How to Start Your Job Search After a Layoff, with Ophelia Yan
Share
Losing your job without warning is hard. You may feel panic, anger, or doubt. You may also feel pressure to send your resume to every opening you can find. But applying before you’re ready can hurt your chances. On this episode of “Find Your Dream Job,” guest expert Ophelia Yan shares how to start your job search after a layoff.
A former human resources manager, Ophelia brings close to two decades of hiring experience. She explains why you should process your emotions before you apply, how to talk about a layoff in an interview, and why a focused job search beats casting a wide net. Plus, she shares how to lean on your community for support.
About Our Guest:
- Ophelia Yan is a former human resources manager. Ophelia made hiring decisions for almost two decades.
Resources in This Episode:
- Connect with Ophelia on LinkedIn.
Transcript
Find Your Dream Job, Episode 572:
How to Start Your Job Search After a Layoff, with Ophelia Yan
Airdate: October 7, 2026
Mac Prichard:
This is Find Your Dream Job, the podcast that helps you get hired, have the career you want, and make a difference in life.
I’m your host, Mac Prichard. I’m also the founder of Mac’s List. It’s a job board in the Pacific Northwest that helps you find a fulfilling career.
Every Wednesday, I talk to a different expert about the tools you need to get the work you want.
Looking for work is hard, and it can be especially challenging if you lose your job unexpectedly.
Ophelia Yan is here to talk about how to start your job search after a layoff. As a former human resources manager, Ophelia made hiring decisions for almost two decades.
Now she shares with applicants what recruiters actually look for and how to get the job you really want.
Ophelia joins us from Portland, Oregon.
Well, let’s jump right into it, Ophelia. What happens to your job search if you start looking right after a layoff, the day after you get the bad news?
Ophelia Yan:
That’s a great question. Honestly, when folks go through a layoff and they experience such a traumatic event, it can be really difficult because realistically there’s a lot of damage to your ego and identity. A lot of us take pride in the work that we do, and there’s usually a mix of emotions that folks are going through.
A lot of times there’s panic, a lot of times there’s uncertainty, and you know, as I mentioned, that damage to your ego and, with that, you know, mix of emotions.
I always feel like it can be really helpful to just pause and take a minute for yourself and recognize and acknowledge what you are going through and to, you know, feel those feelings and to accept what’s happening because a lot of it is out of your control.
Mac Prichard:
In addition to those feelings that you’re experiencing when you get a layoff notice, how does it affect, how can it affect the way you present yourself to employers? What might a recruiter or hiring manager see if you put yourself out there right after a layoff?
Ophelia Yan:
Absolutely. Yeah. If you immediately start interviewing and start applying, a lot of times those mixed emotions will come out in that interview, whether or not you want them to. A lot of times, they may ask questions that can be triggering for you.
And so if you’re not taking the time to process and acknowledge, and to really understand your story and how to talk about it, it can potentially affect the way an employer will see you.
You might not be bringing the best version of yourself to the table, and that’s not ultimately what we want. We want you to be able to show up as the best version of yourself, which is hard to do after a layoff.
Mac Prichard:
So many candidates feel pressure to apply right away after they get the layoff news, and you know, we all have bills to pay, and so there may be financial reasons, but beyond the financial reasons, why do so many applicants feel that pressure to get their resume out there as quickly as they can?
Ophelia Yan:
I think a lot of it has to do with kind of your panic, right? Folks want a sense of stability. They want to make sure that they have the ability to pay their bills, or there might be other family members counting on them, for example, and that can be a tough place, right?
It’s, you know, we do see this a lot in mental health spaces where, when folks lose their jobs, sometimes that added pressure of needing to support your family, especially if you are a single income household, can really take a toll on your mental health as well.
So, you know, I generally recommend taking a little bit of time. It doesn’t have to be extensive, but make sure that you provide yourself with some time and space to fully process what’s happening and how to best plan for your approach to your job search.
Mac Prichard:
We’re gonna talk about what you should do b before you start your job search after a layoff. But before we get there, Ophelia, what mistakes do you see candidates make when they get that layoff notice, and they’re starting a job search?
Ophelia Yan:
Yeah, I would say some of the bigger ones that I have seen are when folks kind of just apply everywhere, right? You’re in a moment of panic, you’re worried about your finances, your family is counting on you. A lot of times you’ll just cast that wide net.
