Situation
Layoff, COVID-19 and wildfire evacuation. A bleak scenario, indeed. On May 1, 2020, Robert lost his job as VP Strategic Partnership due to the pandemic. A month later, he tested positive for COVID-19 and was hospitalized for five days, where he was given oxygen and steroids. It was a very serious case and his life was on the line. And then a month after that, while slowly recovering, Robert was notified that a fire was six miles from his home. He and his family had to pack up their possessions and evacuate not knowing if they would see their house again. The Red Cross put them up in a hotel for a few days until it was safe to return home.
Strategy
As his family’s sole source of income, Robert immediately took initiative after the layoff to connect with his Recchion & Associates coach to help prepare him for his next step (his employer had offered a career and executive transition program with our team as part of his severance package). Robert drove to our Phoenix office from northern Arizona to meet face-to-face (socially distanced) to kick off his program with a 2.5-hour strategy session on managing work/life changes and turning change into opportunity. We could already sense movement from loss, uncertainty, and fear to hope, belief, and acceptance, and his faith was undeniable. We coached Robert through the Find Your Story, Own Your Voice program via daily phone/Zoom calls and launched his personal marketing campaign within three weeks. The process of building his story and brand was unlike anything he had ever done before. His confidence and attitude were at an all-time high, even while facing adversity. A strong start with an “all in” attitude despite the monumental obstacles ultimately led to a cascade of encouraging news.
Outcome
After he was home from the hospital and with his doctor’s okay, Robert was able to start a short (remote) consulting gig he’d landed through a Recchion & Associates business connection, which then led to an invitation to interview for a permanent leadership position. A former employer also contacted him about an enticing opportunity at a start-up. And yet another firm contacted him about a leadership position right in his professional sweet spot. Three months after his unexpected layoff, Robert received an offer (which he calls his “best offer ever”) from his former employer (the start-up). The package exceeded all expectations: salary, remote leadership role, stock options, etc. Despite all the twists and potential roadblocks, Robert stayed the course and credits his team at Recchion & Associates and his faith for leading him to such a glorious outcome. In Robert’s words, “the Recchion Find Your Story, Own Your Voice program will guide your career to the next level and will open your eyes to your true value while uncovering many overlooked opportunities. The effective marketing-centric approach certainly went well above my expectations. The result… I landed my dream job working remotely for an excellent company!”