How to pivot after a layoff [and never get laid off again]
Recent numbers indicate that thousands more workers continue to be laid off from tech and corporate companies due to economic and political shifts as well as the workforce revolution that AI has surfaced. In an interview with Harry Stebbings on the "20 VC" podcast, CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski talked through the impact of AI and how he expects Klarna's workforce to drop below 2,000 employees by 2030. Klarna has 3,000 employees today which indicates a third of the current workforce would be gone in less than five years, by his estimate.
We’re at the beginning of a workforce revolution.
We’re living in an age of seismic shift as it relates to the workforce. A revolution, in a lot of respects due to the fact that work as we know it is going to shift dramatically within the next ten years, and it will look nothing like it did before. Layoffs are happening in dramatic numbers across tech and corporate giants, and that leaves thousands, if not millions, wondering what’s next. For some, it could even mean having survived several layoffs, or being out of work for a year or more. For others, it could mean not wanting to return to a 9-5 after a layoff, or simply not being able to sustain being out of work for so long and needing to take immediate action. And yet for others, it could mean no longer wanting to outsource your livelihood and well-being to someone else. They are looking for a more balanced way of life and want to focus on their well-being, success and impact vs. a fancy title. Maybe for you it is a combination of all of these.
More and more people are choosing to pivot after a layoff, versus returning to a 9-5 First, the available roles are fewer, and the process is slower, so you’re essentially at the mercy of the job hunting process. This requires you putting your entire livelihood in the hands of bots to get you through the HR system to even start, not to mention months-long hiring process if you do get in the door. Secondly, people are starting to realize that even if you get hired somewhere else, layoffs and the workforce revolution aren’t going anywhere.
In fact, now is the time to prepare for something big. If you haven’t read Matt Shumer’s article “Something big is happening,” you must It mentions the gravity in which AI is going to change the way we work, urges us to learn AI but also urges us to follow our dreams, because there’s never been a better time to do it If you want to build an app, you can actually now go build an app. If you want to have a creative business and promote it online, now is the time to do that. Creativity and strategic thinking will be rewarded in the age of AI, in addition to AI skills. But your own intellectual property and the way you think will be more valuable than ever. Because it’s what AI cannot replicate.
Ok, so we know it makes sense to pivot from a 9-5, so what now? Well, first we ditch our resumes. That’s right, because they’re too narrow and less differentiated than ever now that everyone is using AI. Instead, we start leading with our lives. The things that make us tick. Because no one has your special sauce…your unique combination of background, skills, experience, values, desired impact in the world. And now you have access to more tools and support than ever to bring that to life.
So the first step is to ditch your resume, and the second step is to get clear on what it is that you care about in this world, and how you might uniquely use your special sauce to serve that which you care about serving and solving in this world. Because see, that’s what AI can’t replicate. And when old systems and constructs are failing us, we have to be smart and strategic and pivot. So it’s not starting over after a layoff, it’s exiting the 9-5 strategically.
Ready to create your Strategic Executive Exit Plan? Watch the video to get started.
And the third step is to figure out how to position this way that will create market demand and develop a business model that sustains your livelihood and well-being. So we move from defaulting to your career to designing your career, which is the big shift.
How to actually pivot after a layoff is to figure out a way to uniquely position yourself and your offering that no one else can do it just like you. Create a category of one, develop your own intellectual property and you won’t have to worry about getting laid off again. You intentionally design the career that is the most sustainable successful career for you, versus wasting your time searching for jobs that are no longer plentiful, guaranteed or rewarding.
This approach is what the best brands in the world do, that have sustained many revolutions. Because they know that starting with who you are and turning that into something unique to offer others is the best way to create long-standing value and success.
If you’re interested in designing your career and creating your Strategic Executive Exit Plan, watch our video and book your free clarity call today.
You’re only a few steps away from turning your layoff into the best thing that ever happened to you.