How To Help Your Friend After a Layoff

Life is not about what you do, it's about who you do it with. It's about the connections you make, the friendships you form, and the community you build. Unfortunately, when someone in your community experiences a loss, it can be difficult to know what to do. We'll have the thought, I should do something, but then the fear of saying or doing the wrong thing sets in and we don't act. As someone who has experienced the type of grief that comes from a job loss, as well as the type that comes from losing an immediate family member, my policy is that when it comes to supporting the people in your life, doing the wrong thing is far better than doing nothing at all.

For those that have had friends or colleagues impacted by the trend of layoffs occurring right now, I wanted to suggest some ways you could possibly help. These are all things that people have done for me over the last 6 weeks, and they have made this stressful season of life a little easier to walk. These are just suggestions, so pick the one that works best for you and shows the person in your life you’re in their corner.

Support/Like their Posts

Announcing to the world that you have been laid off is not easy, but it's also the best way to get another job. 85% of jobs are filled through networking and it's often not by the people closest to you;  rather, the "weak ties"  are the ones making the connections. Supporting, commenting, or sharing someone's post not only helps support them emotionally, but this type of networking expands the social circle of the person laid off, making it more likely they get a lead on their next opportunity.

Share Your Skills

There are some people that have applicable skills, like resume writing or interviewing skills, that can help someone in their job search. If you are in that position, offering up your time can really go a long way—just don't be upset if they don't accept the help. Some people may not need it, and others may still just be processing the loss, but your offer of support will not go unnoticed.

Make Meaningful Introductions to your Network

Did you know that 70% of jobs are not published on public job sites? If you know someone that was recently laid off and their skill set would be a good fit for a team in your company, make the connection anyway. Don't wait for the right career posting to reach out, you never know where a conversation will lead.

Share Your Resources

I was amazed at the number of people that reached out to me with offers of sharing resources. Several people chipped in to help purchase a few months of LinkedIn Premium subscriptions for my colleagues that were affected by the reduction in force, while others shared access to resume templates.

Write a LinkedIn Recommendation

A text message telling a former colleague how great they are really means a lot; putting it in the form of a LinkedIn recommendation, means even more. If you worked closely with someone who was laid off and have something positive to say about their work capabilities, giving them a recommendation will not only improve their chances of getting another job, but it will be something they can look back to on days when they start to doubt themselves. Check out this article from LinkedIn for steps and suggestions on how to write one.

Say yes to coffee

Going through a layoff is traumatic and having people in your corner makes all the difference. If a friend reaches out asking to connect and you're in a position where you're able to, say yes. Losing a job is a type of grief, and while your weak ties may be more likely to land you your next job, it is your strong ties that get you through the emotional trauma. If you're not sure what to say, try checking out this article from Indeed for some suggestions; more often than not though, just showing up and listening is all someone really needs.

Send a Gift Card

Not sure what to say? Too far away to get coffee? Try sending a gift card.  Friends of mine who didn't know what to do sent me an Uber Eats gift card. On a day when I was stressed and feeling down on myself, I used it to order some comfort food. It wasn't about the money; it was about the gesture and knowing they were thinking of me that made the difference.