True story: A client of mine found herself jobless, a victim of a no-warning mass layoff at a big tech company. We chatted. She cried. We put our strategy hats on. She knew she had to share her news with her network. The fear of not sharing it was too great … greater than the fear of sharing it.

Together, we crafted her announcement. After a few days, two rounds of edits, and a big dose of courage, she posted it on LinkedIn. Inhale. Close laptop. Exhale.

The next day, her post had generated over 100,000 views and received hundreds of comments. Her network rallied around her. Many others had been impacted. She booked calls off of her post. She landed consulting gigs. She continued to post, week after week.

A year later, she was hired for her next big role at another major tech company.

It sounds crazy, but it’s proven to be true: job loss is an opportunity for you to take a big step out of your comfort zone and position yourself for something new.

Don’t lose sight of this important fact: You are in control of your “what’s next” and you have the pen. So many times the hurt and panic that come with job loss are so intense that people forget that they have a choice and, ultimately, control over how this change is perceived publicly and what their next move will be.

So, if you’ve found yourself in the throes of a layoff or job loss of any kind, I encourage you to take a giant inhale and start crafting your announcement. Here are 10 steps to creating a successful job loss announcement for LinkedIn:

  1. Open your computer, laptop, phone, notepad or preferred writing tool of choice.
  2. Write the story of your job loss. Be raw. Tell the whole story. Talk about your emotions. Talk about every detail that feels relevant. Be real.
  3. Close your computer, laptop, phone, notepad or preferred writing tool of choice.
  4. Twenty-four hours or so later, open it again.
  5. Start a new draft. Craft your announcement for LinkedIn. Be clear about your experience and specific areas of expertise. Career highlights with numbers work well here.
  6. Include a bit of detail on what you’re looking to do next.
  7. Get your call to action right by telling your network how they can help. You might include a link to your call scheduler or invite them to DM you. Whatever is comfortable for you.
  8. Include an image that feels relevant to your post. My client put her office ID card, pen and notebook on her desk, snapped a photo and included it with her post. Posts with images always perform better.
  9. Close your eyes, take another giant inhale. Hold for five seconds. Exhale. Open your eyes. Post your announcement.
  10. IMPORTANT, DO NOT SKIP: Go for a 30-minute walk, without your phone.

Sharing the news of your job loss is a very hard thing to do. It’s very vulnerable, and being vulnerable is terrifying. The reality of job loss is that if you’re not willing to share your unfortunate news with your network, they won’t help you. And in most cases, you NEED their help. Deep down, you want to scream “HELP ME” from the rooftops, right? Don’t let your fear or pride get in the way of your next big win. Be the person who bravely steps out and shares their story. You’ll be 20 steps ahead of everyone who doesn’t.

Amie Sheridan is a professional writer and owner of WINS, the personal branding agency for women in business.