Your position has been eliminated. It is not personal; it is just business. His lips are moving but all you hear is blah, blah, blah. He gives you an envelope and asks you to clean out your personal things or come in on the weekend to pick them up if you prefer to leave now.
You are not sure what to do. All you know is you have to get out of there – they want you to leave and you just want to sink into the floor.
What do you do next?
- Take everything from your office/work space that is even remotely yours. Once you leave you will not generally have access again. Especially make sure you have any files from your computer that are yours, like your contact lists and personal files. Do not take anything that belongs to the company. Don’t worry about pictures and such. You can pick these up later or they can be sent to your home.
- Leave the premises. You can say good-bye later via email or phone.
- Collect yourself. This is a very difficult emotional blow. Take a minute to allow yourself to cry. Maybe have a drink when you get somewhere you are safe.
- Find your spouse, parent, or significant other. You need someone to lean on.
- Read the paperwork you were given. Determine how much severance the company is offering. Find a knowledgeable friend to discuss what is appropriate.
- Contact the designated company representative to negotiate a better settlement if it is possible.
- Do not start your job search yet. Let a few days pass to let the news sink in.
- Figure out what you want to do next. Give this some thought.
- Then start your resume, targeting what you want to do.
I am kind of an expert at this. I am not sure that is something I should be proud of. My husband and I have been married for 17 years and it seems one of us has been laid off in many of those years. In fact we have a joke that only one of us is allowed to be out of work at a time. After a while you just get used to the idea that a job is no longer a permanent thing.
The bottom line is stay calm, don’t do anything you will regret later, and go home a cry for no more than three days. Then put on your big-kid pants and get on with your career. You will find a workplace and people who value you more than those yo-yo’s. I promise.
Like this article? Here are a few others you might find interesting:
“In transition? You must be kidding?”
“Starting over somewhere in the middle”
“So you have been laid off – now what?”
The Interview Doctor can help! Call us today! 800-914-7349. Or email Dan@InterviewDoc.com or Katherine@InterviewDoc.com.
[…] First 3 thingstodowhenyouarelaidoff […]