How to Write a Job Advertisement That Will Get You a New Job
Almost everyone has been fired at least once in their career. Layoffs almost always feel personal and undermine our confidence, but it’s extremely rare for people to get fired because of their jobs. More often than not, company executives evaluate this “place” (i.e. your work) in the organizational chart and decide to exclude it, and it really has nothing to do with your work, how talkative you were in the last meeting, or your abilities as a leader. a person. You are still a talented and beloved person, and people around you will want to hire you. You just have to tell them how to do it.
Announcing a layoff on social media (be it LinkedIn, Twitter, or another platform) can be a stressful exercise in vulnerability, but if you do it right, it can also pay dividends by jumpstarting your job search and reducing the amount of time you have to spend. looking for the next gig.
Don’t rush to announce your resignation
There are a lot of urgent things to do after being fired – posting on LinkedIn is not one of them. Prioritize reviewing your health insurance, getting your severance pay (if your company offers it), and processing the many emotions associated with the news. It’s only natural to feel like you need to act immediately, but wait until you’re ready to actually respond to messages and follow up on jobs before posting news online. If you start asking for leads, messages, and appointments before you’re ready to take them, you’re likely to get overwhelmed and potentially miss out on some of those potentially great early offers (and make yourself feel even worse in the process). ).
Whether you post the day you got fired or a week or two later won’t make much of a difference, so prioritize in your right mind first. Waiting until you’re ready will help you build good momentum and go all out for whatever calls, interviews, and messages you get when your network goes live.
Don’t disgrace your old company
It’s natural (and right) to be angry, upset, embarrassed, and resentful after being fired, but bringing those emotions into your LinkedIn ad won’t do you any good. You should definitely spend time thinking and talking about shit, but do it alone with friends and family whenever possible.
You don’t owe your old company anything, but keep in mind that recruiters and hiring managers monitor your online presence and there isn’t a ton of information besides your resume, LinkedIn, and your website. one. Unfortunately, the reality is that people draw conclusions based on limited information, and we don’t want to give anyone a reason to believe that you are not a good fit for their company just because you are rightfully upset after being fired.
If it really seems disingenuous to you not to mention that you quit against your will (other than just saying you were fired), you can rephrase it so that it doesn’t sound as aggressive as “that’s bullshit.”
- “I’m leaving earlier than I would like…”
- “I wish this journey had lasted longer…”
- “I’d love to continue the work we’ve been doing…”
Take stock of your accomplishments and share what you’re looking for next
Even if you don’t feel that way now, you’ve accomplished amazing things in your career that are worth mentioning. Don’t brag about it too much, but name the big wins and areas of growth over the past few years. Some people like to do it in general, zooming out and putting their work in the context of the rest of their lives, and some people like to stay more focused on the work you just left. It’s personal, so think about your wins in the way that makes the most sense to you.
If you’re looking for a job in the same field, list the wins and amazing work you’ve done in your past jobs, and be specific about the job titles and industries you’re interested in in the future. If you’re looking to take a turn or explore something new, highlight the transferable skills and multi-faceted projects you’ve worked on and how that will help you successfully navigate this new space. If you’re reading this and thinking, “None of this applies to me,” then just write about a few things you’ve been proud of over the past few months or years. They don’t have to be huge or life-changing, but celebrating victories can remind your network of what makes you so great, and can even be good for your own mental health.
Being clear about your qualifications and what you want in the future will help people remember you for the relevant roles they see, and will also help you avoid people sharing roles that are completely unrelated to you (and then having to navigate “thank you, but no thanks” conversation).
Don’t be afraid to tag mentors, managers and dear colleagues
It’s always good to give credit to the people who supported you on your journey, and these people want you to succeed, so they’re more likely to shower your post with love. Tell us about the people who helped you grow, who you worked closely with in your work, or whose leadership you valued. Tagging people notifies them so they don’t miss your post, and has another benefit: if you tag Anna in your post, your post will also be shown to Anna’s acquaintances. You now have your post in front of an even wider network without having to take any extra steps. (Just don’t overdo it – tag people you genuinely want to talk about, not everyone you’ve ever met.)
Include specific calls to action
People reading your post will naturally want to help, but this often turns into “let me know how I can help” messages, which isn’t really very helpful and can get boring quickly. Clearly explain in your post what actions your supporters can take, and your community will be better able to give you the help you want (and be less likely to just offer random, not-so-helpful help).
There are a number of steps that can be extremely helpful as you begin your search for your next job. It’s probably best not to ask each of these bullets, but pick a few that you think will be useful to you right now. If you’re not ready to meet new people right now, don’t ask for new introductions, but instead you can ask your existing network to find time to catch up over virtual coffee.
- Meeting people who might be helpful in your job search
- Tag recruiters and hiring managers in the comments on your post
- A catch-up call if we haven’t worked together or talked in a while
- Sharing relevant job opportunities (based on what you said you were looking for)
- Writing a recommendation for you on LinkedIn
- Share your message
Be smart with your hashtags
Hashtags can help your post get seen by more people, but your network will have the most valuable eyes. The people in your network will be the best equipped to recommend and introduce you, but more attention and engagement with your post can also mean more attention from recruiters who might not otherwise see your post. This is balance. You can use multiple hashtags (#opentowork, #layoff, and #opentoopportunities are popular), but don’t overdo it. Too many hashtags can also sometimes attract spammers in comments and replies, which can discourage people from interacting with your post.
Be yourself and be a person
There is no post less interesting than a robotic, hyper-formal, hyper-professional note. Don’t suppress your personality for the sake of attractiveness. If you usually bring humor or sting to your lyrics, add them here as well. If writing this post makes you feel incredibly awkward, be honest about it. Being yourself makes it easier for your readers to empathize and relate to you, and there’s simply no good reason not to be yourself – we want someone to hire you for who you are, not because how fake and formal your messages are.