Would You like a feature Interview?
All Interviews are 100% FREE of Charge
The opinions expressed by entrepreneurial contributors are their own.
This article originally appeared on business insider.
This essay is based on a conversation with Jeff Sipe, a private tech career coach and former Google recruiter. Edited for length and clarity.
Layoffs at big tech companies always get backlash — though I don’t think any have been fully dealt with, and many could have been avoided.Yes, companies needed to cut costs, but I think more than that layoffs became a trend.
After a layoff, the company’s stock price usually rises, and the board and shareholders (most of whom don’t work there) are happy. It’s becoming more and more acceptable to implement them. We have Twitter, we can do Google, we can do Microsoft.
But there are other ways to deal with recessions. A business professor at Stanford University said: Job cuts often don’t cut costs, suggesting companies can pursue other strategies Like a 10% wage cut across the board.
That said, I don’t think anyone has been fired or wants to be fired break into the industry You have to be discouraged — it’s always a good time to get down to technology. Technicians are always needed. So if it’s always been your dream to work at Google or Amazon, I always advise you to go there.
Work smarter and harder with LinkedIn
somehow you were fired or want break into technology For the first time, the first thing you should do is clean up your LinkedIn profile. Whether you’re sleeping, working or hitting the gym, Profile does the work for you. Every aspect of your profile should be nailed down, from your photo to your headline, name, bio, and experience.
I rarely see true red flags on LinkedIn, but I find it unappealing that candidates don’t include a picture of themselves. Headshots must be above the shoulder. A lot of people use pictures of themselves wearing sunglasses or pictures with family, but that’s not professional.
you should too Platform use To reach out to recruiters at target companies with an approach of giving rather than asking for a job right away. A message like this helps a lot: “Hey Sue, I found this really cool article on machine learning and thought I’d share it with you.”
See what’s trending in your space and spend time sending notes like this and commenting on other people’s posts. This will help you get the attention of your hiring team on LinkedIn.
I also like that people keep track of things we’ve talked about in the past. Suppose you send Sue another message a month or two later. Track your connections in a spreadsheet for easy follow-up. Trust me: keep going with that approach. Eventually Sue will ask if she can help you.
talk openly about layoffs
Someone coming out of a big tech company might have built a great network. I need to announce to the world that I am looking for a job. Create a LinkedIn post that says, “I’ve been laid off. This is the kind of role I’m looking for.”
We’ve noticed that many laid-off employees have added an “Open to Work” feature to LinkedIn, but they don’t always make it clear that they’ve been laid off.
We recommend creating a banner to set as your profile background photo. Anyone can create one for free using Canva and more. For example, it says “Effects of Google layoffs”. Also include the type of role you are interested in, contact information and location.
From a recruiter’s perspective, this will give you an instant understanding of your status. I know you work in a tough environment and I know how to reach you. I haven’t seen fired candidates do this yet, but I think it definitely helps them jump over the list.
Don’t underestimate soft skills
Going into an interview, it’s important to have a plan. Any interview coach will tell you to practice with others. You can do it with a friend or family member, but one-on-one fumbling is much better.
For me, positivity is huge. We all make mistakes, but I’m looking for how candidates can demonstrate what they’ve learned from them. Call it a challenge or an opportunity, not a failure. You don’t want to take down your former company if you’re angry because of the layoffs. Focus on what you have learned and what you are grateful for.
If someone looks good on paper, that person will only succeed so far in the hiring process. But soft skills are just as important. When hiring at Google, we always paid attention to whether candidates arrived on time, were friendly, and were communicative. Failure to meet certain requirements can result in the loss of an otherwise strong candidate.
Anyone recovering from a tech layoff is prone to impostor syndrome, but remember that recruiters don’t view people affected by layoffs in a negative light. Hold on. They know some people have had bad luck and it has nothing to do with performance.
Show your appreciation by owning layoffs and using your network.