Career endings and job losses are often similar to personal breakups. The ending rarely comes out of nowhere. More often, the warning signs are there well in advance. Against better judgment, we may prefer to push aside the outcome we sense is coming. But preparation beats surprise: What can you do when your job starts to feel unstable? 9 steps can help you gain clarity and composure.

“It’s an employee-driven market,” people were saying just two years ago. Skilled experts and executives appeared to be in endless demand; “lose your job today, land a new one tomorrow.” Today, though, the business headlines are about mass layoffs, corporate restructurings, and positions disappearing because of AI.

As a business coach, I am also meeting quite a few clients these days who are dealing with a looming job loss or the challenge to redefine their careers. Their emotional rollercoaster is fairly similar: doubt, shame, anger, fear, hope, often all at once. The hardest part for them is often the sense of being at the mercy of circumstances, unable to do much. So, what can I already begin to do now if a job loss seems just around the corner?

1. Open up to others

Are you ready to talk openly about your impending job loss? Most people’s first reaction: better not. Although seamless career paths are increasingly rare, many clients still feel a sense of shame when facing potential unemployment. Outwardly, they keep up appearances, intending to resurface only when they’ve landed the next, ideally better, job.

German journalist Clara Ott chose a different path – she spoke openly on LinkedIn about her job loss. Once she started in a new role a couple of months later, she shared this advice: “Be brave enough to tell your friends and acquaintances that you’re looking for a job […]. Others in the same situation will want to connect, and you’ll very likely receive unexpected support, encouragement – and job offers!”[1] Research into “weak ties” also confirms why showing your job search openly pays off. These weaker links, e.g. casual acquaintances, more often lead to new opportunities than close relationships. They open doors to new information and networks.[2]

2. Keep an eye on the job market

Even when you are not actively job hunting yet, job alerts help you to quickly get a sense of the current job market. If you’re a manager or specialist, it’s worth identifying the right headhunters – either for later or, discreetly, already now.

3. Understand your legal options

When you’re facing the threat of job loss, uncertainty can feel overwhelming, especially if your previous career moves were voluntary. What needs to happen when? How do I react when my employer informs me that my role is being cut? Even figuring out the notice period can be tricky, hidden in the fine print of employment contracts, company agreements, or collective bargaining rules. A brief early consultation with a labor lawyer can quickly clear up many questions around a potential job loss. And it gives peace of mind: if the worst comes to pass, you already have an expert ready to review and negotiate your termination or separation agreement.

4. Update your CV and cover letter

If you have spent many years in the same company or organization, chances are your documents are not up to date. Redesign your résumé so it looks professional and engaging, and seek feedback from recruiters, coaches, or trusted peers. Draft an initial cover letter that you can tailor later to specific roles. Make sure to show tangible results you have delivered and the capabilities that define you.

5. Put your LinkedIn profile to work

LinkedIn is your ever-visible application, and recruiters actively use it. If you are active on LinkedIn, treat it as your digital business card and optimize your profile intentionally. Focus on your career track, a convincing “About” section, and posts or comments that position you as an expert. Especially here, weak ties can open doors, more often than your closest contacts.

6. Plan your finances

Financial worries often pile on in times of change and can easily trigger major stress reactions. It helps to face your finances head-on instead of pushing them aside. Ask yourself: What funds do I currently have? Can I quickly build or grow a cushion before the job loss becomes imminent? Are there alternative income streams? Which expenses could I trim? Can I expect severance pay and/or government support? And how much? Put simply: how far will my financial resources take me?

7. What should this time be good for?

Whether you choose it or not, a job transition also creates chances. One question that can guide you is: “What do I want this pause to have given me?” As counterintuitive as it may sound, this question helps you focus on the good you’d like to draw from the job loss, or, the break associated with it. Maybe it’s something useful, like decluttering the basement. Or something joyful, like traveling, reconnecting with friends, learning piano, signing up for a course, or developing a new skill.  Or, as Clara Ott puts it: “Take care of your friendships, visit your parents. You’ll seldom have so much time again to help friends with children or to take your mom on a weekday outing.”

8. Find the support you need

Sending out applications, sitting through interviews, waiting, dealing with rejection – career changes can feel tough and lonely. Reaching out early for support from peers, a coach, or an outplacement professional can be helpful, even before you leave your job. Another option is joining a “Job Search Council”: four to six job seekers with similar profiles who give each other feedback and hold each other accountable during the process.[3] External support after a job loss almost always pays off because it keeps you engaged and helps you advance faster.

9. Pause and reflect

As unsettling as a possible job loss may be, it can also become a turning point. Do I want to continue on my current path? Which industry and work environment suit me? What should be different? How do I position myself? What goals do I have? Even starting over completely may be an option, too. This pause is your chance to ask: Where do I genuinely want to go?  

Facing the possibility of losing your job is challenging. Yet consciously preparing for a job loss allows you to spend less energy and gain more clarity. And sometimes a new Plan A emerges precisely when you start working on Plan B. If you’d like support, feel free to schedule an initial conversation, and we can explore whether and how I can help.

[1] Clara Ott, Meine finalen Lehren aus 9 Monaten Arbeitslosigkeit (als Journalistin), June 2025.

[2] Massachusetts Institute of Technology News, The power of week ties in gaining new employment, September 15, 2022.

[3] Credit where credit is due: I first learned about „Job Search Councils” through this LinkedIn post by Henrike Grabert.