Thread by @greaterbayo

After A Job Loss, What’s Next?- 2

Many people handle job losses badly. Quite often, some are not prepared when it happens. The best way is to have an exit plan from the first day you start work. The best employee can be fired anytime. Have that at the back of your mind always.

COVID 19 happened to all of us and the economy of many lie in ruins. Some jobs have disappeared forever.

So what can you do when you’re faced with this precarious situation. I’ll continue from where I left off yesterday:

3. Take stock of your contacts

Searching for a job can be very tasking. In the midst of serious competition and with few jobs available, getting a desired job role often requires more than your skill set.

It often requires the ability to be able to leverage on relationships that have been built or exists. Your ability to connect to others and maximize your relationship with them can often be the difference to quickly snapping up a job,

getting interview appointments or even getting startup capital for a business.

I once worked with a younger colleague who was given a very handsome sum of money to start up a business by a client when he told the client he was leaving the job.

Another was allowed to work with his client for six months, drawing salaries, until he got a job. This is one of the reasons relationships are very important. Be careful how you treat your customers.

I usually tell people that when you serve others well, you’re actually building a bank of goodwill for yourself. You may need to draw from that bank later.

Take stock of your contacts. Who do you know? Connect with your network. If you belong to social clubs and associations, leverage on them. This is why I subscribe to folks belonging to and being actively involved with clubs like Rotary, Lions and others.

Get involved with your alumni association and your social connections. Never underestimate the power of your network.

4. Revamp your CV

Since you’re now in the job market, your cv has to be reviewed. Update your resume with your skills. Match your qualifications with the jobs you’re applying for. Check your CV to ensure all the information is captured appropriately.

Curriculum Vitae has its root meaning from a Latin word which means ‘course of life’.

Your CV is a snapshot of who you are and what you have done- a summary of your background, experience, education, achievements, awards and other activities that may be taken into consideration when looking for a job.

Your CV is the first thing a prospective employer sees before seeing you. Oftentimes, many employers have formed their impression about the candidate based on their CV even before the in-person interview.

It is therefore important that it should be well laid out with no typos, errors or spelling mistakes. I have interviewed candidates with errors in the way their names were written on their CV.

Ensure that you review your CV for correctness and accuracy as all errors therein are strictly yours even if a third party produced it for you. When a candidate gives out such a CV, you create the impression of not paying attention to details and being disorganized.

5. Update your LinkedIn Profile and Clean Up Your Social Media

You’re most likely to be checked out on LinkedIn first before any other social media platform. Spend time connecting on LinkedIn. Use a good professional picture. Update your contact information.

List your relevant skills. Get endorsed by others. Most importantly, engage on LinkedIn. Be active on LinkedIn. Follow relevant influencers.

You should use your social media to build bridges especially now that you may need a bridge to cross over to the next phase of your life. This is why I often pity toxic people on social media. What if you come to an interview with someone you have trolled?

Clean up your social media because many employers now conduct background checks.

6. Get references

I once got a job because a colleague at work referred me to his former boss. He had given me a note on his call card and asked me to take it to his former boss. I did and the former boss interviewed me on the spot. I was hired after going through the process

Think of those who can give you references. Select good names in your network and approach them for their consent. A good reference can open the door. Good references work especially in situations where the referee knows key contacts in the organization you’re interested in.

Many get jobs because someone put in a word for them. Sometimes, it can even be a former boss. Or a colleague.
Can someone put in a word for you?

I’ll continue tomorrow.

Bayo Adeyinka

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