How to Recover After a Layoff with Coaching

🧭 Laid-Off Candidate Survival Checklist 1. Normalize the layoff (fast) Say it once, calmly, without apology “My role was impacted by a reduction in force.” Do not over-explain, vent, or bad-mouth leadership Treat it as a fact, not a flaw 2. Reclaim your professional identity You are not your last employer Lead with skills + outcomes, not the layoff Update your headline to what you do next, not what you lost 3. Control the gap narrative Anything under ~6 months = normal right now Frame time as: recovery → search → skill sharpening One line only. Confidence beats detail. 4. Signal stability Recruiters are quietly screening for emotional readiness. Calm tone in interviews No desperation language (“I’ll take anything”) Show routine, structure, and forward motion 5. Be ruthlessly targeted Avoid panic-applying Focus on roles that match 80–90% of your background Recruiters are filtering harder; mismatches die early 6. Use your network before applications Reach out with context, not asks “I was part of a RIF and am exploring X roles — would love insight.” Referrals work best early in the process Keep messages short, human, low pressure 7. Expect sharper interviews Fewer “tell me about yourself” freebies More scenario + execution questions Prepare examples from multiple roles, not just the last one 8. Be flexible — strategically Slight comp flexibility can reopen doors Hybrid beats remote-only if urgency is high Contract or temp-to-perm can be a bridge, not a step back 9. Manage the mental tax Rejection hits harder post-layoff — that’s normal Separate search time from life time Get support (peers, coach, recruiter, therapist if needed) 10. Remember the quiet truth Layoffs are market events, not performance reviews. Most rejections right now are capacity math — not judgment. Final Thought: Your job is not to convince recruiters you’re worthy. It’s to show you’re steady, clear, and ready to contribute again.

Getting laid off shakes more than your income. It hits your identity, your confidence and your sense of momentum. If you’re not careful, you start to question your own value - just because a company made a business decision. Here’s how I coach laid-off professionals to bounce back stronger: 1️⃣ Separate fact from story. Story: “I wasn’t good enough.” Fact: You were laid off. Those are not the same. Most layoffs are structural, not personal. Stop internalizing systems. 2️⃣ Write your rebound resume. Before you job hunt, list every win from the last 12 months. Quantify outcomes. Reflect on growth. You need a record of proof, not just for recruiters, but for you. 3️⃣ Rework your narrative. You didn’t “lose a job.” You closed a chapter. Learn how to talk about your transition with clarity and confidence: → “My team was impacted, but here’s what I’m taking forward.” → “That chapter ended, and I’m excited to apply everything I’ve built to a new challenge.” 4️⃣ Talk to people who get it. Layoffs can feel isolating. Don’t go through it alone. Find others who’ve landed on the other side. Borrow their perspective until you rebuild your own. 5️⃣ Shift from job seeker to value creator. Don’t just apply. Start conversations. Share ideas. Remind yourself that you still have something to contribute right now. Layoffs happen. What matters is what you do next. If you’re rebuilding, make it intentional. And remember, your value didn’t disappear. It just needs a new place to shine.

Laid off. Let go. Restructured. The title might change, but the impact is the same. For executives and senior leaders, the emotional toll and strategic complexity of a career interruption is unlike anything you’ve faced before. You don’t just need a résumé update—you need a roadmap. I wrote this Forbes article for leaders who know they’re not just looking for their next job—they’re rethinking what’s next. 🔹 How do you make sense of the disruption? 🔹 How do you clarify your unique value? 🔹 How do you prepare for the questions you know are coming? 📘 This is not a list of generic tips. It’s a 12-strategy survival guide for navigating executive-level transitions with intention. You’ll learn how to: ✅ Build a credible Unique Value Proposition (UVP) ✅ Document accomplishments before access is cut off ✅ Use thought leadership to open hidden doors ✅ Nail your “Tell Me About Yourself” answer with confidence ✅ Develop a future-proof job search and networking plan Whether you’re mid-search, anticipating changes, or coaching others through disruption—this guide will help you take your next steps with strategy and self-awareness. 📖 Read the full article on Forbes: “Layoff Survival Guide: 12 Career Transition Strategies for Executives” 🔗https://lnkd.in/gVvFBqti If it resonates, share it with a colleague. And if you’ve experienced a career transition—what helped you most? #QualifiedIsntEnough #CareerVelocity #jobs

"I was given a career coach when I got laid off from my MD role at a global investment bank. But I still want to hire you.” This is what my client Rachel told me recently. Here’s the context: Rachel had spent 20+ years climbing the corporate ladder to become a Managing Director at a global investment bank. Her perfect-on-paper job made people assume that she had it all figured out. But things went sideways when she was laid off. The company provided a career coach to help her get back on her feet, but all they did was help her with the run-of-the-mill resume editing & interview prep process. Whereas Rachel wanted more. She didn’t just want another job, but to reevaluate her entire career. In fact, she saw her retrenchment as a blessing in disguise. An opportunity to finally pause and reassess who she wanted to become - especially as a mum with a young daughter. Which is why she came to me. Now, most career coaches would’ve steered her toward similar senior positions at other banks. Safe. Predictable. Another "perfect-on-paper" position. But Rachel and I dug deeper: → Applying her COO-level skillset to industries that actually align with her values — like health & wellness → Creating a portfolio career (consulting, advisory, board seats) that gives her flexibility and meaning → Reconnecting with the parts of herself that corporate life had buried under titles, bonuses, and performance reviews It wasn’t easy. For someone wired for achievement, slowing down to explore uncertainty felt unnatural. But once she did, possibilities opened up — ones that actually fit the person she’s become. Now she’s exploring health + wellness companies, potential board opportunities and even partnerships that align with her personal passions. She told me: “I appreciate that Jen approaches from both a corporate and entrepreneurial POV — not just an HR one. It’s outside-the-box, but practical. And it’s exactly the kind of challenge I needed.” Because most career coaches focus on tactics.  I focus on transformation. Most try to fit you back into the same box.  I will help you design a completely new one. That’s the difference between a coach who just helps you get another job... Versus one who helps you design a career that’s truly perfect for you. * 💡 If you’ve been laid off (or are thinking about a pivot) and don’t just want another job, DM me. I’ve helped clients from UBS, Google, McKinsey, Amazon & more find work that truly lights them up. Your “perfect on paper” job doesn’t have to be your forever one!

