This is great. Normalizing being laid off, especially in today's world, needs to happen. I'm really glad I clicked on your LinkedIn post and submitted my story. I'm ready to talk about it!
One warning sign that was omitted was a new CEO. Like a dog urinating on a firehydrant, a new CEO feels compelled to "make their mark" - the easiest way to do this is by reducing headcount to increase short-term earnings. No CEO in the history of CEOs has ever started a new role and said "Everything looks good. No need to change anything..."
When your company announces a new CEO has been hired - or that the current CEO is going to be "spending more time with their family" - consider this to be your 90 day notice of layoff.
What you’re doing is fantastic, Melanie! Thanks so much. I’m part of the Google layoff cohort of Jan ‘23 — the very first! Sadly I missed your survey while it was still taking submissions. I’d love to share my experience if you were to open it again! I’ll leave here the Medium essay I wrote in the immediate wake, which helped me understand that the layoff had happened not to me, but FOR me, for my benefit: https://medium.com/@enrica.nicolialdini/on-leaving-google-on-someone-elses-accord-preliminary-reflections-564958963182
Wow, this was such a helpful read, and I’m so glad it popped up on my feed.
One other piece of advice I’ll offer to an employed person talking to a newly laid-off person: refrain from asking about their next move.
I just got laid off a month ago, and while I am in a very fortunate position with my situation before unemployment, the first question most co-workers and friends have asked is “what are you going to do next?” It has taken everything in me to calmly state that I’m going to take some time to figure out my next move and not bite their heads off for the insensitivity. The question comes from a place of pure curiosity for sure, but for the recipient, it’s kind of devastating to have to come up with an answer, especially when said answer is most likely, “I have no idea.”
This is great. Normalizing being laid off, especially in today's world, needs to happen. I'm really glad I clicked on your LinkedIn post and submitted my story. I'm ready to talk about it!
One warning sign that was omitted was a new CEO. Like a dog urinating on a firehydrant, a new CEO feels compelled to "make their mark" - the easiest way to do this is by reducing headcount to increase short-term earnings. No CEO in the history of CEOs has ever started a new role and said "Everything looks good. No need to change anything..."
When your company announces a new CEO has been hired - or that the current CEO is going to be "spending more time with their family" - consider this to be your 90 day notice of layoff.
What you’re doing is fantastic, Melanie! Thanks so much. I’m part of the Google layoff cohort of Jan ‘23 — the very first! Sadly I missed your survey while it was still taking submissions. I’d love to share my experience if you were to open it again! I’ll leave here the Medium essay I wrote in the immediate wake, which helped me understand that the layoff had happened not to me, but FOR me, for my benefit: https://medium.com/@enrica.nicolialdini/on-leaving-google-on-someone-elses-accord-preliminary-reflections-564958963182
Wow, this was such a helpful read, and I’m so glad it popped up on my feed.
One other piece of advice I’ll offer to an employed person talking to a newly laid-off person: refrain from asking about their next move.
I just got laid off a month ago, and while I am in a very fortunate position with my situation before unemployment, the first question most co-workers and friends have asked is “what are you going to do next?” It has taken everything in me to calmly state that I’m going to take some time to figure out my next move and not bite their heads off for the insensitivity. The question comes from a place of pure curiosity for sure, but for the recipient, it’s kind of devastating to have to come up with an answer, especially when said answer is most likely, “I have no idea.”
Thank you for starting this newsletter and chat. It’s been a hard 7+ months.