Ask AI Advisor: What Advice Should I Give a Relative Who’s Been Laid Off & Is Job Searching?

Here at Origin, we’re focusing on ways that we can give our members the tools to pay it forward at this time of year. Amid all the joy, we know there’s also a lot of stress and anxiety during the holidays — especially after the inflation, layoffs, tariff talk, and resulting market swings of the past year.

To that end, we’ve shared some strategies from our Certified Financial Planners® on how to give generously and celebrate meaningfully without derailing financial goals. And now we’re turning to AI Advisor for help on some of the trickier situations you or your loved ones might be experiencing this year. Below, we’re exploring how to support those in your life who’ve gotten laid off and have been job searching for months. 

Keep this advice in mind for conversations over the next few weeks, and check out AI Advisor’s answers to other tricky topics for this time of year: budgeting and spending, upcoming retirement, expecting a baby, and worries about a potential AI bubble. We also hope this inspires you to ask AI Advisor for guidance on other financial and economic hurdles impacting you, your family or friends. 

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What advice should I give a loved one who was laid off earlier this year and has been job hunting for months? 

‍After a layoff, focus on financial stabilization first. That means activating all available support immediately. For example, if your loved one has gotten severance, make sure they’ve completed all the relevant paperwork. If they want to keep their employer-provided health insurance, make sure they’ve completed COBRA documentation. 

Then pivot to unemployment benefits (UI). For example, in California, UI provides $450 weekly for 26 weeks—that's $1,950 monthly. However, depending on the salary, this replaces only 23-47% of previous income.

‍Calculate their true runway. If your loved one has a $20,000 emergency fund and $4,000 monthly expenses, they're looking at five months without benefits but nearly eight months with them. UI adds nearly three months of breathing room. Every dollar of spending reduction extends this further: With this level of savings and expenses, a 10% expense cut adds another month. This math is critical because the average job search currently takes 5.3 months. 

‍Prioritize networking over applications. Referral candidates are 7-10 times more likely to be hired than cold applicants. Encourage your loved one to reach out to 5-10 targeted contacts weekly—former colleagues, industry connections, even casual acquaintances. A warm introduction is far more effective than submitting online applications.

‍Normalize the timeline and help them reframe the narrative confidently. Layoffs carry less stigma than ever. And managing expectations helps reduce the emotional toll: Five-plus months of job searching is challenging but increasingly typical. Even though it’s easier said than done, help them think positively, and focus on what they’re excited about when it comes to new opportunities. 

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AI Advisor gives realistic advice about real financial concerns you may have — or topics you want to be able to advise parents, siblings, or friends on when you meet up to celebrate this holiday season.

Ready to take control of your wealth building journey? For a limited time only, you can join Origin for just $1 for the first year. 

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