Today's post is written by Rodney Cooley (pictured), a manufacturing professional with 20 years' experience in the metal fabrication industry. His professional roles have included managing in a union setting, using LEAN manufacturing to streamline production processes, and supervising a team of more than 60. In May, he was laid off from his position as a production supervisor, a post he'd held for four years. But Rodney's one of the lucky ones; his employer called him back to work in September. During his layoff, he launched a blog, The Job Quest, which talks about his job search and aims to help others with theirs.
Being unemployed for four months definitely made this a stressful year, but the experience reminded me of a few things and taught me about myself and job hunting in the 21st century.
1) Never say anything bad about your former employer.
We probably all know that, but it can be hard to do sometimes. Saying something negative will just make you look bad. As a supervisor, I would not be impressed if someone I was interviewing said something bad about an experience with a past employer.
I understood that being laid off wasn't the company's fault. The economy has been hard for everyone, and I know that they had to make tough decisions because of it.
As it turned out, I was called back recently. If I had said something negative about the company, I would have lost this opportunity.
2) I should have used Twitter and LinkedIn more.
Before this year, my last job search had been in 2001. We didn't have Twitter or LinkedIn back then, so I didn't know how they could help me. This summer, I signed up for both.
I sort of got the hang of Twitter and contributed a little bit on LinkedIn, but I think if I had taken more time to learn what they were and how to use them in my job search, I would have made more connections.
3) I should have told people sooner that I had been laid off.
You know how it is when people meet you for the first time. They ask, "What do you do?" And when you run into people you already know, they ask, "How's work going?" Answering feels weird when you don't have a job.
When it happened, I didn't want anyone to know except my wife. I felt uncomfortable, even though it wasn't my fault. That was a big mistake. Networking is a big part of the job hunt, but I wasn't using my network — I was hiding from them. I was about two months into my layoff when I decided that not talking about it was hurting my job search.
What could have happened if I had networked right away? I don't know, but I'm sure it would have been better than what did happen (which was not much).
4) I have to go back to school.
While I was looking for work, there were a few times when I realized that my experience and my associate's degree were not enough for the jobs I was looking for.
One time, I filled out an online application for a company. I have a solid background with many successes that matched what they were looking for, so I thought it would be worth a shot. After finishing the form, the first question I was asked was "Do you have a bachelor's degree?" I answered "No," and an automatic response rejected me as "not qualified."
A real person never got to see my well-qualified application, all because I didn't have a bachelor's degree.
So, to make sure that I am the best employee I can be, I'll be seeking a bachelor's degree. Going back to school will increase my knowledge so I can be even more effective in my job now. I'm looking forward to learning more.
Being laid off was a tough experience. But if I can take what happened and use it to make my future better, then I learned some valuable lessons along the way.
RELATED LINKS
One Woman's Layoff Yields a Needed Reminder
A Tip for Moms, Retirees, or Any Reluctant Job Seeker
Does Job Search Success Lie in Planning and Attitude?