And I think one of the key things that I’ve learned, and especially in Portland, Oregon, you know, Portland is known to be a city. But Portland as a community is still very small. And so when you’re doing your search, I think it’s important to acknowledge that, depending on what your industry is and, you know, what types of roles you’re looking for, casting such a wide net could potentially impact how others see you.
So, you know, even in a market like Portland, which seems fairly large, the community is still very small. So think about it as if, you know, there’s a little bit more transparency in the process, and if people knew what you were doing and what you were saying, would that impact their opinion of you, right?
And so hopefully what you’re doing isn’t just, you know, sending a resume that you haven’t reviewed, that has typos that you haven’t updated, or that you panic-updated, you know, out to different employers.
Usually, it’s good to take that time to pause, take that time, reflect, and look at your resume and review what story it’s trying to tell and understand how folks will see it, how they interpret who you are and what skills and qualifications you have.
And I think that taking that time and having multiple opinions of folks reviewing it first can really impact, you know, how productive it is because we’re all sending that sheet of paper and, you know, hoping that that’s what gets us the interview, right?
It’s a lot of pressure for one quick document to potentially summarize, you know, over a decade, hopefully, of career history. And that can be difficult, right? If we’re not taking the time to ensure that we’re providing a quality product to employers, then we’re not setting ourselves up for success, and we’re not putting our best foot forward.
Mac Prichard:
So make sure your resume and other application materials are not only error-free, but they’re focused on what you want before you start sending them out.
I know another step, and let’s talk about the things you should do when you’re ready to start applying for jobs after a layoff. I know one of the first things you recommend is that people be emotionally ready to start a search.
How can you know if you’re ready, and why is it important to pay attention to your emotions before you start applying?
Ophelia Yan:
Yeah, you know, it’s when you go through a layoff, it is really hard. It is really hard. A lot of times it’s unpredictable.
A lot of times, you know, you’re not just losing your job; you’re losing your routine, you’re losing, you know, potentially some daily friendships and some core, I don’t know, resources to your well-being, right?
And I think that those negative feelings can kind of swirl within you, and they’re hard to hide during an interview. They’re hard to hide.
If folks ask you questions in an interview that are particularly triggering, a lot of times, if they do that, you’ll answer in a way that may impact your ability to get hired.
A lot of times you might be angry, right? You might be upset. You might be sad. And those are all normal human emotions, which I think are really, really healthy to feel.
But typically the interview is not the place to feel them, right? You want to be able to make sure that you’ve had the opportunity to fully process so that you can show up as your best self and give yourself the best opportunity and likelihood to land that job.
Mac Prichard:
Say more about what interviewers think when a candidate shares negative emotions in a conversation. What’s going through the mind of the hiring manager who hears that?
Ophelia Yan:
Yeah. A lot of times it shows a part of yourself that, you know, indicates that maybe you’re not ready. Or potentially that it could bring up bad feelings.
You know, if you’re saying bad things about your previous employer, that doesn’t feel good for your next employer. Similar to dating, if somebody’s bad-mouthing an ex on the first date, that doesn’t make you feel good about your prospects going forward.
And I feel like the same thing applies to the job search: you don’t have to say everything was positive, but saying it in a way that kind of takes a lot of that emotional charge out of it can be really powerful and helpful because it shows that, A, you’ve processed it, you understand that, you know, ultimately businesses have to make difficult decisions.
And they do have significant and severe impacts on a person’s life. And so that is not a mystery, but I think that when it comes to the interview culture, ultimately I would say that it is considered best practice to try to be neutral to neutral positive, right?
It doesn’t feel good when there’s a lot of negative emotions still lingering around.
Mac Prichard:
Terrific. We’re gonna pause here and take a break. Stay with us when we come back. Ophelia Yan will continue to share her advice on how to start your job search after a layoff.
We’re back in the Mac’s List studio. I’m talking with Ophelia Yan. She’s a former human resources manager who made hiring decisions for almost two decades.
Now she shares with applicants what recruiters actually look for and how to get the job you really want. And she joins us from Portland, Oregon.
Now, Ophelia, before the break, we were talking about how to start your job search after a layoff. And one of the points you made at the end of the first segment was the importance of
knowing that you’re emotionally ready to start a search.