The 1st week after a layoff will either set you up or slow you down. Here's what I recommend for folks who've been impacted. Instead of blasting out applications, updating a resume, or posting a story on LinkedIn, start here: Step 1: Process and plan Don't take action out of panic or frustration. Give yourself a moment to acknowledge the impact, gather yourself, and then make a clear-headed plan. The decisions you make in the first 24 to 48 hours often define the next 90 days. Step 2: Capture your data Before you lose access to company systems, record every quantifiable result you can remember. Revenue impacted, cost reductions, team size, project scope, and timelines. This data is the foundation of your resume, your LinkedIn profile, and every interview you will have going forward. Use internal contacts to help fill in gaps if you need to. Step 3: Save your contacts Build a list of colleagues who know your work and are willing to go to bat for you. Get personal emails and phone numbers. Record their titles. These are not just references. They are your warm network, your referral pipeline, and your fastest path back to a good role. Step 4: File for unemployment Do it on your last day of full-time employment, not after severance ends. File through your state's portal. Bring 18 months of work history. Set calendar reminders to check in. Do not leave money on the table. Step 5: Understand your benefits Read your severance package carefully. Understand what COBRA costs you. Know when your RSUs vest and whether a layoff changes that timeline. Check your PTO payout and any accelerator clauses. Most people skip this step. Do not. Step 6: Set your LinkedIn signal You do not need the green Open to Work banner to signal availability. Go into your profile settings and update your preferences quietly. Recruiters who have access to LinkedIn Recruiter will still see it. Your call whether to go public, but at least turn the signal on. Step 7: Ask for recommendations Contact your strongest supporters before they move on and get busy with new roles. Make it easy for them. Send a short message explaining your situation, then offer a template they can customize. A well-written LinkedIn recommendation from a senior colleague is worth more than most people realize. The job market rewards people who move with intention. Take your time, and be strategic. Share this with others who'd find it helpful!

Laid off—even when you saw it coming? Last year it happened to me. I was ready for something new. But the moment it became real—it still hurt... deeply. Since then, I’ve coached several senior leaders through it—some called the same day. Others were already working with me when the news landed. Every time, the first instinct was the same: → Start job hunting immediately. Here’s why that’s a mistake: How you feel is what you project. Jump in too fast, and you risk poor communication, awkward networking, and settling for less than you’re worth. The average landing time for senior leaders? 12–18 months. That’s not a typo. So what should you do first? 1. Let the emotions move through (even the messy ones) 2. Fully leave before you begin seeking 3. Give yourself full permission to pause Then, when you're ready... really ready, use this framework: Want + People + Learning = Opportunity The best part? 50-80% of senior roles never get posted. They're filled through networks and connections. Which means your next opportunity isn't on a job board. It's in a conversation you haven't had yet. — → Read my full guide (link in the comments): “The Surprising Way to Reclaim Your Power After a Layoff” — 💬 Know someone navigating a layoff? Send this their way. Sometimes the best gift is knowing you're not alone. ♻️ Repost to help someone who needs this today 💓 Follow me for weekly insights on turning career pivots into momentum

Strong candidates may be getting rejected after a layoff for a silent reason. It’s not skills or experience. It’s emotional state. Most people start a job search by fixing the “visible” things. LinkedIn profile. Resume. Interview answers. All important. But there’s a step that often comes first, and it’s the one nobody wants to talk about: Your emotional state. Because when you’ve just lost a job, you may still be in shock. Your confidence may be bruised. Your nervous system may be in survival mode. And even if your resume is perfect, that emotional weight has a way of showing up in the room. Not in obvious ways. In your energy. In how you tell your story. In the hesitation after a question. In how hard it is to access clarity when you feel threatened. A friend once told me something that stayed with me. She went into her first interview after being laid off. And the interviewer said, with surprising honesty: “I don’t think you’re ready yet. I can see you’re not emotionally ready to be in this process. Take care of yourself first.” That level of direct feedback is rare. Most interviewers won’t say it. They’ll simply move on. And you may never know why you did not advance. So if you’re in a transition right now, consider this part of your strategy: Before you optimize your resume, stabilize your emotional footing. A few questions that help: 1-What am I still grieving or processing 2-What story am I telling myself about what happened 3-What support do I need so I can show up grounded, not just prepared You don’t need to do this alone. The right trusted guide may help you rebuild confidence, and translate your experience into a clear narrative. Because interview readiness isn’t only about answers. It’s about presence, emotional steadiness, and the mental space to think clearly under pressure.