I think this also explains why so many people struggle to write their "Open to Work" post.
They're not just looking for a job. They're trying to describe themselves without the company they've identified with for years. That's a much bigger shift than updating a LinkedIn headline.
Losing a job can happen in a day. Rebuilding your professional identity usually takes much longer.
Yes. Even if you leave voluntarily it can be hard redefining yourself. I spent 7.5 years growing an R&D team from 15-300 people then retired at 43. You have to redefine yourself without your career title.
When someone loses their job, it's presumed that all their effort goes into finding a new one. Little, if any, thought goes into the transition period when you're effectively grieving the loss of your former workplace and colleagues.
The profile remains unchanged not because we are holding on to a title, but because we are still honoring the people and memories attached to it. Thank you for this honest and deeply human reflection.
This lands because it names something most layoff advice skips.
A layoff is treated administratively as a job ending. But for the person living it, it can also mean losing a team, rituals, shorthand, identity and proof that their work mattered.
That is why “just update your profile” can feel so brutal.
People do not only need a new role. They need time to stop feeling erased by the old one.
It is just dangerous to build your very identity on anything outside of your control.
We are first our own person. We are someone's daughter or son, maybe someone's mum and dad, or maybe even a member of certain communities - but focusing solely on being part of certain companies? This is one of the most riskiest decision one could make.
Job Security is a myth, and we might as well throw this relic behind us - friends and families should always come first before that. Job is just a job (unless you are a business owner yourself, that is another story)
I think this also explains why so many people struggle to write their "Open to Work" post.
They're not just looking for a job. They're trying to describe themselves without the company they've identified with for years. That's a much bigger shift than updating a LinkedIn headline.
Losing a job can happen in a day. Rebuilding your professional identity usually takes much longer.
Yes. Even if you leave voluntarily it can be hard redefining yourself. I spent 7.5 years growing an R&D team from 15-300 people then retired at 43. You have to redefine yourself without your career title.
When someone loses their job, it's presumed that all their effort goes into finding a new one. Little, if any, thought goes into the transition period when you're effectively grieving the loss of your former workplace and colleagues.
Thank you for such an honest post.
The profile remains unchanged not because we are holding on to a title, but because we are still honoring the people and memories attached to it. Thank you for this honest and deeply human reflection.
🇨🇦 www.salmiinconversation.com
🇨🇦 salmizindagi.substack.com
This lands because it names something most layoff advice skips.
A layoff is treated administratively as a job ending. But for the person living it, it can also mean losing a team, rituals, shorthand, identity and proof that their work mattered.
That is why “just update your profile” can feel so brutal.
People do not only need a new role. They need time to stop feeling erased by the old one.
It is just dangerous to build your very identity on anything outside of your control.
We are first our own person. We are someone's daughter or son, maybe someone's mum and dad, or maybe even a member of certain communities - but focusing solely on being part of certain companies? This is one of the most riskiest decision one could make.
Job Security is a myth, and we might as well throw this relic behind us - friends and families should always come first before that. Job is just a job (unless you are a business owner yourself, that is another story)