How would you handle an employee resigning during a critical time period?

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How would you handle an employee resigning during a critical time period?

Hello, this is Laura Lee Rose.  I am a speaker and author. I am an expert in time and project management.

I help busy professionals and entrepreneurs create effective systems so that they can comfortably delegate to others, be more profitable and have time to enjoy life even if they don’t have time to learn new technology or train their staff.  I have a knack for turning big ideas into on time and profitable projects.

At the end of the day, I transform the way you run your business into a business you love to run.

Today’s comment came from a busy professional:

How to Encourage Your Unemployed Friend

  1. What is the best way to offer your unemployed friend encouragement as they look for a job?
  2. What are some specific things you can do?

3 What are some helpful or encouraging things to say?

  1. Should a friend ask how the job search is going? How often should you ask how the job search is going?

5.What are some things to avoid doing or saying?

  1. Should you send your friend job openings you see online?
  2. What can one do if the experience is negatively affecting the friendship?

8.Please share any other advice or tips.

  1. What is the best way to offer your unemployed friend encouragement as they look for a job?

Ask them what their game plan is.  Understand the types of jobs they would be interested in and good at.  Understand their strengths and weaknesses.  Understand what areas they already have covered by other family or friends. Understand the ways they would like you to help.  And then ask PERMISSION to help in those ways.

If they don’t have a game plan – ask permission to help them with it.

 

  1. What are some specific things you can do?
    Offer to introduce them to individuals, invite them to your networking events, pass along other networking events that might better fit their job goals, review their LinkedIn.com profile and recommend any changes that might better attract job offers, show them how to use the job links on Linkedin; etc.  There are lots of things you can do.  BUT please ask PERMISSION before doing anything. They may already have someone working on different areas.  You want to make sure not to overwhelm or distract him from his current plans and goals.One other thing you can offer is to do some mock interviews with them.  If you have experience in interviewing people for jobs – you can offer to “mock interview” them to give them practice.  You can do the same thing by pretending to be a hiring representative at a Job Fair – to give them practice on navigating a busy job fair.  Providing them a safe place to practice these things will increase their confidence when the time comes.

Once again – you ask permission to see if they want this kind of help first.

3 What are some helpful or encouraging things to say?

Action speaks louder than words.  Follow through on the things you and he agreed that you would do for him.  Attend some of the networking events with them.  Keep an eye out for Job Fairs, etc for them (if these are some of the things he agreed that he needed your help on).

  1. Should a friend ask how the job search is going? How often should you ask how the job search is going?

I would ask about any job position that YOU specifically lined  up for them.

I would ask about any networking event that YOU specifically lined up for them.

I would ask about any meetings or interview that YOU specifically lined up for them.

If you find that they didn’t follow-up with any of the things that you lined up for them – then I would stop sending them any additional information – until they are ready to take action.  They will call upon you when they are ready – because you have already shown your willingness to help.

  1. What are some things to avoid doing or saying?

Avoid doing things without them asking you do to it.  They may have other things in plan or in the works that you do not know about.

Avoid continually sending them stuff (overwhelming them).  Start off slow to see if they actually take action on those few things – before sending them other things.  They may be struggling with other people sending them things as well – and are overwhelmed.

  1. Should you send your friend job openings you see online?

Only if they have asked you to keep an eye out for you.  Have an agreement upfront on things he/she is looking from you.  He/she may have other people keeping an eye out on different things – so that they are not overwhelmed with “helping hands”.

  1. What can one do if the experience is negatively affecting the friendship?

I would disengage from the topic altogether before it starts affecting the friendship (don’t bring it up again, don’t pass anything to them, etc).  If they are not responding to some of the things you have tried – just tell them to let you know how you can help and then disengage.
8.Please share any other advice or tips.

If you are the one looking for a job- one recommendation is to have a “Friendly Hand Plan”.  This means, figure out what each of your friends strengths are.  If someone is an expert in networking – ask to attending networking events with that person.  If someone is in the same professional area, ask them to review your resume for things that might catch an employer’s eye.  If a friend is a business coach, ask for ideas on how to better market yourself.  If a friend is very adept at LinkedIn – ask this friend to help you upgrade your profile and search for appropriate contacts, job postings, and make linkedin connections.

Have different roles for your different friends and explicitly state what you need from each of them.  Your friends want to help – but without understanding your game plan – their good intentions might miss the mark.

ASK and it is given.   But you still have to ask.

 

I know your situation is different. Why don’t we schedule an appointment, where I get to know more about your unique situation? And then I will be happy to make recommendations on what your best steps are moving forward. To schedule an appointment, book it HERE.

With enough notice, it would be my honor to guest-speak at no cost to your group organization.

I have a monthly presentation on “how to say YES to everything but on your own terms”. To sign up for the complimentary course, go to www.lauraleerose.com/Say-Yes