Stage 6 of 7 · 7 lessons · ~2 weeks
If you are laid off: the first two weeks
The first days after a layoff decide a lot: what you sign, what you are paid, which documents you leave with and, on a work visa, how much time you have. Stay calm, get everything in writing, check what you are owed under your contract and local law, and reset your budget before you start the search.
Start: In the meeting itselfLessons· one lesson for each topic, in this order
Do this
- Ask for the last day, final pay, severance, equity and benefits in writing
- Do not sign anything on the day; ask how long you have
- Add up what you are owed, apart from severance
- Check the notice and severance rules for your country and role
- On a work visa, speak to an immigration lawyer this week
- Collect your experience letter, relieving letter and payslips
- Ask two people to be references and save their personal contacts
- Calculate your runway and claim any benefits you are entitled to
Keep handy
Also worth your time
Calm, specific wording for money conversations, useful for severance and the next offer
- Sefism 1:1 MentorshipGo deeper
Talk through your next steps with someone outside your company
Before moving on: A written table of everything you are owed with dates, a severance agreement read clause by clause (and checked by a professional if needed), your experience letter and references secured, any visa deadline confirmed, and your runway calculated in months.
Give yourself a day or two to absorb the shock, but not two weeks: some deadlines start immediately. Get everything in writing, sign nothing in the meeting, and check the numbers yourself. Being laid off is a company decision about cost, not a judgement of your worth, and the people interviewing you next know that.