What I Learned From a Layoff I Didn’t See Coming
I was part of the select, leadership development program.
I had stellar reviews.
I had been promoted three times in three years.
I was on the CEO’s council for rising stars.
I worked in a department considered essential to the business.
Still got laid off.
I Didn’t Think It Could Happen to Me
But one morning, it did.
The humiliation of having Security walk each of us out of the building for the last time.
The cardboard box filled with family photos and other nicknack that I carried to my car.
And a knot in my stomach.
I felt like a failure.
And I dreaded the conversation I’d have to have with my family.
Let me be clear: I didn’t see it coming.
But that didn’t stop it from happening.
And, I’m still embarrassed talking about twenty years later.
The Reality No One Prepares You For
📉 40% of American workers will be laid off at least once in their career. (NPR)
📆 Average job search in 2024?
5.1 months. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
💸 Exit packages?
They’ve shrunk 32% in the last decade.
Most employees now get little to no severance.
Some even lose their health benefits that same day they are laid off.
What I Wish I’d Done Before It Happened
Looking back, I wish I had:
✅ Strengthened my network
✅ Updated my online presence
✅ Built a short list of “next best options”
✅ Saved key contacts and materials
But I didn’t. Because I didn’t think I needed to.
If you’re reading this and thinking “That won’t happen to me” – I get it. I said the same thing.
Here’s Your Head Start
But if you want to get a head start, I created a quick, practical guide to help you avoid what I went through:
➡️ 5 Things To Do Before You’re Laid Off
Because the best time to prepare… is before it happens.
I don’t want you to experience the same setback I went through. I want to help you be prepared. And ultimately, I want you to win.
That’s why I made this guide.
