The biggest mistake people make in the first 72 hours after a layoff
Most people who get laid off do the same thing: they update their LinkedIn headline to "Open to Work," blast out their old resume to 30 job boards, and start networking with no clear target.
Within a week they're exhausted, demoralized, and wondering why nothing's working.
Here's what actually matters in the first 72 hours:
1. Count your runway. Not in a vague "I have some savings" way. Actual numbers - monthly burn, liquid cash, severance timeline, insurance coverage. When you know you have 4 months instead of "some time," the panic drops by half and your decisions get sharper.
2. Don't touch your resume yet. Your resume from your last job was written for your last job. Before you update it, you need to decide what you're targeting next. A resume with no target is just a biography nobody asked for.
3. Pick a direction before you apply anywhere. Two target roles maximum. That's it. Everything you build - resume, cover letters, interview language - should point at those two roles. Precision beats volume every time in a job search.
4. Get your layoff story straight early. You will be asked about it in every conversation, interview, and DM. Having 2-3 sentences that are honest, confident, and forward-looking changes the entire dynamic.
The difference between people who get rehired in 30-60 days and people who drift for 6 months isn't talent. It's whether they had a system or were just reacting.
I built the Career Comeback Playbook around exactly this sequence. If you're in this situation right now, it might help.