What’s your best tip for preparing yourself to make sure that you are emotionally ready and you’re not gonna show negative emotions either in your application materials or in your interviews?
Ophelia Yan:
Yeah, that’s a great question. So, you know, obviously no layoff is easy. Some experiences can be really gut-wrenching, and whatever happened, it’s important to be able to feel prepared to discuss what happened to you in a way that is respectful and does honor your experience.
So, you know, if you experience a layoff, a lot of times you can say, you know, the company was going through financial troubles and, you know, ended up having to conduct a reorg and, you know, kind of talk through what that process looked like.
Hopefully, when the layoff occurred, you had the opportunity to understand why you were laid off or why your position was eliminated. You know, maybe a project got canceled, or due to the economy, the company shifted its direction.
Being able to talk about it in a way that is, you know, respectful to what happened and not just, you know, I can’t believe they laid you off, it really helps your prospects because it shows that you have A processed what happened and B that you have an understanding of how business works.
Mac Prichard:
And what do hiring managers think when a candidate shares that explanation that we went through a reorganization, revenue was down, we had a change in leadership.
Some applicants might worry that that sounds evasive or it’s a story, but if it’s true, what do managers think when they hear those explanations?
Ophelia Yan:
I mean honestly, yeah, honestly it can show a level of business acumen that, you know, could potentially make you more qualified for your next role.
A lot of times, you know, being able to understand the operations of a business, how they need to manage, you know, their finances, what, you know, why they might change directions and whatnot, depending on your level within the organization, that can be really powerful and help you in your search.
Mac Prichard:
Okay. So we talked about some of the do’s that you should discuss when you’re explaining why you were laid off. Let’s talk about the don’ts. You touched on a couple already: sharing angry emotions.
What do you advise people not to say when discussing their departure after a layoff in an interview?
Ophelia Yan:
Yeah, I mean, I think generally, you know, it is like I said, it’s very human to feel things after a layoff, but a lot of times the interview is not the right place for it. Taking the time to say, you know, if you did, let’s say, for example, take a little bit of time off to process, you can say that.
Or if you’re like, you know, this was actually an opportunity for me to, you know, reexamine my career, or this was an opportunity for me to pause and assess: is this particular role right for me, and upon doing so I confirmed X, Y, and Z, right?
That can be really powerful because it shows intentionality. It shows that you know who you are, what you want, what you’re looking for. And so rather than kind of casting that wide net, it shows, hey, I’ve taken the time to do my research.
I have targeted this company specifically because of X, Y, and Z reasons, and that intentionality –– you know, most of us don’t just want any employee. We want the employee that is right for us, and we want to be the employer that is right for them, right?
It’s that mutual best fit, and taking the time to really understand yourself, what you’re looking for, and making sure that, you know, you’re on the path that’s right for you helps enforce that and helps the employer know, like, hey, this person is very intentionally wanting to work here.
They’re not just trying to find a job. They want this job, and that makes a world of difference.
Mac Prichard:
Let’s talk more about that because I know one of the tips that you recommend people follow is to be clear about what you want before you send the first application. And in the first segment, we talked about how some people just start flooding the internet, often for financial reasons, with applications.
Why is it better, Ovilia, to invest time to figure out what you want and display that kind of intentionality to an employer that you just described?
Ophelia Yan:
Yeah, I mean, you know, a lot of us end up just trying for anything when you know, think about it, especially if you went to college, usually when you graduate, you just kind of flood, you know, open the floodgates, apply everywhere, and hope that you land something.
And a lot of times what happens is that something may or may not be a good fit, right? So then you might not stay there for very long. You’re just kind of testing out the waters. You might have said, you know, I need something because I need to start paying off my student loans.
And then after six months, you’re like, I don’t like being here. I want to leave. And hiring is really expensive. Taking the time to onboard is really expensive. Turnover is expensive. And so, you know, if somebody is more intentional, it reduces the likelihood of that turnover.
It has a higher likelihood that that person will be a cultural fit, right? If they if they’re or even a cultural contributor. But if they have done their research and they’ve said, hey, I’ve been following this company for the last five years. I understand what the company has also been going through. That speaks volumes.
That shows that there’s a greater likelihood for a match. You know, I always I always say that job searching is so similar to dating. You know, you don’t just want anyone to like you. You want the person that you like to like you.
