Ex-Hyland workers band together after layoffs

Following the layoff of 20% of its staff, Hyland, a technology company based in Westlake, Ohio, a group of those affected by the job cuts came together to enhance their job search skills. The former colleagues gathered at Doki Doki Kawaii Shop, a hobby store in Lakewood, Ohio, owned by a former Hyland employee, to process their emotions and figure out how to proceed.

Two former senior talent acquisition partners, Lisa Weingart and Jay Jakovina, provided insight on resume writing, job searching, interviewing, and what to expect during the hiring process. Weingart explained that many former Hyland employees had no intention of leaving the company and did not know where to start. Therefore, she and Jakovina provided their ex-colleagues with a list of do’s and don’ts, as well as information on various resources available and one-on-one assistance.

According to Weingart, several employees had been at Hyland for an extended period and planned to stay, but they were unsure how to apply their skills to outside roles. Jakovina added that managers who had been in hiring positions shared the types of interview questions they asked, while workers who had been laid off a year before provided insight on what to expect in the coming months.

The gathering allowed the workers to mourn their job loss but also support one another. It was the first time many of them met in person as they had been working remotely since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. A virtual session is also being considered to reach remote workers who are not in proximity to Hyland’s headquarters outside of Cleveland.

Apart from the informal workshop, the ex-Hylanders launched a Slack channel to stay in touch. Several hundred people have joined, and members share job opportunities and exchange job search tips with each other.