Your first week after a layoff — a practical day-by-day guide

The first seven days after a layoff are the most disorienting and the most important. Most people either do too much — firing off applications immediately — or too little, unable to move at all. Here is a day-by-day guide that balances action with recovery.

Day 1 — Feel it, don't act on it

Do not send a single job application today. Do not update your LinkedIn. Do not tell everyone what happened. Give yourself one day to process the news without making any decisions you cannot undo.

Call two or three people you trust completely. Not to strategise — just to say what happened out loud. This matters more than it sounds.

The one practical thing to do today: make sure you have copies of everything you need — your offer letter, your last three salary slips, your PF UAN number, your relieving letter if issued, and the termination letter. Save them somewhere outside your work devices.

Day 2 — Assess your financial runway

Before you do anything else career-related, know your number. Calculate exactly how many months you can cover your expenses with your current savings plus any severance you are receiving. This number will determine how urgently you need to move and what kinds of opportunities you can afford to wait for.

If your runway is under three months, your search strategy is different from someone with six months. Know which situation you are in before you start applying anywhere.

Day 3 — Handle the paperwork

Follow up with HR on your full and final settlement timeline. Confirm your last working day in writing. Check your health insurance — most group policies lapse on your last working day, so arrange personal cover if you have dependents.

Activate your UAN on the EPFO portal if not already done. You do not need to do anything with your PF today, but make sure you have access.

Day 4 — Tell your network, carefully

You do not owe anyone a public announcement. But telling people you trust — colleagues, mentors, former managers — quietly and personally is far more effective than a LinkedIn post.

A simple message works well: "I wanted to let you know that I was impacted by a layoff at [company] last week. I am starting to think about what's next and would value a conversation when you have 30 minutes."

People want to help. Give them the chance.

Day 5 — Update your CV, not your LinkedIn

Your CV needs to be current before you start any formal search. Update it today. Do not post on LinkedIn yet — that can wait until you know what you are targeting.

Focus on outcomes in your recent role. What did you build, improve, deliver, or save? Numbers matter more than job descriptions.

Day 6 — Define what you actually want

Before you apply to anything, spend two hours answering three questions honestly. What kind of work do I actually want to do? What size and type of company suits me? What is my minimum acceptable salary given my runway?

Most people skip this step and spend weeks applying for roles they would not enjoy even if they got them.

Day 7 — One application, done properly

Apply to one role today. One. Not twenty. Find the best-fit role you have identified, write a specific cover note for it, and submit it properly.

Twenty generic applications sent in a panic produce worse results than five well-targeted ones sent thoughtfully. Start the habit you intend to keep.