More than Work (10.1.25)

Handling Retrenchment in the AI Era

“Humanizing work”, my five-part series on retaining human-centricity in the AI Era, draws to a close this week with a sober topic – being let go. Of all the topics I’ve covered – finding and starting your first job, navigating mid-career woes, and quitting gracefully – this is the most difficult one to address.

My heart goes out to you if you find yourself in this position. I have had a number of friends go through this recently, and it’s never easy. Some landed quickly, others took their time to evaluate what comes next, and yet others have found it a long road. In all instances, the initial shock of rejection was followed by distress, then painful introspection. In some cases, there was anger and bitterness, in others, a sense of injustice, or sometimes, relief.

Always, inevitably, two important questions loomed:

Why me?

And, what next?

I won’t go into explanations of how you can use AI to polish your resume or customize it for individual job applications, or how to avoid AI-enabled phishing scams. You also don’t need me to tell you that working your network and meeting people is critical to improve your chances. You can read all about that on your own.

But here are some "next level" ways you could use AI in your search:

Photo by Dan Dimmock on Unsplash

Research. First, some low-hanging fruit. ChatGPT is pretty good at queries such as “What are relevant industries for my skillset?” and “List several small-cap, mid-cap and large-cap companies in the same industry as [my most recent employer] who have [been expanding their workforce][experienced strong recent financial performance].” It can also help with industry research, reading annual reports for key highlights, and summarizing recent news. All this can cut down on time researching and identifying potential employers, as well as basic interview prep, such as getting smart about the company you are interviewing with.

Interview Prep. Some people may struggle with how to handle an interview, particularly if they are out of practice. I recommend writing out a series of anecdotes. These can be bullet point or prose, but they should cover career highlights such as important projects or products you have worked on, roles you have had, teams you have built, talent you have developed, and quantifiable metrics, such as sales growth or efficiency gains. Try to organize them thematically under headings such as “accomplishments”, “people management experience”, “enterprise initiatives” and so on.

Armed with a resume, job description and these anecdotes, ask ChatGPT to formulate 10-12 interview questions for the role, and suggest proposed responses. You can speak out your practice responses to ChatGPT and ask for help with conciseness or to improve flow. None of this beats practice with another human being, but it can make your prep time more impactful.

Grow & glow. As you work on finding that new role, don’t spend every waking hour networking and applying for jobs – it will drive you nuts. You need other ways to keep busy. If you can afford it, travel to that place you’ve always wanted to go. Allow yourself to grow and reset through the experience. Volunteer with the charity you never had time to help out with. Offer your skills to a local community project, such as a neighborhood association.

Many of our jobs are so demanding that we sacrifice our personal interests for professional success. But you are more than your work, and more than your resume. See this as an opportunity to rediscover yourself, and recognize that you are an amazing person capable of helping others. Let this shine through in your job search and interviews.

Plan & play. You might also decide this is a good time to upgrade your skillsets. Some people go back to school, but with websites like Coursera, Skillshare and Udemy, you can learn a lot for a modest sum. The key is to have a plan, and not just take courses that sound sexy or relevant. Ask friends, mentors and former colleagues what skills would have helped you unlock the next level. Use the anecdotes you prepared (see above) and ask ChatGPT the same. Then figure out what combination of learning, hands-on experience, and volunteer work might help you check that box.

Photo by Anne Nygård on Unsplash

Yes, you can. Most importantly, don’t be discouraged. Ask a friend to be a cheerleader and source of strength. Write down all the reasons you would make a great employee and ask others to add to the list. Look at it often. At the risk of self-promoting, please read my writing. I write a lot about resilience, and how people are important, and how we can navigate difficulty with grace. It is intended to be a source of encouragement, and I hope it can be, to you, in difficult times.

I actually had someone who I didn’t know well ask me to be a mentor after they were let go. At first, I was reluctant, but I said yes because it felt like the right thing to do. We actually got to know one another quite well, and now encourage and support each other in our journeys. If you are asked by someone to be a friend, I recommend it – take the chance.

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Losing a job is one of the most stressful experiences a person can go through. It cuts to the very core of our identity, because our society puts so much importance on work. Don’t lose heart. Challenge yourself every day. Be the best person you can be, in every moment. I cannot promise you that you will find a job, or when. But I do know that the end result of such positivity will be a grace to those around you, as well as to yourself.

That is something worth living up to, AI or no AI.

I wish you grace and peace.

J

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