None of us like to think that we will be part of a company layoff. But if your company is experiencing problems, if the rumor mill is active, and if you think anyone at all may be discharged, now is the time to start thinking about your own job and career. The preparations below may not be needed now, but they will come in handy if they are ever needed in the future.
First, collect facts and figures. Find out how large your company is, what earnings it produced, and where it ranks in the industry as a whole; find out where you rank next to other employees in the same job; estimate what your ideas saved in time or money; calculate how many letters or phone calls or proposals or emails you send out or respond to in a day; and so on. Any numbers you produce will add weight to your resume.
Second, try to get copies of your annual reviews, if you don’t have them. Those reviews will help confirm your strengths and spark your memory about old successes. Some may contain phrases or statistics you can quote to show your value to the company.
Third, gather contact information for the people you have developed relationships with at work, including vendors, former employees, clients, and staff in other locations. Those people will be an important part of your network after you leave. It is easy to forget if a vendor spells her name “McDonald” or “MacDonald” or if her email address is .com, .org, or .net, so verify the information now.
Fourth, list any praise or awards you received from a boss, co-worker, vendor, or client, from employee of the month to President’s Club Award for most annual sales.
Fifth, and most important, look at your old resume and bring it up to date. At the very least, list your most recent job titles and your major accomplishments and responsibilities, before you forget.
Under the pressure of a layoff, you may find it difficult to give yourself the credit your hard work has earned over the years. Start now, while the information is at hand and your confidence is high. Then contact Robin’s Resumes® and we will create a professional resume that shows you at your best.