Job Search Guidance
Job Search Guidance
Major League is a 1989 classic comedy movie about the struggling Cleveland Indians baseball team. One of the many memorable characters is Serrano. Serrano is a powerful, curveball-struggling slugger played by actor Dennis Haysbert, known for his voodoo rituals (like offering cigars and rum to the bat god Jobu) to hit curve balls. At one point he states, “Jésus, I like him very much. He no help me hit curveball".
“Those curveballs are always coming-eventually, you learn to hit some of them.”
I was talking with a friend recently and they were describing a bit of their journey through a job transition. They spoke of the shock and the confusion when the company they had worked for over 20 years decided to do a round of significant layoffs. As a supervisor she had to let a few people go during this 3-day layoff period and then on the final day she was informed that she also was being let go. Talk about a challenging week!
This triggered the word ‘curveball’ in my mind. We wake up each day and go to work. We generally assume that everything will be ‘normal.’ But you never really know when an unexpected turn of events will happen. This isn’t a new headline or thought, but it is an easy one to lose site of…especially the longer you are working in a particular company.
Serrano kept struggling to hit the curveball, but eventually he connects for a homerun in a critical game. How should we prepare for a curveball?
1. Build a Financial Safety Net. This reduces fear and buys time.
Emergency fund: aim for 3–6 months of living expenses
Reduce fixed expenses: lifestyle flexibility matters more than income level
Avoid lifestyle inflation even during good times
2. Develop Multiple Income Paths (Even Small Ones). You don’t need a full side business—just proof you can earn in more than one way. The goal is income resilience. Examples: consulting, teaching, tutoring, coaching, digital content, and part-time or seasonal work in a different field
3. Keep Your Professional Story Updated. Many people only prepare after layoffs happen.
Keep your resume and LinkedIn current
Maintain a portfolio or examples of work
Track achievements and outcomes, not just job duties
Stay lightly connected with former colleagues
4. Understand Your Industry’s Direction. Don’t rely on job titles—track where value is moving. What tasks are being automated? What problems are growing? Where are companies still paying humans? If your role is shrinking, pivot early, not emotionally attached.
5. Practice Adaptability, Not Identity Lock-In. One of the biggest risks is psychological. “This job is who I am.” Instead see your job as a current role, not your identity. Be open to lateral moves, temporary steps back, or retraining. Normalize reinvention—most careers now involve multiple resets
6. Invest in Your Health and Mental Resilience. Job loss is stressful even when expected. Maintain physical health and routines. Build support systems outside work. Develop stress-management habits. A clear head makes better decisions under pressure.
7. Rehearse the “If It Happened Tomorrow” Plan. Spend a bit of time to think it through. This can help turn anxiety into preparedness.
How long could I cover expenses?
What would I do in week one?
Who would I contact?
What skills would I market?
It will be a rare individual that never has a curveball thrown to them. The goal isn’t to try an avoid all curveballs. The goal is to anticipate some, keep your eyes open and then turn the situation into an opportunity.
"It's a round ball and a round bat, and you got to hit it square."
Be flexible, financially buffered, and keep working to create skill diversity. People who thrive after disruption usually planned quietly, kept learning, and didn’t assume stability was permanent. Take a lesson from Serrano and learn to hit the curveball.
