Question for anyone here who has been through the layoff process:
How long did it take for you to begin your next role?
Did you:
Change industries?
Change what job you do?
Take a pay cut (or make more)?
Relocate?
I'm still staying positive and intend to land my next role before my severance runs out. But I know that 3,000 others are likely hunting for jobs in the same market as me.
Thanks!
If it’s been a while since you looked for a job, wrote a resume or interviewed please do use the company that Ford hired to help you find a job. I was let go during SRD and found it helpful. They won’t actually find you a job but they do offer remote classes, and online videos that help you brush up on these skills. They also offer contacts that will help you find a job. If nothing else it will give you confidence that you’re using the correct approach.
I forgot to mention experience level as a factor in how long it will take to find new work.
The "sweet spot" for this IMHO, is from 3 to 10 years experience in your career field. Less that 3 and you won't meet the min requirements of some opportunities and above 10 is usually more than ever asked for which means they might have a concern about your salary requirements. I have 25+ years experience which means I won't be considered for an "entry level" or even "mid level" even if I am desperate for income and willing to take a cut. Employers assume I will have one foot out the door while working for them and they are probably right.
Keep in mind that the 3000 are not all competing with each other, only those with similar skill sets and careers. Mechanical engineers are not competing with software developers or electrical engineers for example. I was let go in this cut and its the second time in my career I've been laid off. How long does it take and how does one recover? Well it varies and here are some of the factors (in order of importance) in my experience:
1a. Do you have a good linkedin page and do you have any recruiter contacts? Need this to get started unless there are local companies you can apply to.
1b. Unemployment Rate and Job Market - Obvious factor, the more competition you have (in your career field) the longer it will take.
The last time I was laid off, it took me 6 months to find work. I was not willing to relocate (which limited me), my age is in the upper range and at that time, the job market was not good with unemployment much higher than now. I have read about people searching for over a year, others who get an offer 3 weeks after losing their job so its really all over the map. If you're not sure what to do, use the company Ford listed in the papers (assuming you sign).
You sound a bit green in the new job and hiring process, and I mean no disrespect by this. Some people don't have the experience or opportunity, and others are professional interviewers across a career. Make of it what you will, but I've had well over a dozen jobs in the automotive field, and never quit one of them. Stick around long enough, and eventually they'll all quit you, or departments/facilities will close up on you.
Life time contract, so interviewing was a way of life for me. Never got too secure in any place, best advice offered was to start a layoff nestegg for every position, for when you do eventually get fired. Like clockwork, it always occurred. Most routines were that you received a call on Saturday, don't come into the office on a Monday. Drop your cr-p off here, and that's that.
Most designers and engineers are for the most part, jack of many trades. They can be interchangeable for the most part. Design has different design disciplines, and engineering has that plus multiple opportunities going for it. With that said, you might find yourself interviewing for multiple positions that are completely unique to one another. This of course assumes you are accumulating experience along the way, and doing different things in your career.
In my experience, I've never found a job in less than a few months from last layoff. There's always a time gap - where your mind begins to wonder, and wander. Many times, I've had multiple sources fighting over hiring me. And at my best opportunity, three offers presented themselves the same week. I literally walked into one onsite offer, while reading an email making an offer only moments prior. The 3rd offer wasn't happy they couldn't compete. One door will close, and one or more WILL open. That's the way it is.
I've only ever gone up to something more prosperous. I'm sure there are some that don't go that way, but ever layoff for me, and there have been many of them, offered significant advantage to get me where I am today. At worst, every layoff offers you the opportunity to grow and learn something new. To become that jack of many or all trades. And in time, that company will come along and pay you like it. Because you can do much more than your average counterpart.
Good luck to you! I left ford for another Oem a few months back. Apply to jobs even if you have minimal qualifications. Also, review articles on interview questions and I recommend the YouTube channel “life after layoff” very good advice. I started search in Jan. Got two interviews with the other two Detroit 3 and one made offer in May. For me it was an improvement to my situation and I was not able to time it with the cuts. I wasn’t going to wait around another 10 years to get the pension. I felt that I never would have reached the 30 and there was no growth opportunity for me not to mention the threat of the coming cuts.