First things first

This might be the first Monday LAM (Life After Microsoft) for some folks. I remember leaving and how weird it felt that first day, not having to log on first thing to see what was going on before I fully got my day started.

If you're experiencing that weirdness, or even if you're not, I've got a few recommendations of things to focus on today (or soon).

Check yourself
First thing, check how you're feeling. Online, I saw lots of tenured folks at Microsoft mentioning being impacted. If you're one of those folks and are getting a nice severance check (or have a good-sized emergency fund), you might want to think of this as an opportunity to detox from corporate life a little bit.

My first two weeks PMS (post-Microsoft...see what I did there?), I slept in, cleaned my house, organized stuff, had lunch with friends. I played tourist in my own town. I bought a motorcycle. Especially if your separation was a shock (which it appears to have been from most accounts I have heard), consider taking some time to relax and let it sink in. That's not to say that you shouldn't do anything for those two weeks (or whatever time you deem appropriate), but I'd just encourage you to think about taking care of yourself and spending some time on things you enjoy. It's summer, for crying out loud. Get outside!

Give yourself permission. You may never have this chance again.

LinkedIn Profile
During your detox time, I propose you make some exceptions for tasks that are time critical. One of those is updating your LinkedIn profile. Here's the situation: other companies that hire folks just like you took notice of what happened at Microsoft this past week. They are also aware of the fact that the folks impacted are quality people. Smart companies (in other words, the kind of companies you would like to work for) are online reaching out to Microsoft employees now. Because of this, I'd also recommend this step to anyone at Microsoft who might be thinking of making a move. Take advantage of the attention recruiters are paying to Microsoft right now.

I have a reference guide that is helpful when it comes to updating your LinkedIn profile. It explains the different sections you need to complete and how to maximize your exposure. You can get the reference guide in PDF on my website here. I removed the form that required that you share your contact info with me to get the guide. Just go grab it and use it.

A couple of the things on the guide I want to specifically highlight:
1) Make sure that when you selected Microsoft as your employer, you picked it from the drop down versus just hitting return. LinkedIn has a database on the back-end where they store values for some of these fields. By selecting from the drop-down, you are findable through filtered searches.
2) Also enter your location on your profile and for your employer as recruiters will search and filter by geography.
3) Really pay attention to those keywords. Think like a recruiter and add phrases around functional aspects of your job, technologies used and group names.
4) Update your settings to accept inmails, add your email address so recruiters can contact you directly.

Instructions on all of this in the guide. Let me know if you have any questions.

File
At the risk of over-stepping with my bossiness, file for unemployment. You should have some info the packet Microsoft gave you on how to do it. Microsoft paid into the system on your behalf while you were working and hopefully, you won't be drawing from it for long. But you just don't know how long you will be between jobs. Better safe than sorry.

Create a ritual
OK, my last thing is to start to think about what kind of rituals you can create during this time. I don't know about you, but I like a little routine in my life. After you get through your first few weeks, I think you'll appreciate a little structure around your job search. And if you are kicking off your job search immediately, that structure may give you a sense of control.

Obviously the routine will be different for everyone but some things to think about...

• Will you sleep away a good part of the day if  you don't set an alarm? You might want to keep the habit of setting it.
• Maintain any routine around family commitments, especially if you have kids
• Dedicate some time each day to reaching out to your connections and developing new ones
• If you are someone who gets the blues, look at adding some exercise into your day. Or maybe some meditation. There are plenty of online resources that will teach you how to meditate.

I also recommend keeping a spreadsheet to track your contacts and applications. Some other folks may have additional recommendations. 

Let me know if you have any questions!