Smart way to tell potential employers about your job status

This post came out from The New Paper (21 January 2016)
Title - Truth of the matter - If you have been retrenched, there is a smart way to tell potential employers about your job status

Some pointers that I've got are:
1. Get an official statement
2. Pre-empt the question
3. Offer referees
4. Highlight pertinent details of the restructuring
5. Look on the bright side

On Get an official statement

• When staff members are notified of an impeding downsizing exercise, there is usually an official statement or story from the company's senior management. Affected employees should speak to their direct supervisor or human resource manager to get more information.
• Common reasons include cost cutting measures, the relocation of operations to lower-cost sites, the outsourcing of a function to a third party or the cessation of certain jobs altogether.
• Repeat the official story to potential employers in a matter of fact tone, without any trace of bitterness.

On Pre-empt the question

• Candidates will invariably be asked why they are looking to change jobs. When asked, those who are still employed will typically state that they are looking for new challenges or new growth or a better environment in which to excel.
• If you are an unemployed candidate, it is okay to tell your potential employer that you have been affected by a restructuring exercise. It might be even better to tell him the facts before being asked, thereby getting it out of the way early so everyone can focus on the key objectives of the interview - how you, the candidate, fit the role requirements.

On Offer referees

• Erase any doubts about your performance by offering your potential employer the chance to speak to a referee.
• In this instance, the best referee is obviously a direct supervisor or someone fairly senior who has worked closely with you in the recent past. It does not matter if the referee has also been affected by the restructuring. 

On Highlight pertinent details of the restructuring

• Give the interviewer important information such as how many people were affected by the restructuring, which location the operation has been moved to, how the former employees' responsibilities have been divided up, what the new structure looks like and so on.
• Such information points to the fact that your exit from the company was not performance-related.

On Look on the bright side

• Being in transition gives you several other positioning advantages.
• You can be very direct and open about the fact that you are pursuing many other job opportunities and are currently speaking to several potential employers. This can be used as an effective negotiation tool.
• Being in transition also does not mean that you should succumb to pressure to lower your salary expectations. 
• If you have a solid track record, it is possible to maintain or even increase your salary because of the value you will bring to the role. 

Yours,
Something Small Thinking Big