How to stay off the layoff lists
Video recording
Why this topic is relevant to me
In 2003, three days after returning from adopting my daughter in China, I was laid off.
My wife left her job to be at home with our new child, we went from two incomes to no income and an infant. I was scared, but less than two years later I started my successful career at Amazon. Read the story here.
In this Maven Lightning Lesson, I share how I handled that critical career moment to come back stronger, in hopes of helping you.
What you will learn
(A) How layoff lists are made
How plans vary widely (e.g. whole teams, seniority/tenure, function, performance)
Why skip level relationships matter (managers are not always consulted)
(B) How to stay off “the list”
Be (or be seen) as high performing
Have a rare or essential skill
Get close to the money (leave unprofitable or pre-launch teams)
Leave struggling startups early
(C) Being essential
Ask for performance feedback early and address perceived gaps
Volunteer for assignments with short-term payoffs
(D) How to be prepared to learn and adjust
How to handle being laid off
Learn and adjust
(E) Audience Q&A
Signs you are on the layoff list
Getting laid off due to high compensation
How to figure out if you are perceived as high performing and why you must ask your skip level
Likely impacted functions or roles outside of recruiting
How to get off the list if you are already on the layoff list
How do middle managers survive in the current environment of flattening org structures and priority for individual contributor (IC) roles
How far in advance layoff lists are made and how do you know
How to best explain a career break due to a layoff to future hiring managers and recruiters (also read How do you best explain that you were laid off in an interview?)
Who is more at risk of being laid off: short or long-tenured employees
How do you balance a new project with high growth and visibility potential but has the risk of being cut if not launched well or starts with low growth
If you are interested in leadership development courses, explore my courses:
On-demand course on Kajabi (includes a course on “Maximizing a Severance Package” for $5, the price of a latte).
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Level Up is a newsletter from retired Amazon Vice President Ethan Evans that breaks down how he succeeded and how you can get to the next level.