How do you prepare for possible unemployment?
September 7, 2012 11:03 AM Subscribe
My girlfriend is feeling the heat of recent layoffs at her company. How does she save her job? How can she prepare now if it happens to her?
She's a digital retoucher working at a very large full service advertising and prototyping agency. They've been letting maybe 5-10 employees go a month -- some close to her, others in her same department, etc.
She provides them a ton of value, doing a lot of work even outside of her department, and very well. She's paid a laughable wage, and won't be "eligible" for a raise until the turn of the year.
I know she has at least one high-level exec of the company who is looking out for her and avoiding the hammer from coming down on her.
I've got an awful feeling that she might have the hammer come down on her eventually, even when she's "eligible" for a MUCH overdue and deserved raise.
I'm telling her she should keep in touch with some of the other higher-level people who liked her work, and see what she can do to find a new job.
Having at least a few months' expenses at hand, of course, is obligatory. But what else should you do when you're trying to get out of a company before they get rid of you? What can she do to at least mitigate the ridiculous stress this is placing on her?
She's a digital retoucher working at a very large full service advertising and prototyping agency. They've been letting maybe 5-10 employees go a month -- some close to her, others in her same department, etc.
She provides them a ton of value, doing a lot of work even outside of her department, and very well. She's paid a laughable wage, and won't be "eligible" for a raise until the turn of the year.
I know she has at least one high-level exec of the company who is looking out for her and avoiding the hammer from coming down on her.
I've got an awful feeling that she might have the hammer come down on her eventually, even when she's "eligible" for a MUCH overdue and deserved raise.
I'm telling her she should keep in touch with some of the other higher-level people who liked her work, and see what she can do to find a new job.
Having at least a few months' expenses at hand, of course, is obligatory. But what else should you do when you're trying to get out of a company before they get rid of you? What can she do to at least mitigate the ridiculous stress this is placing on her?
The only real answer is find another job. Everything else is just a temporary pain killer on a crappy situation. I would keep my computer cache and search history clean, and start moving pictures and other personal stuff she may have at her desk back home.
posted by COD at 11:18 AM on September 7, 2012 [9 favorites]
posted by COD at 11:18 AM on September 7, 2012 [9 favorites]
Best answer: It's always easier to find a new job when you still have one.
I've been in a similar situation, hundreds of people in one month, divisions sold off, it got to where when they said, "no more layoffs," we could expect another wave to follow shortly.
Psychologically, it was better for me to find a new job and move on, as the constant stress was too much. I found a temp-to-perm job with a shorter commute. The person who filled my slot at the old company got a pink slip in the mail a few months after she took the job.
At the very least, check jobs online and at places like Aquent to see what's out there. Do you know how her laid off co-workers have fared in the current job market? Would freelancing be an option? Would she be eligible for unemployment compensation if it happened next week?
If she can find another job I'd say go for it, as they don't usually give low level employees golden parachutes.
posted by Marie Mon Dieu at 11:22 AM on September 7, 2012 [1 favorite]
I've been in a similar situation, hundreds of people in one month, divisions sold off, it got to where when they said, "no more layoffs," we could expect another wave to follow shortly.
Psychologically, it was better for me to find a new job and move on, as the constant stress was too much. I found a temp-to-perm job with a shorter commute. The person who filled my slot at the old company got a pink slip in the mail a few months after she took the job.
At the very least, check jobs online and at places like Aquent to see what's out there. Do you know how her laid off co-workers have fared in the current job market? Would freelancing be an option? Would she be eligible for unemployment compensation if it happened next week?
If she can find another job I'd say go for it, as they don't usually give low level employees golden parachutes.
posted by Marie Mon Dieu at 11:22 AM on September 7, 2012 [1 favorite]
Can she drum up some freelance or contract work? Most people I know who do this run their own little shops, rather than working in-house. Is she networking with other people who can use her skills? Even if she's spared this time, outside work is always a cushion against the winds of change in a "real" job.
posted by Ideefixe at 11:42 AM on September 7, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Ideefixe at 11:42 AM on September 7, 2012 [1 favorite]
Keep linkedin-ning people, brush up the resume, get feelers out for jobs, and just keep her head up and work done. Pack the important things as there may not be time "that day" if that day comes.
