Two Versions of the Layoff Post: Sympathy vs. Offers

There are two versions of the layoff post.

One gets sympathy. The other gets offers.

I just saw a layoff post from a multi-decade veteran of a FAANG company.

"After 23 years, I was impacted by this week's layoffs."

The comments rolled in -

"Sorry to hear this. Wishing you the best in your next adventure."

"It was always a pleasure working with you."

"Wishing you all the best ahead. It was an honor bud."

Then he added this:

"I'm exploring all opportunities, even going back to (company) IF they'll take me."

I felt sick.

23 years of service.

66 likes, "it was an honor bud," and a hope to get rehired.

By the time I went back to comment, the algorithm had already moved on.

He was gone from my feed.

Not because he doesn't matter.

Because the algorithm doesn't care. Next shiny object.

I've watched this before.

Except that time it was my dad when I was 8 years old.

After 20+ years of loyal service... I heard my parents whispering the words "pink slip" behind a closed door.

And that little girl deep down, I'm still that little girl.

And she sees her dad in every layoff post.

---

Here is what I know now that my dad never got to hear.

You cannot show up to your job search wounded and expect people to see you as valuable.

You are either the Obvious Hire or the Overlooked.

Overlooked is posting a eulogy for the job you lost instead of positioning for the one you want next.

Just because one company didn't see your value after 23 years... doesn't mean the market won't.

I negotiated 4 offers with clients this week.

In the same market, my clients are having a completely different experience.

Why? They looked hireable.

Not just qualified or experienced.

HIREABLE.

Most candidates are not clearly HIREABLE.

And many are actively repelling recruiters.

You cannot control the market.

But you can control how hireable you look.

That's why I built something I've wanted to build for years.

It measures those same candidate signals that determine your Hireability Score - you can be one of the first 100 before public rollout.

Close your Hireability Gap and discover your personalized Hireability Score