What do I do now? How will I feed my family? Where will I find work?
The very first thing an oil and gas employee should do immediately after being laid off is finding out what’s included in their layoff package – which typically includes severance pay that covers two weeks of pay for every year the employee worked at a company plus continuation of medical benefits for a set period of time. In addition to questions of layoff packages and outplacement services, laid off employees should also ask their manager and/or other employees for recommendation letters. This should be done prior to exiting the office.
Next, it’s important to take time to grieve and get through the emotional rollercoaster they’re riding. Taking a few days or even a week to process everything will allow individuals to get back in job search mode with a clear head and level emotions. As many are aware, oil and gas is a people industry and networking is key. As much as 80 percent of jobs are found via networking. While you’re building your network within the oil and gas industry, don’t forget to stay in touch with other employees who were also laid off, and even with those who weren’t, because you never know where a job opening lead will come from.
It’s imperative to set up a support system – a team of either family members, close friends or maybe even other laid off comrades – who can provide encouragement and assistance while searching for a job. It’s important to weed out negative people who always make negative comments about anything.