Getting laid off is not normally considered a big negative on a resume. Anyone who has worked very long has probably either been laid off or had to layoff someone. Companies add people, and sometimes they have to let people go for economic reasons that have little to do with employee performance. Very few prospective employers are going to expect you to work for free. They understand that changing economic conditions can cause some companies to lose the ability to pay even good employees.

On your resume, just be straightforward about it. Layoffs are almost always money driven. In non-union companies, those with the highest salaries are released to save the most money. The tragedy is that they are often replaced by additional lower paid employees.

In reading over resumes, employers should not view your layoff as a direct negative about you. You need to be able to answer questions a much as possible about the layoff if you are interviewed. Layoffs only become a problem if it takes you too long to find a new job. Anything beyond 6 months begins to look like maybe you were laid off because you weren't worth your money.

Learn more about this author, Allen Teal.
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