They can fire her, but they can't kill her and eat her.
posted by tilde at 11:42 AM on September 7, 2012 [1 favorite]
They can fire her, but they can't kill her and eat her.
posted by tilde at 11:42 AM on September 7, 2012 [1 favorite]
Being laid-off is way better than being fired. She'll be able to get Unemployment Insurance while looking, if she doesn't have something lined up immediately afterward. So she shouldn't be stressing too much on that part.
In the meantime, she should consider whether or not she can do things like ask for letters of recommendation or simply include specific individuals as references on her resume without endangering her current position further. If it would, she should at least make contact with them in as business-related a fashion as she can to renew their connection and make sure she has some updated contact info to leverage if the hammer does fall.
She should update her resume. If it won't impact her current role, she should ask anyone with connections or influence to look it over and make sure it truly reflects her value to an organization and/or if they know of anyone who could utilize her skills. If it would, she should wait until after she's laid-off.
She can also start having (or lining up) informational interviews with likely prospects or places she'd really love to work. An informational interview is a bit of a table-turner, where the interested potential employee finds out more about roles that may not even be available and asks things like, "what would you advise to someone in my current position who would like to work in this role in the future?". It may or may not lead to an actual offer, but garners valuable information, communicates proactive intent to someone with hiring power, gives excellent interviewing practice, and strengthens one's network. And, sometimes, it even leads to a job.
Add these to standard tactics like submitting her resume to temp agencies as well as any job listings that look good, getting references lined up, googling herself to make sure she doesn't have anything crazy coming up against her name or email address, and checking into what services she'd like to leverage from Workforce Solutions and she's more likely to be re-employed ASAP.
posted by batmonkey at 11:43 AM on September 7, 2012
In the meantime, she should consider whether or not she can do things like ask for letters of recommendation or simply include specific individuals as references on her resume without endangering her current position further. If it would, she should at least make contact with them in as business-related a fashion as she can to renew their connection and make sure she has some updated contact info to leverage if the hammer does fall.
She should update her resume. If it won't impact her current role, she should ask anyone with connections or influence to look it over and make sure it truly reflects her value to an organization and/or if they know of anyone who could utilize her skills. If it would, she should wait until after she's laid-off.
She can also start having (or lining up) informational interviews with likely prospects or places she'd really love to work. An informational interview is a bit of a table-turner, where the interested potential employee finds out more about roles that may not even be available and asks things like, "what would you advise to someone in my current position who would like to work in this role in the future?". It may or may not lead to an actual offer, but garners valuable information, communicates proactive intent to someone with hiring power, gives excellent interviewing practice, and strengthens one's network. And, sometimes, it even leads to a job.
Add these to standard tactics like submitting her resume to temp agencies as well as any job listings that look good, getting references lined up, googling herself to make sure she doesn't have anything crazy coming up against her name or email address, and checking into what services she'd like to leverage from Workforce Solutions and she's more likely to be re-employed ASAP.
posted by batmonkey at 11:43 AM on September 7, 2012
Yup, when you get laid off, you get unemployment, so there's at least some money coming in.
Also, start beating the bushes for a new job. Advertising is a very small industry and everyone knows whats going on at every shop. No one will think anything of her starting to put her feelers out.
She should be on LikedIn and start linking to everyone she's ever worked with. People who get laid off get jobs elsewhere, and are great contacts. She should go to industry networking events, everything from the "Up-Fronts" to individual "No-Hosts". Get the trades and start looking in the the help wanted section.
Also, start getting hooked up with long-term freelance gigs. She may find that these are better paying and much less stressful than working in her shop.
Get her portfolio up to date, and be sure to collect samples of her work onto a thumb drive now, they won't let you take it with that HR guy looking over your shoulder.
Clear the work computer of all personal stuff. Get rid of all the personal gee-gaws and doo-dads on her desk. Don't make a big deal of it, but you don't want to have to call Mayflower the day you get canned.
Act as though you've already been told you're going to be laid off, as at some point she most certainly will be.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 11:50 AM on September 7, 2012
Also, start beating the bushes for a new job. Advertising is a very small industry and everyone knows whats going on at every shop. No one will think anything of her starting to put her feelers out.
She should be on LikedIn and start linking to everyone she's ever worked with. People who get laid off get jobs elsewhere, and are great contacts. She should go to industry networking events, everything from the "Up-Fronts" to individual "No-Hosts". Get the trades and start looking in the the help wanted section.
