What to Do the Day You’re Laid Off: A 24-Hour Survival Guide
I recently had the opportunity to be a guest on Savan Kong’s podcast, Life Between Titles. I’ve done a number of these types of interviews over the years, and this one was by far my best experience.
Savan was most recently the Chief Customer Experience Officer for the DoD-yes, the Department of Defense. This guy is a serious player and a badass. I was so impressed when I first met him over 15 years ago that I blogged about the impression he made on me. Recruiter–Candidate Experience.
Savan’s podcast features professionals who are, quite literally, “in between titles.” Our session focused on two big topics: how to manage your manager and what to do when you’re laid off. His format was productive, the questions were thoughtful, and the conversation covered a lot of practical ground — so I summarized the highlights here for HRNasty readers.
If you’ve recently been laid off or think a layoff might be coming, check out the full episode on Savan’s YouTube channel, Life Between Titles.
Your “Life Between Titles” doesn’t mean you’re out of the game — it just means it’s time to play smarter. Get nasty!
The First 24 Hours Are About Preventing Damage
You have just been laid off. Let’s skip the condolences — you don’t need a stranger telling you “it’ll be OK.” You need a plan. As someone who has run layoffs and been laid off (both more than once), I have experience in both and can help.
Here’s what to do in the first 24–48 hours after being laid off.
Being laid off is one of the most destabilizing moments in an adult’s life. On the day it happens, most people are operating in a state that is close to shock.
Everyone has advice because everyone knows someone who’s been laid off. That perspective comes from the other side of the table.
The first 24 hours after a layoff matter more than people realize. The decisions made during this window quietly influence the options available in the months that follow.
Why the First Day Sets the Tone for the Next Few Months
It is never easy. How we handle the first 48 hours after a layoff will set the tone for the next few months. The foundation of your job search and your family’s emotional stability will depend on the first 48 hours.
There are a few things laid-off employees should think about. What we do today will set up your next few months or a better long-term outcome.
If you’ve just been laid off, you don’t need motivation.
You need to avoid mistakes that feel justified in the moment but hurt you later
I wrote a free Laid Off Survival Guide, specifically for the first 24 hours. It outlines what to do, what not to do, and why timing matters for topics such as unemployment, social media, and severance, among others.
It’s designed to steady you before you act. It’s free. Read it before you start reacting.
→View the Laid Off Survival Guide
Free download, no email required
Unemployment Benefits After a Layoff: Why Timing Matters
Many people either rush into unemployment or delay it based on bad advice. Both can create avoidable problems later.
Unemployment benefits are a program that the company pays for on behalf of all employees when they are unemployed. This is not charity. It is a relief valve, and the benefit is that it extends your runway when we aren’t collecting paychecks.
Eligibility varies, so don’t ignore or take this benefit for granted.
Social Media Updates: Why Silence is Often Safer
I don’t know of anything that can be posted in the first 24 hours to help someone who has been laid off. Helping you and making you feel better are two different things.
Social media profiles are usually written for our friends and family. Recognize that your potential peers and future managers will read your social media profiles. Social media posts can be screenshotted, and tone can often be misread.
Silence is often safer than commentary. Especially in the first few days until we get over the initial shock.
Severance Agreements: Don’t Feel Pressure to Sign
HR may present you with a severance offer. There shouldn’t be any pressure to sign this in the first 48 hours. These documents are usually negotiable. Take your time reading and understanding the document.
HR or your manager can help answer questions or facilitate getting questions answered.
These documents are usually negotiable. Signing because of internal or external pressure will close doors. Emotional urgency works against us.
Once you sign, any leverage is gone.
Emotional Reactions After a Layoff Can Create Long-Term Consequences
Treat HR with professionalism. Most HR professionals didn’t have a vote on whether the company would conduct layoffs. They didn’t have a say in who would stay or go.
HR people are in a position to support a search for your next opportunity and want to help.
This conversation came up during my recent guest appearance on a podcast, and I’m grateful to @SavanK for the opportunity. After more than a decade of knowing each other, it was great to finally work together. Thanks for the thoughtful conversation and for including me in your journey.
Want to go Deeper?
It’s designed to steady you before you act. It’s free. Read it before you start reacting.
→View the PDF for Desktop and Printing: Laid Off Survival Guide P
→View the EPUB Mobile Friendly: Laid Off Survival Guide M
Free download, no email required
You got this,
HRNasty
nasty: an unreal maneuver of incredible technique, something that is ridiculously good, tricky, and manipulative but with a result that can’t help but be admired, a phrase used to describe someone good at something. “He has a nasty forkball”.
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