Marketing Me! What to do if you have been laid off

Allegedly, this list came from the newspaper Washington Post, but I cannot find a record of it on their site. This was forwarded to be by The Career News, a newsletter I subscribe to.

I found this list a bit old fashioned and out of touch with modern reality.

Ask about severance pay. But don't bank on it. There is no federal law requiring an employer to let you take your half-empty notebooks with you, much less a couple weeks worth of pay.

My comments: Sure ask, it cannot hurt. Regarding notebooks and such, keep copies with you before the layoff happens.

Apply for unemployment benefits. This seems obvious, but young white-collar workers sometimes forget that such benefits apply to them.

My comments: I agree. Too many of us think unemployment is welfare. It is not. It is a system you and your employer have paid into. BUT - collecting benefits is a pain in the butt. The "gubermint" should make this an easier and online process.


Pare back discretionary spending, immediately. You want your savings to tide you over until you find the right job. Otherwise, you may have to take something awful just to stay afloat. It's rarely a good idea to let your bank balance completely drive major career decisions.


My comments: Common sense here. Also consider another form or two of income in the meantime. Working part time, contract work or consulting will help pay the bills and not be construed as replacement work.

Take a little time off. You may need a day or two to recalibrate, especially if the announcement came as a complete surprise. But don't let this drag on.

My comments: Wrong. Hit the ground running as soon as you are out the door at your old job. The early bird gets the worm. ALSO.. you should have had your network in place before this happened to cushion the blow. If not, get working on it now!


Perk up your resume. You will be handing it out plenty in the next few weeks or months, so take the time to make it perfect. If you need help, seek out a professional resume writer.

My comments: Wrong again! Don't spam the world with your resume. Bring it up to date but keep it ONLY for interviews and for select distribution. You know my opinion on professional resume writers. Better save your money and check out free online resources if you need help or guidance.

Distribute your resume. Once your resume is ready make sure you distribute it widely to job sites, personal contacts, employers and recruiters.

My comments: Why not make a thousand copies and throw them off the nearest office building onto a busy downtown intersection? Resume spam is no guarantee of a new job much less an interview.

Turn to your friends. Make sure you have a way to contact former co-workers and supervisors. You will need references, and a mass layoff can scatter your contacts to the wind.

My comments: This is called a network. You should have one in place now. Get busy before this situation occurs.

Don't burn any bridges. It's understandable that you will feel frustrated, even angry, but channel that anger in ways that won't damage your reputation with your former colleagues.

My comments: Rather, have a new position lined up and show these people what a mistake they made later.

Good luck!

Marketing Me! Out of office telephone rules

Out of the office for business or vacation means letting others know how to reach you by telephone.

I always leave the following greeting on my voice mail the day before I leave the office:

"Thank you for calling [My Name}. For the week of/day(s) of [Date] I will be traveling and away from my office.
Please leave a detailed message and best way to reach you. If this is urgent, you may contact me on my cellular phone
at [number]. If I am meeting with a customer, leave a message and I will call you back when available.
Thank you and have a great day"

On a related note, it drives me crazy when a business programs its phone system with a recorded message directing callers to either send an email or visit a website.

When someone uses the telephone, they want to speak with a person! Give them the means to do so!