Layoff: Final Words

1. Ageism: Some advisers offer the following advice: If you’re in you are in your 30s or 40s, finding a job will take a few months; it’s even likely you’ll get a better one. This just happened to one of my clients. If you’re in your 50s the cycle is slower. And if you’re in your 60s, it gets even tougher. In fact, I’ve recommended such experienced people start their own businesses…it’s faster and far more lucrative. Bottom line, despite what most HR people will tell you, ageism is alive.

2. Arrogance: No single characteristic gets people fired and NOT hired faster than arrogance. Even if you’re the smartest person in the room, never act like it. Let others discover you. It’s hard, slow and nerve-wracking if you do know all or most of the answers, but if employment interviewers pick up that you’re lecturing them, they turn off and you lose, not them. Jim Collins in his now famous book: Good to Great looked at the most successful CEOs ever in the history of the US. He found two characteristics of the great CEOs: Humility and Strong Will. Pretty good advice I’d say.

3. Finding a job IS your job: I’ve mentioned this before, but it bears repeating. As we used to say in the Marine Corps: The main thing is to keep the main thing…the main thing! Same here. When you’re looking for a job, if you’re not putting in at least 6 hours a day calling, writing, searching, responding, thanking, interviewing—you’re not doing your job. The good news: If you do your job, you’ll get a job.

Best of luck.