How should I talk about my layoff on social media?

Welcome to Pressing Questions, Fast Company’s work-life advice column. Every week, deputy editor Kathleen Davis, host of The New Way We Work podcast, will answer the biggest and most pressing workplace questions.

Q: How should I talk about my layoff on social media?A: First of all, if you are reading this and you’ve been impacted by a layoff, I’m so sorry. If you liked your job and felt like you were doing good work, it’s an especially devastating blow. But in any circumstance, losing your job turns your world upside down. It’s easier said than done, but please don’t take it personally. The longer you work (especially in volatile industries like tech, retail and media), the more likely that you’ll face a layoff at some point.I was laid off from my magazine job in 2009. I was truly devastated and confused. Social media was newer then and I wasn’t an early adopter. But even if I was active on LinkedIn, I likely wouldn’t have posted about my layoff. I felt embarrassed, even though I knew it wasn’t my fault.Times have completely changed and posting about layoffs on LinkedIn and other social media platforms is the norm now. But there a few things to consider:

Draft and wait

Emotions are running super high when you first lose your job. If it helps you vent to draft a post on your personal or professional social media account, go ahead and do so, but don’t hit publish. Express those feelings to your friends and family verbally or in private messages. Give yourself a day or two for the dust to settle a little before putting out a public message.

Consider other ways to get the word out

After your cooling-off period, it’s professional and understandable to post a short note on LinkedIn that you were impacted by a recent round of layoffs at your company. Just make sure you don’t disclose anything that will compromise your severance. (Some companies may ask you to sign a separation agreement that limits what you can say publicly about your job.)

Consider other ways to spread the news that you are looking for your next role. If you have a good relationship with your boss or colleagues who didn’t lose their jobs, consider asking them to post on your behalf. Those left behind after a layoff can have a feeling of survivor’s guilt (I’ve been there, too) and are often happy to do what they can to help. As a bonus, your boss is likely to have a wider network than you, so having someone else post on your behalf will reach more people.

Another option is to use the “Open to Work” feature on LinkedIn to show that you are looking for new opportunities, without explicitly saying you were laid off. You can limit who sees that you’re open to work to only those using LinkedIn Recruiter. Or, if you want to be more public about it, you can opt for the “Open to Work” badge, though some have mixed feelings about whether this seems too desperate.

‘Be bright, be brief, be gone.’

If you do decide to post about your layoff on social media, Paul Wolfe, a former human resources executive for Indeed, advises you to “be bright, be brief, be gone.” What he means is to keep your post positive and short. I mostly agree, but I think it’s fine to express some genuine emotion by saying something like “Unfortunately, I was impacted by the recent layoffs at [name of company]. While I’m sad that my time with [company name] has ended, I enjoyed my [number of years] working with [names of colleagues].”

Catherine Fisher, a LinkedIn career expert, also points out that it’s important to be specific about what you hope to accomplish with your post. Think about what you’re asking of your network. Use your post to say more than that you’re out of work. “[Consider] what skills that you have that make you right for what you’re looking for, and then how your network can help,” she says. “Are you looking for introductions? Are you looking for advice about how to approach the job search? Being specific about what you need will help ensure that you get it.”

Best of luck that you’ll land on your feet in a better position. Need more advice on posting on social media about your layoff? Here you go:

• This is the best way to announce your layoff on LinkedIn
• Just got laid off? Here’s how to talk about it with your family and friends
• Exactly what to say to someone who’s been laid off
• What you should and shouldn’t post on LinkedIn after your layoff