I was laid off in the latest round. I'm still in shock, after spending most of my career at Nielsen. If you were let go from here or any other company, how did you manage to keep yourself focused on your job search and not completely fall apart? I have to admit, I'm struggling.
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As someone that’s always had 2-3 friends outside of work that were coworkers it sounds like you are learning a hard lesson that these folks were never your friends. It sucks to get this lesson at such a vulnerable time but it’s a good lesson to learn. Those that remained see you as out of sight out of mind. Happened to me to but it’s life. Block them and move on. Or when they text in a week or a month asking how you are don’t respond. When you get a new role keep that same energy and don’t forget how they treated you. I know this sounds harsh but the true measure of humility is how someone is treated when they are down. Don’t give people a pass to come waltzing back into your life once you are back up again. You didn’t become a criminal or catch the plague you were simply laid off. For people to distance themselves and not have empathy for you just because your name was on a list theirs wasn’t is wrong. So cry it out, be angry but dust yourself off and learn in your next role that work is work connect with 1-3 outside of work treat the rest for what they are coworkers. Stop blurring these professional lines and your mental health will thank you.
I am learning that hard lesson about your friends at work not really your friends or your family.
I sent a group text to my team since I didn't get to say goodbye to them most of them replied with a yeah this sucks sorry to see you go blah blah but I didn't hear from any other of my colleagues who I had supposedly built relationships with outside of my department... Not hearing from a single one of them.
Hello, on a separate note, could you tell us which country were you working in and when this latest round of layoffs happened?
I had a good 20+ year run in the media/tv business, with the last 15+ at Nielsen. Though my number was called a few years ago, it's always a tough day when it happens. In my case, I sort of wanted it to happen. I was grossly underpaid by all accounts, was beyond bored with my role and had a revolving door of hapless middle managers none of which gave a chty about my clients. I didn't even want to renew contracts it was so bad. LOL. My advice: There were many years that Nielsen felt like family to me but that's a faux belief. No corporation or work people are your family. Sure, you make friends here and there - but a job is a job. You do it to make money so you can enjoy other aspects of life, or in some cases to help get you closer to the retirement finish line. In today's corporate America we're all just pawns. In exchange for our services/skills, we get money. Nothing more, nothing less. Life is easier with this approach. NEVER get attached to a company.
Well, having been through this a lot in my life, here’s the truth: your job now is finding a job. Set goals every day, keep to a schedule. It sounds boring & annoying but it works. Send out x number of resumes per day, five days a week. seek out x number of recruiters per week (try not to get a zillion recruiters, many honestly aren’t that great, they’re super pushy & don’t listen well so vet them too, you’re essentially hiring them as they get paid if you land a job through them), and do this for x number of hours a day. 2 hours, 3, 6, whatever feels good to you. I personally do 2-3 hours a day, of active job pursuing / applying (not including time for interviews & screenings when those start), then another 2 hours post lunch doing follow up emails / calls or seeing if there’s a free online class I can start to brush up on my skill set. Or look for a networking event, that is more sparse in these covid times but do exist. Look for a meetup group for people in your field, or maybe just recently laid off people in your field, the goal is to find support but also network and do something with other people to help you get out of your own head.
However, don’t spend your entire waking life job hunting, you will exhaust yourself fast. I’ve done days of 10-14 hour job hunting sessions and yikes, I was a zombie. And when screenings / interviews start to roll in, you don’t want to be burnt out when they do.
The point is to keep a schedule, but don’t exhaust yourself with job hunting stress. You want fresh, rested eyes to properly read job descriptions, etc.
If you were in an office & not work from home, set up a nice space for interviews as much as you can. hang something nice behind you that makes you happy or sit in front of something that is nice for you, that you can see behind your laptop.
And above all remember that your self worth is not based on a company, companies come & go and they let go of the best people all the time. You don’t have to make sense of it, and it doesn’t have to eat at you (even though it will a bit). It’s a definite blow but it’s not because you are a bad, unworthy, etc etc person.
You’ll get through this, I know how hard this is, and hey you’ll likely find something better.
Good luck, be kind to yourself.
Try and look at the advantages you have, since you have been there for years then you received a good severance package to depend on while you job search and that gives you the ability to take time in your search. Also the career service they are providing will help you work on your resume and provide interview coaching, most companies dont over that. Take your time and try to enjoy the little break.