Laid Off, Now What? A Complete Guide for the Newly Unemployed

A step-by-step plan after a layoff, from the first 7 days to month 3, with example scripts, a money plan and the mistakes to avoid.

A short email on a Monday morning, or a fifteen-minute meeting with HR, can change your whole year in an instant. If you have just been laid off, know first that you are not alone, and that most layoffs come from business decisions such as restructuring, cost cutting or closing a unit, not a verdict that you are not good enough. What you control is what you do next. This guide is split into time periods so you know what to focus on each week.

The first 7 days: steady yourself before setting goals

Days 1 to 3: give your feelings time

Anger, sadness, embarrassment, fear: every emotion is normal. You do not need to rush to look strong. Talk to people you trust: family, close friends, or someone who has been through this before. The one thing to avoid now is big decisions made in a hurry, such as signing documents you have not read or accepting the first job that comes along out of fear.

Days 3 to 7: money and rights

• Check what you are owed: severance based on service, pay in lieu of notice and unused leave. Read the details in your rights when laid off in Thailand.
• Register as unemployed with Social Security as soon as possible and note your monthly reporting dates.
• Check your health cover: when does your former company's group insurance end, and do you need replacement cover?
• Calculate your runway: savings plus severance plus other income, divided by essential monthly expenses, gives the number of months you can last.

Hypothetical example: you have 240,000 baht in total and essential expenses of 30,000 baht a month, so your runway is 8 months. This number tells you how much time you have to choose a job and which expenses to cut first.

Weeks 2 to 4: get your materials ready

Update your resume while your results are fresh

Write each role as results, not duties. Instead of managed online campaigns, write planned and optimised 12 online campaigns, lowering cost per lead versus the previous quarter. Use Resume Lab to check structure and keywords against the roles you will apply for. As for the gap, do not hide it; state it honestly.

Update LinkedIn

Rewrite your headline to say what you do and what you are looking for, for example Performance Marketing | E-commerce | Open to new roles. Turn on Open to Work in whatever way you are comfortable with, and write a short summary of your results in the About section.

Tell your network, specifically

Do not be shy about saying you are looking. Many roles are filled through referrals, but your message needs to make it easy for people to help. Example:

Hi, I have left my previous company after a restructuring and I am looking for Data Analyst roles in retail or e-commerce. If you see an opening or know someone I should talk to, please let me know. Thank you so much.

Months 2 to 3: go all in, with a system

Apply to fewer roles, more precisely

Sending one resume to dozens of companies usually works less well than choosing roles that truly fit and tailoring your resume to each JD. Set measurable weekly targets, for example 8 tailored applications, messages to 5 people in your network and 2 interview practice sessions. Find roles that match your skills with job search on Plants.work.

Prepare your layoff answer

The question of why you left will come. Answer briefly, directly, and steer toward the future, for example: The company restructured and closed my team. I have used this time to reflect on the kind of work I want, and this role matches what I do best. See more in interviewing after a layoff.

Use the gap to add skills the market asks for

Read 10 JDs for the role you want, note the skills that repeat often but you lack, and choose just 1 or 2 to learn that will genuinely strengthen your applications. Browse partner courses at Plants.work Learn.

Look after yourself along the way

Job hunting is a marathon. Set job-search hours, for example 9 am to 2 pm, then exercise or meet friends. After every rejection, note what you learned and adjust the next round.

What not to do

• Rushing into the first offer: if your runway allows, take time to choose a job with a future.
• Venting about your old company on social media: interviewers may see it, and it helps no one.
• Isolating yourself: talking to people helps both your mind and your opportunities.
• Signing documents you do not understand: always ask for time to read.

Start today: the first 5 steps

1. List the money you are owed and check it against the company's documents.
2. Register as unemployed and calculate your runway.
3. Update your main resume and LinkedIn headline.
4. Send specific messages to 5 people in your network.
5. Set a weekly application target and book interview practice.

A layoff does not define who you are; what you do afterwards tells the rest of the story. If you want someone to help you plan, book a chat with a mentor on Plants.work who has changed jobs before, or talk to the AI Career Assistant any time.