Navigating a Layoff
Getting Laid Off Is Hard.
Getting Back Out There Doesn't Have to Take as Long as You Think.
If you just got laid off — or if you're in the middle of figuring out what comes next — this page is for you. Not a 10-step productivity framework. Not toxic positivity about “exciting new opportunities.” Just an honest look at what this actually feels like and what actually helps.
First — Let's Name What This Actually Is
A layoff isn't just a job loss. For most professionals — especially senior ones — it's an identity disruption. If you've spent years building something, climbing toward something, or defining yourself through your work, having that yanked away by a spreadsheet decision hits differently than people expect it to.
You might feel shock first. Then something that looks like relief but isn't quite. Then, once the shock fades, something harder — a creeping question about what the layoff means about you. Even when you know intellectually it wasn't personal, it feels personal. That's normal. It doesn't mean something is wrong with you.
What matters is what you do with that feeling. Because there's a version of this that ends in your best move yet — and there's a version where fear drives every decision and you land somewhere worse than where you started.
The Four Phases (and Where People Get Stuck)
Shock and Stillness (Week 1–2)
This is the phase most people try to skip. They update LinkedIn the same day, blast their network, and start applying to everything — driven by anxiety disguised as productivity. This almost always backfires.
What actually helps here: Give yourself a few days to actually feel the thing. Tell the people who matter. Handle the practical logistics — COBRA, severance review, finances — but don't rush into the job market in this state. The decisions you make from panic are rarely the right ones.
Recalibration (Week 2–4)
This is the most valuable phase — and the most underused. You now have something rare: time and space to actually think about what you want. Not just what's available, but what you'd design if you were being intentional.
What actually helps here: Get honest about what was working and what wasn't in your last role. What did you do that gave you energy? What drained you? What did you quietly wish was different? This isn't naval-gazing — it's building the brief for your next role. The people who do this work find better jobs faster. The ones who skip it often replicate the same situation they just left.
Strategy (Week 3–6)
Now you know what you want. The question is how to get there. And for most senior professionals, the answer isn't “apply to more jobs on LinkedIn.” The majority of roles at the VP and Director level are filled through networks, not job boards.
What actually helps here: Build a targeted list of 20–30 companies. Map the people you know — or are one introduction away from — at each of them. Start having conversations before roles are posted. Update your narrative, not just your resume. The job market is a market — most people go to the wrong storefront and wonder why nothing's moving.
Execution and Momentum (Week 6+)
This is where the work turns into conversations, and conversations turn into opportunities. The challenge here isn't activity — most people are plenty busy at this stage. The challenge is maintaining your energy, staying selective, and not making desperation-driven decisions as the weeks stretch on.
What actually helps here: A clear system for tracking, following up, and evaluating what you're seeing. Honest calibration on timeline and what you're willing to flex on. And someone outside your head — a coach, a trusted advisor — who can see what you can't.
The Mental Game Nobody Talks About
The hardest part of a layoff search at the senior level isn't the tactics. It's the mental load — the sustained uncertainty, the rejection that doesn't come with feedback, the weeks that bleed into each other without a clear signal.
A few things worth knowing:
- The imposter syndrome spike is real and temporary. Almost everyone coming out of a layoff — even the most accomplished people — experiences a period where the layoff feels like evidence of something. It isn't. It's a data point about the macroeconomic moment, not your worth.
- Your network is more willing to help than you think. Most people hate asking for help — especially people who are used to being capable and self-sufficient. The hesitation costs them weeks. Most people in your network would genuinely be glad to help if they knew what you needed.
- Comparison is a trap. Someone else in your cohort gets a role in six weeks. Someone you respect takes six months. Job searches at the senior level are non-linear and highly dependent on timing, market, and luck. Don't mistake someone else's timeline for a verdict on yours.
- Urgency narrows your options. Financial pressure is real and it matters. But if you can give yourself any runway — even a few weeks of financial cushion — the quality of your decision-making improves significantly. Panic is not a strategy.
How Coaching Helps in This Specific Situation
You can navigate a layoff without a coach. Plenty of people do. But coaching tends to compress the timeline — and more importantly, improve the outcome. Here's what it actually provides:
- An outside perspective. When you're in it, your own thinking narrows. A coach helps you see options you've stopped seeing.
- Accountability without judgment. A place to be honest about where you are, what you're avoiding, and what you need to do differently.
- Narrative and positioning. Your pitch, your story, your resume — all built around what makes you distinctively valuable, not just what you've done.
- Interview prep that matches the actual stakes. Senior-level interviews are different. We prepare for those specifically, not the generic version.
- Offer strategy. When you get to the offer stage, knowing how to evaluate, negotiate, and close without blowing it matters enormously.
“I was laid off for the first time in 12 years. I thought I'd be fine — I had a strong network and a good track record. What I didn't expect was how much it messed with my head. Having someone to work through both the strategy and the mental side made a real difference. I was back in a role I actually wanted in 11 weeks.”
— VP of Product, Tech industry (Seattle)Where to Start
If you're in the early weeks — or still in shock — the best first step is just having a conversation. Not a sales call, not a commitment. A 30-minute conversation where you can say what's actually going on and figure out together whether coaching would help.
You can also read the FAQ for more on how the process works, or look at the case studies for examples of how clients have navigated similar situations.
The free Interview Narrative Primer is a useful exercise for getting your story straight — a good place to start if you're in the recalibration phase and thinking about how to position yourself.
You Don't Have to Figure This Out Alone.
Book a free 30-minute call. No pitch. Just a real conversation about where you are and whether this would actually help.