Welcome to part 3 of the series on handling layoffs
Here are the first 2 parts:
Part 1: 6 practical strategies to handle a layoff
Part 2: 3 simple ways to ace your post layoff interviews
In this part, I am going to talk about what you can do proactively to bolster your career before bad times strike, if they do, that is.
Here are 3 things that you can do:
1. Think of the next 5 years
In uncertain times like these, 5 years seems to be a long enough time frame to look at. Think of where you want to be at the end of it.
For instance, if you are a fresher, how far along do you see yourself in your career. Same goes for middle and senior managers. Where do you want to be in 5 years?
Don’t be too conservative or modest in your estimation. Aiming too low may not make sense.
Keep the goal higher but achievable.
What’s more important is the next thing you do.
Audit your skillset based on the future path chosen
I was recently talking to someone with 15 years of experience. The biggest stumbling block for him was the lack of a career path. A timely estimation of what he wants to do and the skills he’ll need would have saved him from a stagnant career.
Be proactive and list out skills you are good at. Also jot down skill gaps you have to make it to the higher positions you have in mind.
Even if you want to be an entrepreneur in the long run, this audit will work just fine to prepare you for the future.
Look at the list of skills and figure out how and at what pace you’ll need to build on them.
No one ever lost by being ahead in their skills compared to your peers. So make sure you get this advantage for yourself.
2. Get active on Linkedin
This is one of the most important things you can do get a jumpstart in your career. Layoff s or not, this is a must if you wish to succeed in the long term.
Here are a few things that you should do consistently – but before that make sure that you fix your profile and add the latest info.
Update your profile and make sure your profile reflects your current photo and job details.
Do these consistently, almost on an everyday basis:
#1 Engage with people
One of the biggest myths that stops people from getting active on Linkedin is the fear of creating content.
I have good news – don’t worry about creating new content everyday.
Just start by commenting on other people’s posts.
Activity on your profile alerts the algorithms about the kind of content you like and comment on. They will do their job of showing you more such content that your first connections liked. So get cracking on Linkedin
#2 Use hashtags efficiently
Use words from your industry with a hashtag and check out those content streams. This will show you more relevant content compared to even your home feed.
#3 Search for relevant people
Proactively connect with people who you think will add value to your network.
If you wish to start creating content on Linkedin, there are s many new features that make it easier for you to do that.
3. Network actively – online and offline
In a recent poll that I conducted on Linkedin, 41% people said that a strong network is critical to stay ahead in the game.
Connect on Linkedin and also ping people in your network on phone.
Keep your ears to the ground for industry news so that you know the right people when you need them.
For more detailed tips, watch the Linkedin Live replay at the beginning of this post. If you have any questions about the tips I have shared in this series, comment here or feel free to schedule a call here
What are some of the things that you’ve been doing to stay ahead of a layoff? Share in the comments.