Recovering — and thriving — after a layoff
Dear Sam:
I worked for the same company for more than eight years, but was recently laid off. The experience was a big “aha” moment for me. I realized that I haven’t been taking time to grow my skill set or build my resume. I was comfortable in my role, so I didn’t find it necessary to think about how I stacked up against peers in the same industry. How can I make myself more marketable?
Dear Maria:
It is never too late to learn new skills and grow professionally. In fact, it should become part of your regular routine. By taking part in professional development opportunities, you can benefit from a more robust skill set as well as an expanded professional network. Below are some easy ways to start getting more involved in your field and adding to your resume:
There are multiple ways to get involved with groups that interest you, including national-level organizations, industry-specific associations, neighborhood business associations and focus groups. By joining a group of professionals dedicated to the industry you’re in or would like to be in, you can make valuable contacts and get access to a wealth of information. Many groups offer conferences, training seminars and webinars that can help you build industry knowledge. Start by becoming a general member, and then work your way up to a leadership role to make an even greater impact.
Careeronestop.org, a website sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, has a professional association finder tool to locate associations by occupation or industry.
While beginning a new degree program may be time prohibitive, consider taking a course or two through a local college or community center. Many schools offer classes during evenings, weekends and online. You could take a course to learn technical skills, enhance your writing/communication skills, or to learn a second language.
There are many free tutorials, training programs and reading materials online (and offline) that you could take advantage of. Research skills that are desirable for your line of work, then find ways to practice these skills. For example, social media skills are increasingly desirable among almost every industry.
You could volunteer to take on social media projects for your church, an activity your child is a part of or a professional association you’ve recently joined. You can then add this skill to your resume and LinkedIn profile.
Books, articles, magazines, blogs — read as much as you can. Focus on content that is recent so you are up-to-date on industry trends. Having this knowledge will be important if you plan to interview soon.
Reading and sharing professional resources is a great way to stay involved with your industry and possibly make a name for yourself as an industry expert.
Being laid off can be challenging, but hopefully you can take this time to learn and grow before reemerging as an even more qualified candidate. Even after you reenter the workforce, I encourage you to stay involved in industry associations and to actively pursue professional development opportunities, as learning and growing is never a finite process. Best of luck, Maria; Samantha Nolan is a Certified Professional Resume Writer and owner of Nolan Branding. Reach her at dearsam@nolanbranding. com, visit nolanbranding.com or call 614-570-3442 or 1-888952-3928. Meet her on Facebook, live on Thursdays at 12:15 p.m. EDT, for an extended discussion of this week’s Dear Sam topic.