Page 39 - Rana Sampson Issue (1)

Life After Layoff

By Leslie Hodge

When you have worked someplace for twelve years, as I did, you very quickly packed up the jetsam and flotsam of my tenure. I did
become a little complacent – you just do. Over time, the company not, as some people did, make the rounds to say goodbye, or send
changes, so that while I had been driving to the same building year a so-long email. It’s just my turn, I thought, but I felt embarrassed -
after year, and rode the roller coaster of worry and fear before each unworthy, yet still mistreated.
layoff rumor and during each layoff, after a while, I did become
complacent, even though the company got smaller and smaller. And then I drove home, and told my husband, and went to bed. I
“Aren’t you looking for something else?” people would ask me, couldn’t help but feel weighed and found wanting, dispensable, and
including the people who worked for me. “No,” I said, “I’ll be the those feelings were acid in my insides. But I had to move on – for
person who turns off the lights.” my family and my own healing, I had to move on, and quickly.

Then the day came when Valerie, our corporate attorney, came I started outplacement the same week, and learned that looking
into my office and shut the door for the same type of work would get the
behind her. “You know,” she fastest results, so I didn’t even consider
said, “That you’re on the list.” anything else. With DBM’s help, I had
Time stopped for two seconds. business cards made, and the resume
Deliberately, I made my eyes prepared, and identified my target
focus and lift from some invisibly companies.
tiny universe where things were
as they had been “before,” and Then, network, network, network. I
took in the concerned expres- went to meetings, and spoke to every-
sion on her face. I didn’t need one who would talk to me, and picked
to ask what list – it was The List up creative ideas on how to be persis-
that everyone had been study- tent, be memorable. With the help of
ing in their mind for the last few former co-workers, I “networked in” to
months – the layoff list. And my prime target company, The Com-
even though mentally I knew – I pany, and was excited when I got a
really KNEW, completely, in my call early on. Then, weeks of nothing
brain – that it was likely, that my turned into months of nothing. “Never San Diego
chances were no better than ‘guilt’ them,” said the DBM counselor. Woman
50/50 – it was obvious that my “They’re busy. When I was a recruiter
brain and my body were defi- and I had to figure out who I had to get
nitely not on the same page. back to before I went home at 9 that
night, it wasn’t the applicants – it was 39
“Are you OK?” “Yes,” I said, the hiring managers. So never imply
and felt also very heavy as if I that they failed to get back to you, and
was at the bottom of the ocean make every contact as positive and
with the pressure making my ‘perky’ as if it’s the first time.”
eyes hurt, my lungs shallow, the
very turning of my head ponder- And so I didn’t “guilt” my contacts. But
ous and slow. I kept up with emails, voice mails, snail
mail, typewritten letters, handwritten
“I have to go now,” Valerie said, notes, hand-delivered red envelopes
“But if there’s anything you need with seals and “Confidential” stamps.
… if you want me for a refer- I sent thank-you Starbucks cards to
ence, I’d be honored,” she said. people who met with me, and gave
“Honored.” me “AIR” – advice, information, refer-
rals. When other possibilities came up,
It was Thursday, and rumor had I worked Linked In like a compulsive
it that the layoff announcement would be the next Tuesday. So gambler, and shamelessly asked strangers for help: “Would you be
Valerie had done me one of the greatest kindnesses anyone has willing to meet with me/talk with me/introduce me?”
ever done – she gave me the gift of time.
I met more and more new people – some I liked, some I didn’t, but
When I was summoned to HR that Tuesday morning, the HR I tried to like them enough to network, because “you never know”
Director had a package that he carefully went over, but mostly what where that golden lead will come from – you never know.
I heard was “Blah, blah, position eliminated, blah, blah, blah, sever-
ance, blah, blah, COBRA, blah, blah, blah, outplacement services And finally, after literally months of no response to dozens of follow
from DBM …”. Companies have become good at this, I thought, ups – I got the call for the interview with The Company. To prepare,
and how depressing that they are good at this. I had a full-on dress rehearsal with my DBM counselor. The next
day, I entered the building of The Company with confidence and a
Then, I just wanted to get out of there. I went back to my office and happy sense of anticipation.
March/April 2011