I still remember that day a few years back, when I was laid off from my organization. I did not plan on being out of the workforce that long. As days of searching turned into months, it became quite evident that I need to prepare for a lot of ‘what ifs’ in my resumes.
Losing my job helped me to learn a lot during that year. I can feel the same for those who are going through the same phase. I believe I can help you out through your tough time. However, it is hard to get back on track and focus all your energy on finding a good job.
Through my experience, I am sharing a few tips that will help you when you have been laid off because recruiters will indeed ask you why you were laid off when they notice the employment gap. So, it is critical to be thoroughly prepared before applying.
Let’s start it.
1. Be Honest: Industry news during coronavirus has never remained hidden, so lying off the situation is not wise. If your termination was due to a layoff rather than a performance-related, mention it in your cover letter. Explain to your recruiter that your employment gap is due to a downsizing of the last organization. So, it is always wise to give an honest reply to your recruiter.
2. Make Your Resume Easy to Read: Nowadays, every organization uses a resume parser for the screening of candidates. It extracts the resumes or jobs data into their ATS/CRM quickly. As technology is involved in the recruitment process, recruiters typically only have six seconds to review each resume. So, it is important that recruiters can find the key information quickly in your resume. Use a simple design and the same font size throughout your resume. It will ensure readability to the recruiter.
3. Quantify the Layoff in Your Organization: In your cover letter, try to put a number on the layoff done by your organization. It will immediately take the harsh spotlight off from your name and neutralize the situation. Instead of making yourself look stressed, you can make yourself sound mature and confident enough to answer your recruiter’s questions.
4. Point Out Your Valuable Skills: Every organization is looking for the perfect candidate who can easily fit into its work culture. I believe the main objective of cracking an interview is to sell your skill better than the rest of your competition. Highlight your strength and explain how valuable you will be able to add value to their organization.
I can understand that losing a job out of the blue can throw any strong person off the track. However, tough times will strengthen you more. And believe these tips will help you a lot when you write your resume after you lay off.