5 Things to Do After Being Laid Off in Mississauga

With housing prices climbing and the general cost of living rising, few Mississauga residents need the added stress of a layoff.

But while being let go is unequivocally awful, it is sometimes a reality.

Getting laid off is a difficult experience with much uncertainty. That said, there are actions you can take if you find yourself in this situation that will keep you active in the job market and industry. The first item on the agenda would be to update your resume, not only with the most current experience but also to the current acceptable style and format. Long gone are multiple-page resumes; nowadays it is recommended to condense your resume to one or two pages. Quantify your resume wherever possible, highlight your successes in a captivating manner that will entice the interviewer to ask for more details, and then be prepared with talking points on the experience that demonstrate the valuable skills that you would be contributing to the current company.

With a fresh resume in hand, set course for the following subsequent actions towards your next job:

1) Meet With a Recruiter

When meeting with recruiters, treat it like an interview: dress professionally, be prepared with speaking points and questions, and do your research. Share your priorities and preferences of the type of work, corporate culture, and work environment you are seeking. The recruiter’s job is to find a good match for both the company and you so be open and honest. One key benefit of working with recruiters is that often they are able to provide you feedback on a missed opportunity. Take this constructive criticism to improve for your next interview meeting.

You might want to consult Recruiting in Motion if you need help connecting with prospective employers. 

2) Practice Interview Skills

Find a friend, a family member, your pet dog or hamster, or even a mirror and practice your interview skills. It is natural to be nervous in an interview setting and forget some talking points, but the more you practice the more prepared you will feel, which can calm your nerves. There are practice interview questions online, and often employment centers hold sessions to learn interview tips and offer practice with others. Prepare a short list of experience examples that can apply to various interview scenarios so that you can recall them quickly and apply them to the question at hand.

3) Go to Networking Sessions and Job Fairs

Networking sessions and job fairs are a great way to create job prospects and build new relationships. It is also helpful to learn about the current market and industry landscape if you have not been on the job market for a while. In addition, you will meet other job seekers who share your experience and can form a support network and peer group to help each other through the process such as practicing interview skills, sharing job postings suited to each other, keeping each other on track, and up keeping morale by taking breaks throughout the job hunt and enjoying a fun activity together.

4) Connect Online

Use the tools and applications available online to expand your network. LinkedIn is an excellent professional network that can put you in touch with the right people in a prospective company. If you find someone you are truly interested in meeting, whether they have part in the recruiting process or not, do not be shy to introduce yourself and request a short meeting. Be respectful of this person’s time as their work commitments have first priority and do not be offended or discouraged if they decline. If you do manage a meeting, be prepared and make it an objective to listen and learn about their experience rather than promoting yourself, and from there find where you can relate.

5) Search Career Sites

There are many job sites you can browse with good filters than can help you narrow down your job search to your specific interest and preference. In addition to these general search sites, you can look on company career sites for job openings. To expand your company search list, try these tips: make a list of companies you admire, search the top companies of the industry you wish to work for, look at top 100 employer lists, and ask others for recommendations of companies of which they have heard good employment reviews.