What No One Tells You After a Layoff (But Really Should)

Meanwhile, I was ugly crying, the kind where your soul feels crushed because you actually loved your work. My husband poured two glasses of champagne, pulled me into the living room, and started dancing with me. “Endings are just new beginnings,” he said. It was exactly what I needed to hear. And maybe you need to hear it too. We don’t talk about layoffs very much. People whisper about them like they’re contagious, like unemployment is some kind of professional failure you should hide until you reappear somewhere else with a new title. But here’s the truth: getting laid off says very little about you. It’s not a reflection of your work ethic. It’s not a reflection of your intelligence. And it certainly isn’t a reflection of your worth. In fact, layoffs are becoming increasingly common . More than 1.2 million job cuts were announced in the U.S. in 2025, up 58% from 2024, the highest total since the pandemic. In other words, if you’ve been laid off recently, you’re far from alone. Still, when it happens to you, it feels incredibly personal. Especially if you loved your work. More than 1.2 million job cuts were announced in the U.S. in 2025. Many of us, particularly women who care about doing excellent work, tie our identity far too closely to our careers. But a job is something you do well. It’s not the definition of who you are. That doesn’t mean your work didn’t matter or that your contributions weren’t real. It simply means that sometimes a business changes direction. When a company eliminates your role, it shouldn’t make you question who you are. A few days after my layoff, my mom told me, “Stop crying. You’re going to be fine.” And it was absolutely necessary for me to hear that. Because at some point I had to snap out of the spiral that said I was no longer essential. That’s the lie layoffs whisper in your ear. And it is a lie. Just because one company eliminated your role doesn’t mean the world suddenly stopped needing your skills. There are thousands of businesses that could benefit from what you bring to the table. You just haven’t met them yet. Your Routine Is the First Thing to Protect One of the most practical things you can do after losing your job is maintain your routine. Get up on time. Get dressed. Wash your hair. Put on makeup if that’s normally part of your routine. Whatever you used to do before going to work, keep doing it. Structure matters, even when your job suddenly disappears. Don’t sleep until noon and wander around the house in yesterday’s sweatpants like you’re starring in a sad indie film about unemployment. That might feel comforting for about a day, but aimlessness is the fastest way to lose momentum. Silence Is the Worst Thing You Can Do This part feels uncomfortable, but it’s essential. Tell people what happened. Tell your friends, your former colleagues, your professional network. And yes, tell LinkedIn. When I posted that I was looking for a new opportunity (which is LinkedIn speak for “Hi everyone, I got laid off”) my inbox exploded. Messages poured in from friends, colleagues, and people I hadn’t spoken to in years. “Wait, what happened?” “Let’s grab coffee.” “Send me your résumé.” “What kind of role are you looking for?” The encouragement was overwhelming. People shared their own layoff stories and how things eventually worked out for them. Several even said losing their job ended up being the best thing that ever happened to their career. One of the biggest lies you can believe during a layoff is that you’re alone. At the time I thought, “Sure, Pam.” But two weeks later, I’m beginning to see how that might actually be true for me, too. One of the biggest lies you can believe during a layoff is that you’re alone. You’re not. Most people genuinely want to help, especially if they’ve experienced something similar. Ask for introductions. Ask for recommendations. Send your résumé when someone offers to share it. Schedule coffee with people and talk about what you’re looking for. Your network exists for moments like this, and you’ll be surprised at how many people are willing to open doors. Answer the Practical Questions Before the Panic Does Eventually practical questions come up. Did your employer offer severance? How long will it last? Can you negotiate it? What unemployment benefits exist in your state? These questions aren’t glamorous, but answering them quickly helps quiet the panic that often follows a layoff. At the same time, don’t spend every waking hour refreshing job boards. Step away from your laptop. Go for a walk. Call a friend. Visit your family. Reorganize your closet. Or watch the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy (the extended version). That’s about eleven hours of emotional therapy right there, and I should know. This Is the Moment to Get Honest With Yourself Once the initial panic fades, something interesting happens: you start asking questions you didn’t have time to consider before. Did I actually like the job I was doing? Do I want to stay in this industry? Do I want to work for myself? Do I want to work at all? If not, could we cut back on expenses to make that possible? Being laid off forces you to re-order your priorities whether you planned to or not. And for someone who color-codes her planner, that level of sudden disruption is… unsettling. But it can also be clarifying. Over the past two weeks, I’ve spent time resting, speaking with people who are wiser and more experienced than I am, and reflecting on what I truly want the next chapter of my career, and my life, to look like. Once you know what kind of life you want, it becomes easier to see what kind of job actually fits into it. One exercise that helped me was creating a map. Instead of focusing only on job titles or salaries, I mapped out my ideal day from morning to night. What kind of pace do I want? What kind of work energizes me? What environment makes me happy? Once you know what kind of life you want, it becomes easier to see what kind of job actually fits into it. For me, that picture looks like slow mornings working remotely from home, my spunky Pomeranian curled up nearby, and my husband across the room at his desk. That’s my happy place. You Get to Decide What Comes Next Eventually you’ll start interviewing again, and the layoff question may come up. If it does, handle it with grace. Stay positive and resist the urge to vent about your former employer. Hiring managers understand layoffs happen. Frame it as an opportunity to explore new directions and grow. And if a job offer doesn’t feel right, it’s okay to say no. That may be difficult if finances are tight, but if you have the ability to wait, give yourself time to look for the right fit instead of the fastest one. This is also a good time to reboot your personal brand. Update your LinkedIn profile. Refresh your résumé. Rewrite your “about” section so it actually reflects who you are and what you value. Join conversations. Share your perspective. Authenticity travels surprisingly well. Two weeks ago, I thought my world had collapsed. Today, I see it differently. A layoff doesn’t define me. It clears space for me to rethink what I want and how I want to live. Turns out, being laid off is the best way to discover you’re just in the middle of your own plot twist. One of my favorite quotes from St. Augustine says, “Bad times, hard times. This is what people keep saying; but let us live well, and the times shall be good. We are the times.” When my husband popped that bottle of champagne and danced with me in our living room, he didn’t just try to cheer me up, he set the times. Where you go from here matters. How you carry yourself after a setback matters. And honestly, the best part is you get to write the rest of the story.