Also, start getting hooked up with long-term freelance gigs. She may find that these are better paying and much less stressful than working in her shop.
Get her portfolio up to date, and be sure to collect samples of her work onto a thumb drive now, they won't let you take it with that HR guy looking over your shoulder.
Clear the work computer of all personal stuff. Get rid of all the personal gee-gaws and doo-dads on her desk. Don't make a big deal of it, but you don't want to have to call Mayflower the day you get canned.
Act as though you've already been told you're going to be laid off, as at some point she most certainly will be.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 11:50 AM on September 7, 2012
Take any office rumors seriously. I once had an office acquaintance stop and talk to me at my desk. We rarely spoke, but he took the time to tell me that things weren't going very well and he was leaving the company.
In retrospect I can see that he was trying to drop me a hint. I was laid off several weeks later.
Your girlfriend should start hunting around for another job.
posted by rougy at 12:15 PM on September 7, 2012
In retrospect I can see that he was trying to drop me a hint. I was laid off several weeks later.
Your girlfriend should start hunting around for another job.
posted by rougy at 12:15 PM on September 7, 2012
She should get all up on linked in, and friend every coworker and client she has ever had.
She should update her resume and website (she should create one with her resume and examples of her work on it if she does not have one, a blog is fine for this).
Email herself recent examples of her work and put them on her website/update her portfolio.
Find out where laid off people have been landing and send them nice "thinking of you" messages so they keep her in mind and maintain the relationship.
Join related meetup groups (advertising groups, publishing groups, design groups, etc) and go to the events to build up a network of people that know her.
Try to meet people who are not other retouchers, since it sounds like she knows a bunch of those already and they would be competing for the same jobs. Knowing copywriters, marketing, sales staff etc could give her a leg up.
Basically, while she is employed, build her network as much as possible and document her work.
Then if she gets laid off she will have a lot of people keeping their eyes out for work for her, and her portfolio and resume will be ready to send off ASAP.
posted by rmless at 12:29 PM on September 7, 2012
She should update her resume and website (she should create one with her resume and examples of her work on it if she does not have one, a blog is fine for this).
Email herself recent examples of her work and put them on her website/update her portfolio.
Find out where laid off people have been landing and send them nice "thinking of you" messages so they keep her in mind and maintain the relationship.
Join related meetup groups (advertising groups, publishing groups, design groups, etc) and go to the events to build up a network of people that know her.
Try to meet people who are not other retouchers, since it sounds like she knows a bunch of those already and they would be competing for the same jobs. Knowing copywriters, marketing, sales staff etc could give her a leg up.
Basically, while she is employed, build her network as much as possible and document her work.
Then if she gets laid off she will have a lot of people keeping their eyes out for work for her, and her portfolio and resume will be ready to send off ASAP.
posted by rmless at 12:29 PM on September 7, 2012
Yes. Getting a portfolio together is key. Now is the time for her to email herself her best work.
posted by Sidhedevil at 12:34 PM on September 7, 2012
posted by Sidhedevil at 12:34 PM on September 7, 2012
And she needs to keep a log, starting NOW of places she applies, people she talks to. If she gets laid off, she'll need to be able to keep them straight and possibly accounted for as part of unemployment - the bonus being having that habit also lets her track hours she does work post-job for unemployment and billing purposes. I was audited several times by UI folks and they loved that I had every record at my finger tips when they called. Even got more unemployment as it turns out I was "underfiling" some weeks.
And she must must either set aside a portion of unemployment money for taxes on it or have the UI agency pull it for her.
posted by tilde at 12:50 PM on September 7, 2012 [2 favorites]
And she must must either set aside a portion of unemployment money for taxes on it or have the UI agency pull it for her.
posted by tilde at 12:50 PM on September 7, 2012 [2 favorites]
So, so this ^
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 1:20 PM on September 7, 2012
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 1:20 PM on September 7, 2012
In those rounds of layoffs, are they sort of rotating through the departments? For instance, if her department got last month's round of cuts, then she's hopefully safe until they get back around to her department...... hopefully, hopefully.
Okay, as for what to do while waiting for the other shoe to drop:
*'Laid off' is better than fired or quit, because a layoff usually gets you unemployment benefits: so unless she finds another job, hold on to the bitter end. But start the search for a new job NOW.