And I think that the same goes for the job search. You want to make sure that it’s as good of a fit as possible because that ensures the most success for both parties involved.
Mac Prichard:
Many of us struggle with figuring out what to do next, whether it’s the next job or even changing careers, and that can be especially hard if you’re in a high pressure situation following a layoff.
What’s your best advice if you had one tip you could share, I feel you, for somebody who’s trying to answer that question about what they want to focus on so they can display that intentionality to employers? What have you seen work?
Ophelia Yan:
Honestly, there’s there’s a chart on the internet somewhere. I don’t know if there’s a name for it, but it’s it’s a really cool chart that I’ve seen that shows some concentric circles and it shows three three of them.
And so one of them references things that you’re good at, one of them references things that society values, and then the third one references things that you love, right? So it’s what you’re good at, things that you love, and what society values.
And that middle spot is kind of where the magic happens. And a lot of times if you are experiencing a layoff, you might recognize that the job that you had might not fulfill all three. And this is an opportunity for you to find something that does match all three.
Because that once they all match, that’s that’s the most magical place that you could possibly be. And honestly, to me that is that is that is you know, what is it?
Like the business terms of like synergy and whatnot, right? That’s that’s where it feels really great for everyone and you know, yields the best outcome.
Mac Prichard:
Yeah. No, it’s great advice and a valuable skill to develop because we’ll all be changing jobs maybe eight, twelve times in forty years in the workplace, and probably careers several times too.
Ophelia Yan:
Mm-hmm. Layoffs are so normal. So normal.
Mac Prichard:
It’s painful to hear that, but why do you say that in your experience as a human resources manager? Because people don’t want to hear that news, but why is that so?
Ophelia Yan:
I’d say that the culture of work is changing because when things change and evolve rapidly, a lot of times businesses need to respond. If there’s uncertainty, businesses need to respond. And those responses cause a lot of ripple effects, right?
And so, you know, I think we can all, at this point, if you know anybody in your life that has not been laid off ever, that person’s probably been in the same job for, you know, multiple decades, and that’s incredibly rare.
But most of us, if you’ve ever changed a job, have probably gone through it or know somebody who has. And you know, I would say that while it is very, very common, it’s not so common, right?
Like it’s a mix of it because, you know, employers are looking to retain people as long as possible, and they don’t want to go through a layoff. But if the company does have to reorganize their structure, unfortunately that’s a business decision that they have to make.
Mac Prichard:
Yeah, it’s an experience I wouldn’t wish on anyone. I’ve gone through it twice myself earlier in my career, being laid off. But as you say, knowing how to manage that change can just make a big difference in your career.
Well, it’s been a wonderful conversation, Ophelia. Now tell us what’s next for you.
Ophelia Yan:
Yeah, that’s a great question. I just started a new role as a director of HR through the Cascade Employers Association.
So we support our membership through HR consulting, and for folks who are in organizations, when you land your next role, whether it’s in HR or otherwise and you need HR support, we’d love to provide that to you.
Mac Prichard:
Terrific. Well, I know that our audience can learn more about you by connecting with you on LinkedIn. And when you do reach out to Ophelia on LinkedIn, please be sure to include in your request that you heard her on Find Your Dream Job.
Now, Ophelia, given all the great advice you shared today, what’s the one thing you want our audience to remember about how to start your job search after a layoff?
Ophelia Yan:
Yeah, it’s just that, you know, you’re a human. We’re all human, and we’re all going through some hard times, and it’s okay to not feel great.
But part of it is taking the extra time to practice with friends, to, you know, conduct mock interviews, to have people review your resume, and utilize your community and the resources that are available to you to help supplement your search.
Mac Prichard:
Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job.
You can support our show and help others find it by leaving a review and rating on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Have a question or a suggestion? Email me at mac@macslist.org, or connect with me on LinkedIn.
To make sure you never miss an episode, sign up for our free weekly newsletter at macslist.org/podcasts.
This show is produced by Mac’s List.
Susan Thornton-Hough schedules our guests and writes our newsletter. Lisa Kislingbury Anderson manages our social media and creates our transcripts.
Our sound engineer and editor is Megan Hattie Stahl. Our music is by Freddy Trujillo.
This is Mac Prichard. See you next week.
###