Just got laid off in 2026? Whether you're trying to figure out what to do after a layoff, how to job search after being laid off, or how to land a better job without taking a pay cut, this episode breaks down exactly what to do in the first 48 hours after receiving the news.

For most who experience a layoff, their first instinct is to fix it fast. Polish the resume. Post "open to work" on LinkedIn. Start applying Monday morning. That instinct is the exact move that turns a 3-month job search into a 9-month one, and the reason most laid-off professionals end up taking a pay cut instead of a pay raise.

The first 48 hours after a layoff decide the next 9 months of your career. Most laid-off professionals make the same mistakes in those first two days, and those mistakes cost them months and thousands of dollars. A small percentage do the opposite, and they often end up earning more in their next role.

In this episode, we unpack the 3 biggest mistakes laid-off professionals make and the 3 actions that actually move you forward. Whether you're navigating a tech layoff, corporate layoff, or any career change after being laid off, this is the layoff recovery guide for 2026.

What you'll learn

• What to do in the first 48 hours after a layoff (and what NOT to do)
• The 3 layoff mistakes that add 6 months to your job search
• How to negotiate severance and avoid signing away leverage
• How to job search after a layoff without taking a pay cut
• How to turn a layoff into a pay raise and a career upgrade

Our book, Happen To Your Career: An Unconventional Approach To Career Change and Meaningful Work, is now available on audiobook! Visit happentoyourcareer.com/audible to order it now! Visit happentoyourcareer.com/book for more information or buy the print or ebook here!

Want to chat with our team about your unique situation? Schedule a conversation

Free Resources

What career fits you? Join our free 8 Day Mini Course to figure it out!

Career Change Guide - Learn how high-performers discover their ideal career and find meaningful, well-paid work without starting over.

Related Episodes

1. Designing Career Experiments and Testing New Careers (Spotify / Apple Podcasts)
2. Changing Careers (When You Don't Know Your Next Job Title) (Spotify / Apple Podcasts)

Job searching in 2026 has become harder than ever. Whether you're navigating a career change, looking for a job in a tough job market, or trying to get hired when AI is flooding hiring inboxes, this episode of Happen To Your Career breaks down the secret to effectively job searching in 2026 and how to land a job you love without sending hundreds of applications.

What you'll learn

• Why specificity (not volume) is what actually gets you hired in 2026
• How to stand out when AI is writing everyone else's applications
• How to build your Ideal Career Profile to focus your job search
• How to use AI in your job search without sounding like a bot
• How to get hired through real conversations (not cold applications)
• Why applying to fewer jobs leads to more job offers

Our book, Happen To Your Career: An Unconventional Approach To Career Change and Meaningful Work, is now available on audiobook! Visit happentoyourcareer.com/audible to order it now! Visit happentoyourcareer.com/book for more information or buy the print or ebook here!

Want to chat with our team about your unique situation? Schedule a conversation

Free Resources

What career fits you? Join our free 8 Day Mini Course to figure it out!

Career Change Guide - Learn how high-performers discover their ideal career and find meaningful, well-paid work without starting over.

Related Episodes

1. How to Figure Out What You Really Want (Spotify / Apple Podcasts)
2. Six Career Experiments To Help You Discover Your Ideal New Role (Spotify / Apple Podcasts)
3. Changing Careers (When You Don't Know Your Next Job Title) (Spotify / Apple Podcasts)

Career change after 30 years? Career change at 50+? Mid-career pivot?

If any of those describe where you are right now, this episode is for you.

Monika Herdlick spent 30 years as a flight test engineer and Army Reserve helicopter pilot. By every external measure, she was winning — federal service, world travel, flexibility, a strong paycheck. But the work had quietly stopped fitting, and she didn't know how to leave the good job she'd outgrown.

What Monika did next is the part of every career change story people don't talk about: months of quiet, uncomfortable work — networking conversations, career experiments, sitting in the in-between space without a plan.

The result? She was hired as Director of Programs and Partnerships at a growing defense company for a role she never applied for. Part-time by design. With room to finish her yoga instructor certification and keep bees.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How to know it's time to leave a good job after 30 years
• How to make a career change at 50+ without starting over
• How to get hired without applying through strategic networking
• Why clarity comes from action, not the other way around
• How to build a mid-career pivot that actually fits your life

If you're considering a career change after 30 years in the same field, this conversation will show you what's possible.

Our book, Happen To Your Career: An Unconventional Approach To Career Change and Meaningful Work, is now available on audiobook! Visit happentoyourcareer.com/audible to order it now! Visit happentoyourcareer.com/book for more information or buy the print or ebook here!

Want to chat with our team about your unique situation? Schedule a conversation

Free Resources

What career fits you? Join our free 8 Day Mini Course to figure it out!

Career Change Guide - Learn how high-performers discover their ideal career and find meaningful, well-paid work without starting over.

Related Episodes

1. Designing Career Experiments and Testing New Careers (Spotify / Apple Podcasts)
2. Should I Quit My Job? How to Know It's Time (Spotify / Apple Podcasts)