#OpenToWork: How Identification in Layoff Announcements on Social Media Shapes Perceived Hireability

This study examined how laid-off workers’ professional social media posts shape others’ perceptions. We explored whether the groups with which laid-off workers identify (profession, former organization, or with other laid-off workers) in LinkedIn posts affect how others assess hireability. Participants (n = 215) rated laid-off workers higher in hireability when their post expressed identification with their profession or former organization, regardless of how prestigious participants perceived those groups. Participants rated laid-off workers expressing identification with other laid-off workers higher in hireability when they perceived that group as prestigious. Blaming workers for their layoff had no significant moderating effect.