*She certainly needs to update her resume and portfolio right away; if at all possible, try to get glowing letters of recommendation from anybody she can, while she still can get hold of them every day at work. Also get non-work addresses, phone numbers and email addresses for those references, because once she (or they!) have been laid off, it'll be much harder to locate them.
*As you mention, a few months' expenses on hand is a good idea; pay down all credit cards, and save every penny possible.
*It may seem minor, but start clearing personal items from work: imagine if, for any reason, she couldn't ever return to her desk... is there anything there that she'd be willing to never see again? Anything from personal paperwork to photographs, her passport or just loose change. Ditto for any personal computer files or emails. Clear anything personal from her computer, and another ditto if she has a company phone.
*Whatever else happens, remain professional to the end: it might be tempting, but slacking off (or worse, actively sabotaging the current employer!) will only reflect badly on her, and make finding another job even harder than it needs to be..... she doesn't want the current employers, who will probably make up her most recent professional references, to have their last memory of working with her an UNFAVORABLE memory.
posted by easily confused at 1:29 PM on September 7, 2012 [1 favorite]
Okay, as for what to do while waiting for the other shoe to drop:
*'Laid off' is better than fired or quit, because a layoff usually gets you unemployment benefits: so unless she finds another job, hold on to the bitter end. But start the search for a new job NOW.
*She certainly needs to update her resume and portfolio right away; if at all possible, try to get glowing letters of recommendation from anybody she can, while she still can get hold of them every day at work. Also get non-work addresses, phone numbers and email addresses for those references, because once she (or they!) have been laid off, it'll be much harder to locate them.
*As you mention, a few months' expenses on hand is a good idea; pay down all credit cards, and save every penny possible.
*It may seem minor, but start clearing personal items from work: imagine if, for any reason, she couldn't ever return to her desk... is there anything there that she'd be willing to never see again? Anything from personal paperwork to photographs, her passport or just loose change. Ditto for any personal computer files or emails. Clear anything personal from her computer, and another ditto if she has a company phone.
*Whatever else happens, remain professional to the end: it might be tempting, but slacking off (or worse, actively sabotaging the current employer!) will only reflect badly on her, and make finding another job even harder than it needs to be..... she doesn't want the current employers, who will probably make up her most recent professional references, to have their last memory of working with her an UNFAVORABLE memory.
posted by easily confused at 1:29 PM on September 7, 2012 [1 favorite]
My usual checklist, having been laid off 4 times since 2009, is:
Update the resume and make sure it's current. Maybe have a friend or trusted professional review it.
Update the portfolio. If there are any important files you need, make sure you get copies of them (don't delete them or they may try to get you on destruction of company property, etc.) and have them stored somewhere offsite.
Dial back on spending now. Assume the crisis is already upon us and cut back to the essentials.
Pay off any debts, if possible. Again, the goal is cutting monthly expenses.
Be looking now. And never stop looking. See what's out there, where you might fit. It's a lot easier to get a job when you're already working, and you can take some fliers and see how they pan out.
Spin up any freelance work you can to get other streams of cash coming in.
Do the Nixon (assume your enemies are coming to get you and be super-paranoid) on the work machines/phones/hardware. Remove anything personal, clear all browser caches and histories, etc., and assume at any point they'll come in and frog march you out and may want to nose around for anything remotely incriminating. Granted, if they have half a brain, they already have it, but I've seldom worked for companies with half a brain.
Likewise, remove anything personal or treasured from the desk and work area. Take all your stuff home.
Talk to anyone you trust about being a reference, get your LinkedIn invites in order, and otherwise touch base with people that can help you.
If there are industry mixers/meetups/whatever in her area, start going to those, meeting people, and networking.
Basically, she needs to assume at any point they'll show up, drag her off to HR, hand her a cardboard box with her stuff, then frogmarch her out the door.
posted by Ghostride The Whip at 2:14 PM on September 7, 2012 [1 favorite]
Update the resume and make sure it's current. Maybe have a friend or trusted professional review it.
Update the portfolio. If there are any important files you need, make sure you get copies of them (don't delete them or they may try to get you on destruction of company property, etc.) and have them stored somewhere offsite.
Dial back on spending now. Assume the crisis is already upon us and cut back to the essentials.
Pay off any debts, if possible. Again, the goal is cutting monthly expenses.
Be looking now. And never stop looking. See what's out there, where you might fit. It's a lot easier to get a job when you're already working, and you can take some fliers and see how they pan out.
