Are you one of the 2,400 workers impacted by Lowe’s company-wide restructuring?  If so, here is what you need to know NOW!

First, don’t panic. Unfortunately, layoffs are a common part of today’s business climate. Don’t take it personally. Let your emotions settle and take some time to fully absorb how you feel before you try to present yourself to your network. You can and will make it through by coming up with a plan of action and staying focused.

Take Time.  Even though you are one of the hundreds who received that dreaded pink slip, it may take some time to for you to emotionally work through the job loss. Most of us are creatures of habit and change can be quite difficult. It is ok to mourn the loss but make sure you don’t move to depression. Some people need a week or two and others need a few more. To make sure months don’t go by, establish some rules for your “unemployment”.

– Get dressed every day!
– Try to leave your house. Go to the grocery store, gym, or local coffee shop. GET OUT THERE.
– Limit your time on social media. You can easily let time slip by scrolling through Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest.
– Set goals. Track your successes.

Update your resume. If it has been a while since you’ve needed your resume, you will want to replace your objective statement with a targeted summary. Who are you (professionally)? What do you offer (value)? Employer’s think in terms of value offered … how are you going to help them make more money than it takes to hire you?

– Highlight your living, breathing success stories – how have you increased efficiencies, cut costs, catapulted revenue, streamlined processes, and/or saved the company money?
– Quantify your results.
– Limit your bullet points (three to five main points or you can utilize subcategories under the position with three bullets under each subcategory).
– Align your skills and abilities with the employer’s needs. What are they looking for in an employee?
– Ditch the duties and skip the in-depth details. Use your resume to highlight what you can do. SAVE the details for the interview.

Network. Let your network know that you are “open for new opportunities”. LinkedIn is a great way to reach out, stay connected, and/or expand your professional network. Make sure your LI profile is personable but professional.

– Your profile needs to be 100% complete.
– Don’t simply copy and paste your resume.
– Use a professional headshot. Resist using Facebook-type photos with pets, drinks, your better half.
– Join Groups to build credibility and visibility.

LinkedIn is a great way to network and connecting you with your next job!

Unemployment brings uncertainty and a wealth of other emotions. The other side of this coin is layoff can bring new employment opportunities and even a shift to a new industry. Maybe the home improvement/retail industry isn’t where you really wanted to be. EXPLORE your options. Perhaps this is the exact moment in time where you needed the nudge to reinvent your career.

Don’t let this yield turn into a stop sign.

If I can help in anyway, please let me know.

Tammy Shoup | www.breakthroughresumes.com
Positioning VPs and Managers for Jobs They Love!
Helping You Beat Your Competitors | Shorten Your Job Search Time | Get Better Job Offers | Experienced. Trusted. 3x Certified