If you’ve been laid off it may have been many years since you dusted off your resume, put yourself into job search mode, and started to look for work.
As a result, you might be wondering where to start and which activities to focus on.
Even top professionals can be laid off
A client of mine at Career Impressions – John – approached me for similar advice:
“Adrienne, I was laid off. It has been many years since I have had to job search and I’m not sure where to start. Can you help?”.
A top professional, John had built a flourishing career in a well-known oil and gas company. When the local economy dipped — despite years of dedicated work history with the company — he was let go.
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The job market has changed
Looking for work for the first time in a long time was overwhelming for John, who hadn’t had to think about job search strategies, updating a resume, or preparing for an interview for many years.
He found that job searching had changed a lot, and there was a lot of confusing information on the internet.
Eliminate the guesswork
Together we outlined modern strategies, and I shared the importance of pairing a diversified job search plan with robust career tools (resume and LinkedIn profile) to improve success. I pointed out and shared many resources from Job Search Journey to help John move forward.
By eliminating the guesswork and providing trusted materials, John was able to put himself out into the market with confidence and land a role he really enjoyed in just a few months.
Job search success
“I wanted to let you know that I got a new job with an Oil and Gas in Wyoming. I start next week. It will involve doing the type of engineering management work I enjoy. Thank you again for your amazing work in helping me redesign my resume and prepare for a job search. I’ve recommended you to many people.” – John
Often people become so entrenched in their work and their careers that they forget to keep job search skills sharp – can you relate?
Resources to help if you’ve been laid off
I’m excited to join forces with other job search experts to provide job seekers of all levels with access to current, trusted resources on Job Search Journey.
Here at Job Search Journey, we take the guesswork out of the job search process, providing actionable insights and resources that can put you on a path to success, helping you secure the job you deserve, faster.
Regardless of where you are at in the job search journey, the JSJ marketplace has you covered!
Are you just starting a job search?
Check out our job search scheduling guide.
Are you ready to write a modern and high-impact resume?
Our complete resume and cover letter kit has everything you need
Are you looking to brush up on your interview skills and answer tough questions?
This complete interview preparation pack is what you need
Are you preparing to negotiate your salary?
Our early compensation conversation resource is packed full of professional advice.
Online job search tools
There are also lots of excellent online tools which every job seeker should know about. Many of these online tools are also free or offer free-trial periods.
Grammarly
Grammarly is an incredibly powerful spelling and grammar checker that many professional resume writers use to ensure a resume is 100% free of errors.
There are loads of features on Grammarly that are perfect for ensuring your resume and cover letter are as professional as they can be.
Check out Grammarly for free (affiliate)
JobScan
A fantastic tool that most people have never heard of. Jobscan will optimize your resume for any job, highlighting the key experience and skills recruiters need to see.
This tool will scan your resume and LinkedIn profile, plus there are loads more features that you should explore.
(affiliate)
Canva
Canva is a free graphic design tool that has quite literally upended the world of graphic design!
You can use Canva to create a really professional, eye-catching LinkedIn banner image. A LinkedIn banner image will help you to communicate your personal brand and attract the attention of more recruiters and hiring managers.
You can explore Canva here (affiliate)
LinkedIn Learning/Premium
It’s surprising just how many job seekers do not make the most of a 30-day free trial of LinkedIn Learning.
Not only do you get access to over 16,000 professional courses, you can also use all of LinkedIn’s premium features. You can learn more about how LinkedIn Premium can help you land a job faster, here.
Get a free trial of LinkedIn Learning/Premium here (affiliate)
Truity Career Personality Finder
Truity’s Career Personality Profiler will measure both your interests and your personality traits so you can choose a career that will keep you motivated and satisfied.
Take the Career Personality Profiler and discover which careers will maximize your potential, take advantage of your natural talents, and line up with your core values.
Truity’s Career Personality Profiler is based on the powerful Holland Code and Big Five systems, for accurate results to get you started on the right career path.
You can also explore the Truity Career Personality Profiler (affiliate)
Conclusion
Rebounding from a layoff is challenging, but you’re in the right place.
Job Search Journey exists to bring together the best career experts in the industry. You can access all of their proven tools, advice and resources right here in one place.
