With so many people getting laid off, it’s important to talk about it. Our generation, which grew up internalizing the belief that a job is a relationship and that people, unless they are incompetent or crooked, work at the same place forever need to recognize that’s BS.
An employer is looking after their interests and you should be looking after yours. All jobs today are contract jobs, whether you realize it or not, and no one is judging you for being laid off.
Getting laid off is not pleasant. Besides the uncertainty of “the next job”, it’s a far deeper blow, the feeling that you are not required, and there really is no softening that. But it’s not your fault, and it’s not the fault of the employer also. It is capitalism.
How do you guard against a lay-off? Be always looking for a job. Keep resume up to date. Talk to recruiters to gauge the demand of your skills, remembering even if you have no plans to leave today, cause you may be jobless tomorrrow.
When interviewing for the next job, openly say you were laid off. That way your prospective employer is much more likely to understand where you are coming from, then saying what’s not true. To repeat, there is no reflection on your ability in this day and age from a lay-off.
Your humanity transcends your identity as an employee. You are so much more than a company issued id. No one can ask you to surrender that greater part of that which is you.
Some words from the wise.
1. Don’t keep your own stuff in your office space. Nothing that can’t fit in a box.
2. When laid off, go home and sleep it off. Give yourself 48 hours of cool down before making any move
1. Don’t keep your own stuff in your office space. Nothing that can’t fit in a box.
2. When laid off, go home and sleep it off. Give yourself 48 hours of cool down before making any move
Remember that Delhi Daredevils let De Villiers and Andre Russell and David Warner go. Kolkata Knight Riders let Gayle go. Just remember that.