Spin up any freelance work you can to get other streams of cash coming in.
Do the Nixon (assume your enemies are coming to get you and be super-paranoid) on the work machines/phones/hardware. Remove anything personal, clear all browser caches and histories, etc., and assume at any point they'll come in and frog march you out and may want to nose around for anything remotely incriminating. Granted, if they have half a brain, they already have it, but I've seldom worked for companies with half a brain.
Likewise, remove anything personal or treasured from the desk and work area. Take all your stuff home.
Talk to anyone you trust about being a reference, get your LinkedIn invites in order, and otherwise touch base with people that can help you.
If there are industry mixers/meetups/whatever in her area, start going to those, meeting people, and networking.
Basically, she needs to assume at any point they'll show up, drag her off to HR, hand her a cardboard box with her stuff, then frogmarch her out the door.
posted by Ghostride The Whip at 2:14 PM on September 7, 2012 [1 favorite]
If this is in the US where I live, divest yourself first of any notion that you
owe the company anything, or that you should be loyal and if you just work
really really hard you will be rewarded. In general unfortunately it doesn't
work out that way. (I wish it did)
Do her best to find a new job prior to being laid off easy to say but not easy to do.
In order to get there, networking, talking to friends, linked a bit, trying to get a feel
for other positions.
If anyone can put in a word for you for a new position that is always very helpful.
A lot of jobs these days are never listed. Lots of people are looking so management
often asks their resource pool if they know of anyone who would be a good fit.
Getting a full time job fast can be hard, put getting freelance work is often easier.
It can be a great way to get a foot in the door at a couple of companies and also
exposes her to new people to network with.
posted by digividal at 3:34 AM on September 8, 2012
owe the company anything, or that you should be loyal and if you just work
really really hard you will be rewarded. In general unfortunately it doesn't
work out that way. (I wish it did)
Do her best to find a new job prior to being laid off easy to say but not easy to do.
In order to get there, networking, talking to friends, linked a bit, trying to get a feel
for other positions.
If anyone can put in a word for you for a new position that is always very helpful.
A lot of jobs these days are never listed. Lots of people are looking so management
often asks their resource pool if they know of anyone who would be a good fit.
Getting a full time job fast can be hard, put getting freelance work is often easier.
It can be a great way to get a foot in the door at a couple of companies and also
exposes her to new people to network with.
posted by digividal at 3:34 AM on September 8, 2012
Harvest content. Copy any portfolio work from the company network; she won't have access if laid off. Get personal photos and other files from company computer. Update the resume. Back up copies of attaboy notes, emails, etc. Back up email/phone contacts.
Build her network. Identify people she might want a reference from, and sound them out over time. Make a list of agency clients and/or competitors who might be in a position to hire her. Make/refresh contacts, if possible. Pretty much what rmless said. Are there industry groups she could join?
Get the finances in order. If she'll lose health insurance, get a physical right now. Don't necessarily pay off debt; preserve cash, don't incur debt. Get really frugal. Conserve vacation time - they have to pay it out.
Deal with the anxiety. The economy is on a good trajectory; jobs are opening up, and likely to open up more after the election (ConspiracyFilter - conservatives aren't hiring because they don't want Obama to look good). Unemployment insurance is a help. She may very well find a better job.
posted by theora55 at 3:47 PM on September 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
Build her network. Identify people she might want a reference from, and sound them out over time. Make a list of agency clients and/or competitors who might be in a position to hire her. Make/refresh contacts, if possible. Pretty much what rmless said. Are there industry groups she could join?
Get the finances in order. If she'll lose health insurance, get a physical right now. Don't necessarily pay off debt; preserve cash, don't incur debt. Get really frugal. Conserve vacation time - they have to pay it out.
Deal with the anxiety. The economy is on a good trajectory; jobs are opening up, and likely to open up more after the election (ConspiracyFilter - conservatives aren't hiring because they don't want Obama to look good). Unemployment insurance is a help. She may very well find a better job.
posted by theora55 at 3:47 PM on September 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
One thing that high level people do in this circumstance is get another job offer, and then shop it back to the company to get a guaranteed contract (i.e., you bind yourself to stay, but the company binds itself not to lay you off or fire you without good cause.) Probably not something a retoucher could do but (once you have the offer from a new employer) never hurts to ask.
posted by MattD at 11:12 AM on September 7, 2012