By Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady What Do You Want To Be Next? We often ask children, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” As an adult thinking about the future, it’s time to ask yourself, “What do I want to be next?” Whether you are in a post-layoff career transition searching for a new role, or you're employed and contemplating your future, it's a good time to think about what you want from your professional life going forward. Shouldn't I Just Take What I Can Get? As a job seeker who is unhappy with their current situation, I understand the tendency to feel like you are in no pos ..read more

Interview Preparation: The Initial Phone Screen After goodness knows how many applications, FINALLY, you have heard back from a company who wants to talk with you! There is hope after all! Welcome to what is often step one of the interview process: the phone screen. Remember, each company may handle their interview process just a little differently. Regardless, some version of a phone screen is the starting point. A phone screen can be anywhere from the basic 30-minute voice-only call where they make sure you can speak coherently and understand what you applied for all the way up to a full-blo ..read more

By Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady ​One of the hardest things about being laid off is telling other people about it--specifically fielding their uninvited questions. I'm not talking about work people or your professional network, either. I'm talking about the family friend you run into at the grocery store, that parent you went to a PTA meeting with once, and the neighbor you seldom see. Worse yet, it is interacting with a group of well-intentioned people who express their curiosity, worry, and opinions regarding your wellbeing.  Here are a few suggested talking points for managing th ..read more

By Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady Life is challenging when nothing in particular is happening. When you're going through a job change (especially one you didn't plan), it's even harder. While I'm a fan of self-reliance, I also know the value of finding people who want to support you and letting them do it. You're not weak for needing people. You are smart for planning ahead for what you will need. You Need Help Because This is Hard I have been through a post-layoff job transition 7 times, and it is difficult each and every time. There is the fear that it will just never end, and you'll be ..read more

by Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady The first step of job searching is figuring out what kind of a role you even want. Instead of jumping right into the job you did before, taking a little time for introspection is wise . One good step in this process is finding out more about your strengths. Learning about what you are good at--and how to tell the story of your talents and successes--can help you position yourself well as you apply and interview for a new role.  People Are Good at Different Things If you ask many people what they are good at, they would need help putting their natural ..read more

by  Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady Pre-pandemic, "networking" typically meant attending in-person events, shaking a few hands, and having a somewhat meaningful conversation with another human. While in-person opportunities are again plentiful, webinars continue to be popular since they are a flexible way to bring people together to learn. Be sure to think of your network during virtual events, too. Like many people, I have attended (and delivered) approximately a bijillion online meetings, trainings, and interactive instructor-led sessions. I've been approaching these sessions with a ..read more

By Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady The Adventure of Finding a New Job Whether you're gainfully employed but looking for the next right opportunity for you, or you're in career transition, job searching is hard. Here are three unfortunate job searching truths that can help you manage your mindset and emotions as you work through the ups and downs of this process.  ​Truth 1: Job Seeker Time Goes Slower Than Hiring Organization Time When you're a hiring manager, you have a ton going on, and only one of those things is hiring a new person. You're still trying to manage your team, meet dea ..read more

by  Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady Whether you are in career transition and looking for a new job, or employed and looking for something new, job searching is always challenging--partly due to all of the uncertainty you'll face as you "wait for your life to start again" as you search for the next right role fro you. Suffice it to say that job searching can be full of obstacles that make the process hard to manage. Knowing the possible issues is the first step towards figuring out how to mitigate each challenge and move forward. Here are five unfortunate reasons I have discovered whil ..read more

By Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady Getting To Know Your LinkedIn Connections Connecting with someone on LinkedIn is a great way to start a formalized relationship with someone in your professional network. While that is a great start, deepening those relationships is a helpful next step to get more value out of LinkedIn. Let's look at a few ways to do just that.  Interacting with  posts on LinkedIn is a great way to continue to build relationships with your connections and demonstrate your professional value. Not only is this a great way to build your credibility with many connec ..read more

By Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady When it comes to job searching, professional networking is a critical component of success. Ideally, you make initial connections with people through LinkedIn (maybe even after meeting them in person or at an online group event). While this is a great start, there is value in building relationships beyond that initial connection. A  1:1 meeting can significantly strengthen a networking relationship​  and help you learn how you and your new connection can help one another succeed. So what exactly is a networking meeting? Back in the day, I rememb ..read more