- Arthi Raghu is a former sales development leader at LinkedIn and part-time yoga instructor.
- She was laid off earlier this week but a few things have helped her feel better.
- Raghu recommends throwing yourself a pity party, reaching out for help, and doing something empowering.
On Monday at 6pm, LinkedIn CEO Ryan Roslansky sent out the dreaded email announcing that layoffs were happening at our company: "If you receive a calendar invite in the next hour, your role has been impacted."
I was already shut down for the day and getting dinner ready when I saw a text from a colleague that read, "Have you checked your email?…"
I opened up my laptop, took a deep breath, and waited. Within 10 minutes, I received the invite. It was a 15-minute block set for Tuesday morning and read "ATTENDANCE REQUIRED." Not a good sign.
My heart stopped beating for what I'm sure was an entire five minutes
I felt a similar feeling 25 years ago when I was told my dad had died — something I was so tightly intertwined with was suddenly gone and I had no control. I was stunned.
I kept waiting for an email or call or text from one of my leaders telling me that my job was safe. Maybe there were some reorgs, some transitions, and I still had a job — but nothing came.
For the next 45 minutes, I sat in silence staring at my laptop as more messages from my reps and other colleagues started coming through. "Hey, have you heard anything?" … "Did you get the invite?"
I remember looking at Microsoft Teams and seeing everyone's status turn from yellow and away to available and green — everyone was frantically trying to figure out who had been chopped. I didn't sleep much that night.
I spent the last four years of my career at LinkedIn and loved every minute of it
I was a sales development leader and have had the privilege of coaching, shaping, and developing future sales talent for LinkedIn. My team had been doing incredibly well, and I was excited about what the next year would bring for us all.
With our new fiscal year right around the corner, I had a sense there would be some changes to the business given the economy and what other companies were going through, but not once did I expect my entire segment to be dissolved overnight.
I've now had 48 hours to process the news (and my emotions), and I wanted to share what's helped me feel grounded again.
1. Have a blowout pity party
I felt ashamed. I felt embarrassed. I felt rejected. I felt like I wasn't good enough (even though I exceeded quota every single quarter this last year).
Feel your feelings — all of them — and share them out loud with someone close to you. As a yoga instructor, I've come to understand the importance of honoring your emotions. If you don't process, you can't move forward.
Once I truly dug into the emotions that were coming up, they evaporated.
2. Engage in one of your passions
Once your pity party has concluded, do something that lights your spirit up. Book a little getaway. Do the thing that makes you feel like you again.
When the news came out, a couple immediate thoughts were
- Sh*t, I need to buy a laptop right now, and
- Should I cancel the yoga class I'm scheduled to teach because I might be in a bad headspace?
I quickly decided not to because teaching is the thing that makes me feel whole and empowered. I walked into the studio, calm and grounded. I sat down in front of a packed studio, took a sip of water, and slowly started to peel back the layers of what had happened to me over the last 24 hours.
The look on my students' faces was pure shock. Many of them know my story and have heard me speak very fondly of my experience at LinkedIn and how well things were going.
I was surprised that I didn't shed a single tear throughout the 60 minutes. I could feel my emotions stirring and moving through but in a way that was therapeutic.
3. Inform your network and ask for help
By the end of the yoga class, I had multiple job leads from my amazing students.
I was and am still blown away and so grateful for the support I've received from friends and former colleagues. So much kindness exists in the world and people are happy to help. Let them.
It's only been four days since I've posted about my layoff at LinkedIn and I've already received at least a hundred messages from recruiters and dozens of messages from former colleagues offering to refer me to their company and introduce me to their boss.
4. Get your resume and your LinkedIn profile updated
This is a giant pain in the ass, but now you finally have time to do it.
Play around with your "About me" section on LinkedIn and include those unique things about you that make you stand out. If you need a new headshot that's going to make you feel more confident, invest in one. Include your results and the impact you've had in each of your roles. List the skills you've cultivated that make you stand out. Turn on that little toggle button that shows the world you're open to work.
When layoffs happen, our confidence naturally plummets, but as you start reflecting and writing about all the accomplishments you've had in your career, I promise you'll not only feel better but likely get some much needed attention from recruiters.
5. Reconnect with yourself
This one is HUGE. So many of us tie our worth to our work — what our job title is, what our salary is, our power, our status, etc. Once that changes, it's easy to feel lost and worthless.
I've spent years learning to disassociate my value from jobs, titles, and relationships, among others, and — let me tell you — that was the most impactful work I've ever done. If you don't know who you are without your job, this is your opportunity to figure that out.
I'm off to find some new beginnings and have some fun along the way
On the professional front, I've always believed things work out for the best and the skills that I've gained throughout the 14 years of my career are still mine to be proud of. Despite what happened, I still wholeheartedly believe in everything LinkedIn stands for and I respect our leadership for the incredible impact this company has had and continues to make.
On a personal front, I'm going to enjoy a little downtime before my days get filled with Zoom meetings again. My husband and I are headed to Europe next month for a belated honeymoon. I've signed up for a few summer and fall running races. I'm going to write as much as I can and spend some much needed time with the people I love.
I'm looking forward to returning to all the things that make me, me. And when I'm ready, I can't wait to re-enter the workforce with even more to bring to the table.
Arthi Raghu is a former sales development leader at LinkedIn, part-time yoga instructor, certified mindset coach, and avid marathon runner.