To those impacted by the latest #googlelayoffs and continued wave of tech layoffs - you WILL get through this. Having been impacted by Google's RIF last January, here's some things you can do at whatever time makes sense:
Acknowledge your feelings: Layoffs suck - they feel like a personal attack on your worth, value, and contributions. You deserve to feel however you're feeling, & those feelings will come & go, and show up at the weirdest of moments (like my dog running to my WFH desk for weeks while I was unemployed).
Do something for yourself: I'm talking about today, this weekend, and even though you may not want to, planning something for yourself a few weeks out. You HAVE done great work, & you deserve to take some time for yourself
Once you have the energy to start thinking about what's next:
- Capture your work accomplishments via perf, calibration notes, peer reviews, manager comments - go into g/thanks to capture the spot bonuses and recognition you've received: Put all of this in an external doc to come back to in the future
- Make a list of people's first/last names & corp emails so you can reach out to them once you're officially no longer an employee (no corp access, no problem: ask a trusted former teammate to run through this info live with you on a call)
- Do something similar for any external clients/vendors/contacts you have worked with
- Create a LinkedIn post (when you're ready) sharing a reflection + clear CTA's for people in your network to reshare, contact you about XYZ, and make an e-intro for you to people in their networks.
- Craft an email to Googlers/former teammates and a separate note for your external contacts. If you need a confidence boost - trust me when I say people you reach out to will start sharing the warmest reflections and words about you. Lots of feels, bittersweet for sure, but a great reminder that this layoff says nothing about who you are (nor does any job).
- Reach out individually to anyone/everyone who follows-up, & anyone who has written you a peer review/spot bonus/etc before, asking them to recommend you on LinkedIn. Making it super easy for them - you can give them the snippet they've written in the past and say "I'd really appreciate if you could focus on X - here's what you've shared in the past"
- Maximize your benefits: Take advantage of these while you still can by setting up visit to your PCP, Dentist, Optometrist, etc. Tell their front office in advance about your change in employment to ensure they bill you within the time period that you need.
- Maximize Google's financial benefits: Determine if you want to change contributions to your 401K/Roth; do you want to max out your HSA/FSA or have more cash on-hand? Do you want to continue your donations via go/give (check out benevity and make adjustments); Have you done anything that could use the education reimbursement (make those claims before you exit)
I hope even one thing here is helpful. I know you'll get through this
Go-to-Market Leader @ Hightouch | MarTech, AI, Data Products
1moPlease send any Product Marketers impacted my way! Hightouch is hiring for 2x PMM roles