I was laid off one day before my 2nd child was born. I landed a job at Meta in a month thanks to 5 habits I practiced even before the layoff.

Having a calendar where I noted all my interviews, along with the names of the recruiters, was a lifesaver during that time period. Jotting down all my appointments helped me plan each day, especially since I gave a few interviews at the hospital during doctor visits for my newborn.

Writing down the names of the people I was interviewing with gave me context and jogged my memory about what had been discussed with the company or the hiring manager before.

Do you work in tech or management consulting and have a story to share about your career journey? Email this reporter at shubhangigoel@insider.com.