I'm about to start applying and I'm not sure how to deal with the issue of being laid off once I reach the interview stage. Is it detrimental to my chances if they find out I was laid off from my last job? If it is, is there a way to avoid disclosing it? I've never been laid off before, so I'm not sure how to approach this.
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"Fact: Anyone leaving CSG will likely encounter recruiters that know about Citrix history. Be prepared to address the negative aura around its notorious culture of employee entitlement."
This is as far from "fact" as you can get. More like extremely stupid.
This is an absolute load of bs. Poster has no idea what they are talking about.
Post from TheLayoff.com
I've been laid off a few times in my career. Not one potential employer has viewed it negatively. Any interviewer or potential employer that suggests anything else would be a red flag for me. Interview away! You're gonna be ok!
Ignore those who are in denial, do try to distance yourself from this train wreck.
Fact: Anyone leaving CSG will likely encounter recruiters that know about Citrix history. Be prepared to address the negative aura around its notorious culture of employee entitlement.
Given the size of the restructure, any decent hiring manager will recognize that this was a company problem and not the individual. As some of the others have said, sharing the large restructure after the PE takeover in a short and objective sentence will let you move-on to discuss why you are qualified for the role you are seeking.
This does not apply to VP or above- they are the ones that missed the market signals or did not execute quickly to make sure Citrix rides the change. They will need a better line than the mass restructure.
I don't understand the concern. Thousands and thousands of tech workers have been laid off over the past year. All hiring managers know this. LinkedIn is filled with posts from people who were recently laid off from here. The nonsense that coming from Citrix is a scarlet letter is just that - nonsense. Don't worry about it.
Citrix sells over $3 billion worth of product a year and almost all Fortune 500 companies currently use it or recently did. No one is going to ask anyone below VP level about the "decline" of Citrix. It simply isn't something you have to worry about.
"Why did you leave Citrix?"
"I was laid off along with about half the company after Citrix went private."
"Okay." and on to the interview.
Don't let your time at Citrix define your personal abilities. Focus on how you've invested in your own skills development to stay current, during your time at Citrix.
Why? Many tech hiring managers will know about Citrix's history of decline, so you need to be prepared to address that issue. Distance yourself from the company's poor reputation.
Also, share some details in your CV about the 'outcomes' of your work, not the Citrix job role and responsibilities. Your personal contributions to outcomes will matter more.
You can also have links to articles reviewing the layoff. Also, as tempting as it may be, DO NOT share with your interviewer that TK is a S-B. It doesn’t look good, and you wouldn’t tell people you don’t know about people in the family who are nasty, evil, fake, obese, etc would you? This is similar.
Interviewer: “And why are you leaving (did you leave) your job at Citrix?”
You: “I was one of the people impacted by the company’s restructuring and reduction in force.”
If you are getting outplacement services as part of your severance benefits, use it. They can help you with navigating this type of thing. But yeah, there's no shame in losing you job in a mass restructuring. Being evasive only makes it look like you were "managed out" for reasons that don't reflect well on you.
You may consider a "farewell" message on linkedin. It is very likely your colleagues will comment positively. The word spreads and your profile is viewed by others in the industry as well as recruiters. It is very possible that your profile will be viewed hundreds of times.
This means it is also very important that you have a current and detailed profile on LinkedIn. That profile acts as a screening resume of sorts.
Be 100% transparent that you were part of the major RIF along with ~50% of the company. No serious employer will have any issue with that. A lot of TOP people were laid off along with you.