Just laid off?Start here.
Don't panic-apply. The first 48 hours matter more than the first 48 applications.
What’s true right now
It wasn't about you
A cut is a budget decision, made above you.
Week one is for the list
Twenty companies beats two hundred applications.
Tell people early
A referral puts your name in front of a person. In Ashby's data, 40% of referred candidates got an interview; 3% of inbound applicants did.
Source: Ashby
The 48-hour reset
Lesson 1, condensed. Do this, not that.
Don't
- Apply to anything. Panic-applying burns your best shots with an unpolished pitch.
- Message your network with a vague ask. Wait until you can answer "what exactly are you looking for?"
- Sign your severance on the spot. There is often a negotiation window. Take 48 hours.
- Rush your resume or LinkedIn. Get the foundation right first.
Do
- In the US: file for unemployment. Same day, even if severance is coming.
- In the US: know your COBRA window. Health insurance has a deadline.
- Take the weekend deliberately. Workout, walks, sleep. This is performance prep.
- Sunday: build the spec. Role, stage, comp floor, hard no's. Start sharp on Monday.
Build the spec in seven questions: the role builder →
What Shep takes off your plate- Reading every new posting in your fieldnightly
- Tailoring the resume for your best new matchper role
- Remembering who went quietwhen it goes quiet
“Should I take anything to stop the bleeding?”
Sometimes yes. Decide it on purpose, with a date on it, not at 2 AM.
When you’re ready, Shep takes the night shift.
It reads the new roles, tailors the resume and remembers who went quiet. You make the calls.
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