The Three-Part Open-To-Work Post
Turn a layoff announcement into a community-powered job search.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time to result
- ~weeks to results
- Steps
- 4
- Confidence
- 85%
The Three-Part Open-To-Work Post is Javier's structure for turning a layoff announcement into an engine for help. Rather than a bare 'open to work' note, the post has three parts: state that you were laid off, tell a short relatable story, and specify what you want to do next — all anchored by a clear ask and call to action. Strategically tagging people at your target companies pushes the post into the right feeds. Because audiences feel sympathy for people affected by the pandemic, the post mobilizes the community to connect you with recruiters and roles.
Origin
Working with job seekers during COVID-19 layoffs, Javier saw people either hide their job loss or post ineffective notices. He codified a three-part structure that consistently activated the poster's community and target-company contacts.
Core principles
- 01Every post should have an ask and a clear call to action, not just an announcement.
- 02A structured story invites the community to rally and help.
- 03Strategically tagging people who work at your target companies extends your reach to the right audiences.
- 04Sympathy and relatability make people more inclined to help someone who was laid off.
How to run it
- 1
State that you were affected
Open by saying plainly that you unfortunately got laid off or were affected by layoffs.
Watch out Don't just write 'I'm open to work, please connect' — that has no ask or story to rally around.
- 2
Tell your story
Share a short story about yourself or your time at the company so people can relate.
- 3
Say what you want next
State clearly what role or field you're looking to move into, giving your network a specific way to help.
Pro tip Pair this with a concrete call to action so readers know exactly what to do.
- 4
Tag strategically
Tag people who helped you, but choose ones who work at the companies you're specifically interested in to extend reach to the right feeds.
Pro tip Tagging large accounts can surface your post to a follower who works at a company you want, creating fresh common ground when they view your profile.
In the wild
Javier's template opens with the layoff, moves into a personal story, and ends with what the person is looking for next, plus strategic tags of contacts at target companies.
→ The poster's whole community rallies to help, and target-company followers who see it can be approached with the common ground that they viewed the profile.
Common mistakes
Posting a vague 'open to work'
A note that just says 'please connect with me' has no ask or story, so the community has nothing to act on.
Staying silent out of embarrassment
Hiding a layoff forfeits the sympathy and help that a relatable, well-structured post attracts.
Is it for you?
Best for
People who have been laid off or furloughed and want their network to actively surface opportunities.
Not ideal for
Those who must keep a job search confidential or who aren't active on LinkedIn.
From the transcript
“you should have an ask and a call to action for each of your posts”
“the first part being i unfortunately got laid off ... the second part would be in regards to a story ... and the third part…”
From the episode
Jonathan Javier: Networking Hacks to Land a Job in the Pandemic
Jonathan Javier