Looking for a job after getting laid off? Indian-origin LinkedIn career expert offers 5 tips

Career expert Pooja Chhabria has been working with LinkedIn for more than 12 years. (Image credit: LinkedIn, Unsplash)

As layoffs continue to impact professionals across the world, it's important to come up with a game plan on how to move forward, believes LinkedIn career expert Pooja Chhabria. “Going through a layoff is a very emotional experience,” she told CNBC Make It, adding that while it is easy to feel lost after losing a job, it is important to take a beat to reflect and figure out what to do next.

The Indian-origin career expert based in Singapore then shared five tips to help professionals impacted by job cuts.

1.) Strengthen your network

In difficult times, such as this, it’s important to lean into your community and work on strengthening your network, she said. “Stay in touch with your colleagues at your previous role,” Chhabria told CNBC Make It. She also suggested attending industry events and reaching out to connections who work with companies of interest. “We’ve seen a 4x increase in someone getting an opportunity if they are referred by someone that they know in that company,” she added.

2.) Improve your online presence

While looking for a job after being laid off, it is important to show how one has grown professionally. Chhabria advises updating the resume and online professional profiles with the skills learned on the job. She added that “87 percent of recruiters have told us that they prioritise skills when they vet candidates for roles. "Content really leads to community building,” the LinkedIn career expert said. "If I talk about my work, I can make my work reach more people.”

3.) ‘Tell me about yourself’ 

“Always prepare for the first question that you’re typically asked in an interview, which is: Tell me about yourself,” Chhabria said. “I think a lot of people underestimate that question,” she said, but “that question is your pitch on why you’re the best person for [the] job.”

Preparing your answer by talking about your experience and connecting it back to why it’s valuable to the position and tasks at hand, Chhabria told the publication. A candidate’s answer to that question helps her determine whether or not they are a good fit for the role, she added.

4.) Own your career break

While it can be daunting to talk to a prospective employer about being laid off, being upfront can help build trust with the recruiter, Chhabria said. “Career breaks are also seen as something very natural for professionals. Just be honest and transparent about it,” she said.

5.) Don't be negative about your former workplace

Criticising a former workplace may come easy after being laid off, but Chhabria advised professionals to not bad mouth former employers. “I would recommend people to not spend time on that,” she told CNBC Make It. “A lot of people are going through layoffs for the first time... I would frame it positively.”