:31.880 --> 0:13:34.040 into an anxiety attack. Like you don't need. 0:13:33.920 --> 0:13:35.960 That, Yeah, exactly, Like. 0:13:35.880 --> 0:13:38.280 If it's gonna happen, it's gonna happen. You stressing out 0:13:38.280 --> 0:13:40.280 and looking every single day looking at the calendar seeing 0:13:40.280 --> 0:13:41.880 like it's today d day, Like no, it's not to 0:13:41.920 --> 0:13:44.480 go work, So like just focus on what you can 0:13:44.600 --> 0:13:47.360 do and prepare yourself with your community. 0:13:47.760 --> 0:13:50.600 And I want to add something that I appreciated when 0:13:50.720 --> 0:13:53.320 we had Jeanine Dolne on the show talking about side 0:13:53.400 --> 0:13:55.720 hustles a few episodes back, So make sure you guys 0:13:55.760 --> 0:13:58.360 listen to that if you haven't already. But she talked 0:13:58.360 --> 0:14:00.800 about being laid off and how kind of was the 0:14:00.880 --> 0:14:03.360 turning point for her to go full time into content creation. 0:14:04.120 --> 0:14:06.920 And I feel like with gen Z being a generation 0:14:07.000 --> 0:14:09.480 that has so openly embraced side hustles, it's a time 0:14:09.520 --> 0:14:10.840 to really focus. 0:14:10.520 --> 0:14:13.040 On that other work, that side gig. 0:14:13.120 --> 0:14:16.080 Right, So, like, if you're somebody who has a side 0:14:16.160 --> 0:14:19.120 hustle or has a hobby that is important to you, 0:14:19.160 --> 0:14:22.640 focus your efforts there and your energy there because that 0:14:22.680 --> 0:14:25.640 could potentially be something that you can fall back on 0:14:25.880 --> 0:14:27.480 if you know you are laid off. 0:14:27.600 --> 0:14:29.680 Yeah, and now you have the time, right, you have 0:14:29.760 --> 0:14:32.280 the time, maybe you have the resources, especially if you've 0:14:32.320 --> 0:14:35.600 gotten like a severance package, like go all in on 0:14:35.640 --> 0:14:37.800 your dream because you never know where that can go. 0:14:38.200 --> 0:14:40.400 Yeah, And I think also it's like a reminder that 0:14:40.480 --> 0:14:43.080 there's life outside of work, and there's other things you know, 0:14:43.120 --> 0:14:45.400 to put your energy toward that can be a little 0:14:45.440 --> 0:14:49.920 bit of an escape. Okay, So now let's say unfortunately 0:14:50.240 --> 0:14:53.280 the layoff happens and you're impacted. We're going to walk 0:14:53.320 --> 0:14:56.520 you through what to do, the steps you should take listen. 0:14:56.960 --> 0:14:59.440 Being on the jobs and career development beat for early careers, 0:14:59.480 --> 0:15:04.080 I've been so thrown into content around layoffs. The biggest 0:15:04.080 --> 0:15:09.680 thing has been this idea of pausing. I mentioned if 0:15:09.720 --> 0:15:11.840 I were to be laid off, I would panic freak out. 0:15:11.880 --> 0:15:15.800 I would probably transparently panic apply. That's not the most 0:15:15.800 --> 0:15:19.040 effective way to start job surging. So this idea of like, first, 0:15:19.160 --> 0:15:21.720 take a breath, take a beat. It can feel really 0:15:21.760 --> 0:15:25.280 overwhelming when you get laid off, and you know, feel 0:15:25.320 --> 0:15:28.600 those feelings, right like, take a second and grieve. Honestly, 0:15:28.680 --> 0:15:31.320 you know, I feel very closely tied to the company 0:15:31.320 --> 0:15:33.440 where I currently work, in passionate about my work. So 0:15:33.800 --> 0:15:37.560 I would literally have to like grieve losing the job 0:15:38.480 --> 0:15:41.040 and also be kind to yourself, you know, give yourself 0:15:41.240 --> 0:15:45.520 some space to acknowledge what has happened, protect your mental health, 0:15:45.560 --> 0:15:47.240 do what you need to do so that you are 0:15:47.280 --> 0:15:51.320 then ready to start looking for jobs. And also remember 0:15:51.680 --> 0:15:54.320 during this time that layoffs are not a reflection of 0:15:54.360 --> 0:15:59.240 your skills, your experience, your talents, right like. Unfortunately, a 0:15:59.280 --> 0:16:03.360 lot of times like are just a consequence of unfortunate circumstances. 0:16:03.400 --> 0:16:05.600 What's happening in the economy and it's not a reflection 0:16:05.800 --> 0:16:07.840 of your worth, So keep your head up, don't let 0:16:07.880 --> 0:16:10.880 it knock your confidence, and then it's time to start, 0:16:10.880 --> 0:16:13.360 you know, looking at those resources and start job searching. 