How to use LinkedIn after a layoff
👉🏻 What to do next
Imagine this: it’s a Tuesday morning. You’re a software developer, and you’ve just been told that due to company restructuring, your role has been eliminated.
You've been laid off.
It’s a tough, confusing moment.
Your first instinct might be to feel discouraged or to just wait and see what happens. It's a normal reaction. But the most powerful thing you can do in this situation is the opposite: take control. Your LinkedIn profile is a key tool for this.
After the initial shock, one of the first professional questions that comes to mind is, "What do I do about my LinkedIn?"
This situation is stressful, but how you handle it on LinkedIn can make a huge difference. It's your chance to take control of the story, show your strength, and get help from the professional community to find your next great role, often faster than you’d expect. This guide will walk you through it, step by step.
To post or not to post? that is the first question 🤔
Your first choice is whether to share the news publicly. Keeping it quiet is an option, but a good public post is often a smart move. Why? Because it immediately tells your network you’re available, and it lets you tell the story your way. The tech community is often very supportive, and a post can bring a wave of encouragement, advice, and job leads that you would otherwise miss.
Crafting your announcement: keeping it positive and professional ✍️
If you decide to post, the goal is to be professional and focus on the future. It's not the time or place to be negative about your old company.
Think of your post in four simple parts:
The facts: Start with a simple sentence stating that your time at your last company has ended due to a layoff.
Gratitude: Thank the company and your colleagues for the experience. This shows you are mature and professional.
Your value: Briefly mention 2-3 of your main skills (e.g., "I'm proud of the work I did with Python and AWS..."). This reminds people what you're good at.
Your future: Clearly say what you are looking for next (e.g., "I'm now looking for a new role as a backend engineer..."). End by saying you're open to connecting with people about new opportunities.
Update your profile: signaling you're ready 🛠️
A post is temporary, but your profile is what people will see for weeks to come. Make these quick updates to support your job search:
Your headline: This is the most important text on your profile. Change it to show what you're available and what you're looking for. For example: "Senior software engineer | Python, AWS, distributed systems | Seeking new opportunities"
The "Open to Work" feature*: Turn this on. It's a clear signal to recruiters.
* In the past, I’ve been a bit conservative about using this feature — but this is one of those urgent cases where it can really help. Read more in my previous article.Your "About" section: Edit the first few lines to state that you're actively looking for a new role and what kind of position you are targeting.
Engaging with the response: managing the support 🤝
A good layoff post will often get a lot of supportive comments and messages. This is the community helping you!
For comments: Make sure to reply to EVERYONE. This is super important — every reply pushes your post back into the feed, giving it more visibility. Take advantage of it!
For direct messages (DMs): Pay close attention to these. This is where recruiters and hiring managers will contact you with real opportunities. Read them carefully and try to reply to the interesting ones within a day or two.
Upskill publicly: leverage LinkedIn learning 🎓
Downtime between jobs is a perfect opportunity to learn something new. Using LinkedIn Learning is a fantastic way to do this because your progress is easily visible. Pick a course that aligns with your career goals—maybe it's a new framework, a cloud certification path, or a soft skills course. When you complete it, the certificate is automatically added to your profile. This sends a powerful signal to recruiters that you are proactive and dedicated to your growth, even during a tough time.
Set up your radar: creating smart job alerts 📡
Don't just wait for recruiters to find you. Take control by telling LinkedIn exactly what you're looking for. Go to the "Jobs" section and use the filters to search for your ideal role (title, location, remote options, technologies, etc.). Once you have a search that gives you good results, save it and turn on alerts. This way, LinkedIn will work for you, sending you notifications about new, relevant job postings as soon as they appear.
Ask for social proof: gathering recommendations ✍️
Now is a great time to ask for a LinkedIn recommendation. Reach out to a trusted former manager or a senior colleague who knows your work well. A fresh, positive recommendation on your profile is powerful social proof that reinforces the skills you claim to have. When you ask, make it easy for them: remind them of a specific project you worked on together and the skills you'd love for them to highlight.
Read also 👇🏻
Beyond the post: staying active & positive 🏃♂️
Your announcement is just day one of your new job search. In the following weeks, it's important that your LinkedIn activity shows you are moving forward.
Keep learning: Post quick updates about any courses or personal projects you're working on.
Stay part of the conversation: Continue to comment thoughtfully on interesting posts in your feed and share articles related to your field.
This continued activity tells a story of resilience—a very attractive quality for any future employer. Facing a layoff is a difficult chapter, but it is just one chapter. By handling it with a clear and professional strategy on LinkedIn, you take control of your own career story and can quickly turn this challenge into a great new opportunity.