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Don't burn your bridges when leaving an old job.
- Jen Glantz is a bestselling author and the founder and CEO of Bridesmaid for Hire, a boutique services company that offers professional bridesmaids who "take care of all your wedding dirty work."
- Before becoming an entrepreneur and running her own business, she was laid off from her job as a copywriter at a tech startup, and experienced firsthand how terrifying being laid off can be.
- But instead of giving into panic, she turned the loss into an opportunity, by organizing her thoughts, emotions, and next steps.
- If you are newly laid off, Glantz advises carefully reviewing your severance options, keeping old coworkers as references and industry connections, and making a "fun-list" of activities to do to stay busy while looking for a new job.
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A handful of years ago, my boss called me into his office and broke the news. The company was entering a series of lay-offs and because of that my position was no longer needed at the company. What happened next happened fast. While the shock of losing my job - a job I had for three years - stung throughout my body, I was given all of five minutes to clean out my desk, say goodbye to over 50 coworkers who felt like close friends, and get escorted out of the building. I went from winning awards for being a top employee at my company to being laid-off and asked to leave the building, fast.
Getting laid off is hard to digest and, quite frankly, terrifying. Sometimes, you can get a feeling that your company may start cutting jobs, and it's a waiting game to see if your name is on the list. Other times, it catches you by complete surprise, and before you know it, you find yourself going from comfortable cubicle to street corner, holding desk gadgets and notebooks. I fell into the later category.
I walked home that morning, sunk into my couch, and gave into the sheer panic of answering the question What in the world am I supposed to do now? First, I called my parents and told them the news. Then I paced around my apartment, wondering what furniture or clothing I'd have to round up and sell if I couldn't find a new job fast.
After I was able to stop hyperventilating, I got to work. I organized my thoughts, my emotions, and my next steps. When you get laid-off, you have no choice but to act smart and move fast. Here are the six things you should have on your to-do list when the news hits that you are cut from the team.