0:16:13.480 --> 0:16:15.600 Yeah. I really appreciate you sharing that, g because I 0:16:15.640 --> 0:16:17.560 think we always have to remember that, like, at the 0:16:17.640 --> 0:16:19.840 end of the day, these are corporations that we do 0:16:19.920 --> 0:16:21.960 work for, but like you also need to take a 0:16:21.960 --> 0:16:25.200 step back, take a pause, and remember that your worth 0:16:25.280 --> 0:16:28.240 is not attached to your work. So let's also talk 0:16:28.240 --> 0:16:30.840 about resources. Though. The first thing that I would definitely 0:16:30.880 --> 0:16:34.840 recommend is navigating government assistance. Y'all. I really want to 0:16:34.840 --> 0:16:36.800 make sure you are listening for this part, okay, because 0:16:36.840 --> 0:16:38.720 this is so important and these are mistakes that I 0:16:38.840 --> 0:16:41.520 made the first time I got laid off. There's a 0:16:41.520 --> 0:16:43.560 lot of government resources that you can rely on if 0:16:43.600 --> 0:16:44.160 you're laid off. 0:16:44.200 --> 0:16:44.480 Okay. 0:16:44.760 --> 0:16:49.200 The biggest one unemployment insurance. Okay. Each state is gonna 0:16:49.200 --> 0:16:51.240 have their own requirements, so you're gonna definitely have to 0:16:51.240 --> 0:16:54.200 make sure you check that out in the qualification criteria. 0:16:54.800 --> 0:16:57.160 But please look into applying. No matter what, a lot 0:16:57.200 --> 0:16:58.600 of people will be like, oh no, I'm a find 0:16:58.600 --> 0:17:01.960 another job, baby, apply, Okay, just make sure that you 0:17:02.040 --> 0:17:04.800 cover yourself. Links to all of that is also going 0:17:04.840 --> 0:17:06.239 to be in the show description, so make sure you 0:17:06.240 --> 0:17:07.000 guys check that out. 0:17:07.160 --> 0:17:08.320 Wait, so I have a good question on that. 0:17:08.560 --> 0:17:11.399 Can you still apply for unemployment insurance if you're getting 0:17:11.400 --> 0:17:12.520 severance from your company? 0:17:12.640 --> 0:17:15.240 Great question. So it actually depends on the state, which 0:17:15.280 --> 0:17:17.080 is why everyone's going to need to make sure that 0:17:17.119 --> 0:17:18.359 they check out the criteria. 0:17:18.520 --> 0:17:18.840 Gotcha. 0:17:19.040 --> 0:17:21.760 Yeah, So the government will actually offer you a stipend 0:17:21.760 --> 0:17:23.800 for the number of weeks depending on your state while 0:17:23.840 --> 0:17:27.159 you look for another job, which is always great. Another 0:17:27.200 --> 0:17:30.879 thing to look into is health insurance. Now, look, y'all, 0:17:31.080 --> 0:17:33.399 I used to be twenty three once before, ok two, 0:17:33.480 --> 0:17:37.000 I thought I was inevitably gonna stay young forever. And 0:17:37.040 --> 0:17:39.359 then I cracked my knee. And then I'm like, what 0:17:39.560 --> 0:17:43.040 my knees crack in the morning? Now, okay, wait, I 0:17:43.119 --> 0:17:43.560 know what age? 0:17:43.600 --> 0:17:44.760 Were your knees cracking like this? 0:17:45.920 --> 0:17:48.440 I have never had strong kneed? Can Meg the Stallion 0:17:48.480 --> 0:17:51.520 have never been the same person. But I say all 0:17:51.560 --> 0:17:53.560 of that to say that health insurance matters. 0:17:53.640 --> 0:17:53.840 Right. 0:17:53.920 --> 0:17:56.640 You do not want to be out here without health insurance. 0:17:56.640 --> 0:17:59.760 And then something comes up, So applying for health insurance 0:17:59.760 --> 0:18:01.639 is all going to vary by state. You know, you 0:18:01.680 --> 0:18:04.440 have a lot of common options, including Cobra, which a 0:18:04.480 --> 0:18:06.560 lot of people have heard about, or you can even 0:18:06.600 --> 0:18:09.919 shop the healthcare dot gov marketplace. One thing that I 0:18:09.960 --> 0:18:13.440 will definitely emphasize here is more than likely when you 0:18:14.000 --> 0:18:17.359 are let go, you will have a conversation with HR. 0:18:17.560 --> 0:18:19.399 Usually it either might be with HR or it might 0:18:19.440 --> 0:18:21.560 be your manager. It depends also on the company size 0:18:21.560 --> 0:18:23.960 and how many people they have to get through. If 0:18:24.000 --> 0:18:27.760 you have the opportunity to talk to HR directly ask 0:18:27.960 --> 0:18:31.680 them questions. In that moment, you are going to probably 0:18:31.680 --> 0:18:33.560 want to stop thinking, you're going to zone out, You're 0:18:33.600 --> 0:18:37.480 going to dissociate, right. You need to stay present and 0:18:37.560 --> 0:18:40.920 in the moment and level headed and ask the questions 0:18:40.960 --> 0:18:44.720 because your HR professional is going to be able to 0:18:44.800 --> 0:18:47.680 tell you where to look and even how much longer 0:18:47.720 --> 0:18:49.280 you have health insurance for right. 0:18:49.400 --> 0:18:52.160 Yeah, that's such an important call out. And I feel 0:18:52.200 --> 0:18:55.560 like when you were talking before about your layoff game 0:18:55.600 --> 0:18:58.600 plan to start when you're crafting that during that anxiety period, 0:18:58.800 --> 0:19:00.840 you should write out the question that you would ask, 0:19:00.880 --> 0:19:04.119 because I'm sure during that conversation your mind goes blank. 0:19:04.200 --> 0:19:05.800 So prepare those questions ahead of time. 0:19:05.920 --> 0:19:11.119