How to Reinspire HR Transitions with Empathy, Career Clarity & Community Support
When HR Faces the Transition
If you work in HR and you’re in transition, this is for you.
We’re often the ones helping others navigate change. But when the change happens to us, it can feel isolating, quiet, and unspoken. HR transitions aren’t talked about enough. That’s why Respiris created something simple—and deeply human: a place where we gather, check in, and get re-inspired.
In this blog post, you’ll learn why transitions hit differently for HR professionals, what the "Career Prayer™" is and how to use it, and how Respiris has created a repeatable framework to bring clarity and connection to a moment that often feels disorienting. You’ll hear real stories, get tactical tools, and understand how empathy, not just strategy, can guide you through change.
Why HR Needs Transition Support Too
While many organizations provide outplacement support to impacted employees, few stop to think about the HR team that delivers the message and then gets cut next.
The Quiet Exit of HR Professionals
When you’re in HR, you’re trained to guide others. You facilitate layoff scripts, coach managers, document processes, and ensure compliance. But when the layoff comes for you, there’s no roadmap. There’s often no soft landing. And there’s certainly no formal acknowledgement of your emotional toll.
I’ve been there. I’m Angel Cruzado, founder of Respiris, a company built to support transitions with empathy, AI, and a human touch. I was the calm in the storm for over 15 years—until I found myself in the eye of it.
Suddenly, I was a single co-parent, laid off, and fighting for custody in a broken legal system. What I needed didn’t exist: a space to process, reconnect, and restart. A place that didn’t judge me for needing time to breathe, for being unsure of my next step.
So I created one.
The Gap in Traditional Outplacement Programs
Most outplacement services are:
Reserved for executives
Transactional, not transformational
Lacking in empathy
Focused on outdated tactics
Uninformed by the reality of modern job searching
What we needed was a movement, not just a service.
HR professionals deserve better. We need:
Community that gets us
Tools that actually work
Time and space to heal
A practical plan that fits today’s job market
And perhaps most importantly: to be reminded that we are more than the job we just left.
The Career Prayer™: Setting Career Intention with Clarity
What is the Career Prayer™?
It sounds spiritual, but it’s actually legal. The name comes from the phrase "prayer for relief"—a legal term asking the court for a specific outcome. In our world, it means asking for what you want in your next role with clarity and courage.
It’s not manifesting. It’s not woo-woo. It’s a practice of radical clarity and courageous honesty.
It combines:
The intentionality of a yoga practice
The strategy of personal branding
The specificity of legal writing
When we write our Career Prayers™, we make it easier for others to help us. Instead of “open to work,” we can say, “I’m looking for a Director of People Operations role in an early-stage tech company with a remote-first culture.”
Why It Works for HR Professionals
When you clearly state what you want, others can help you get it. That’s the foundation of the Career Prayer™. We’ve used it to:
Land roles at VC and PE-backed companies
Break out of self-doubt spirals
Activate dormant LinkedIn networks
Get referrals that convert to interviews
Provide relief for people who felt lost and overwhelmed
Sample Career Prayer™:
"I am looking for a Head of People role at a purpose-driven startup in Series B stage, with 100-300 employees, preferably remote-first. I bring 15 years of experience in scaling culture, managing workforce transitions, and enabling manager development. I’m energized by working with mission-driven founders and love building HR systems from scratch."
We read them aloud in our sessions. We revise them together. We encourage participants to not just write one—but to say it out loud and live into it.
Because asking with intention changes the game.
Reinspiring Transitions: The Respiris Framework
At Respiris, we believe career clarity begins with community. This isn’t about one-and-done resume help. It’s about connection, momentum, and meaningful relationships.
Here’s what happens every other week:
A Space Without Slides or Agendas
Just a Google Meet link, a screen share, and humans helping humans. We:
Compare job search notes
Share AI prompts and tools
Troubleshoot resume frameworks
Workshop tough interview questions
Laugh, cry, and keep going
There are no talking heads. There’s no corporate speak. There’s just truth.
We also welcome folks to share the intangible stuff:
What are you afraid of?
What are you proud of?
What’s something no one asked you today that you wish they had?
This isn’t networking. It’s rebuilding.
Tools We Use (Old School + New School)
We blend the human and the digital. Our stack includes:
Enhancv and Jobscan for resume optimization
ChatGPT + AI tools for targeted outreach messages
Calendly and Loom for async coffee chats
Airtable to track applications and networking
LinkedIn voice notes to add a personal touch
This approach has helped:
HR folks reframe how they present themselves
Mid-career professionals show up more confidently
Coaches and consultants get traction through clarity
Tactical Advice for the Transition
We provide:
10 coaching sessions over 3 months
Access to our AI Companion Coach (24/7 support)
Resume, LinkedIn, and interview feedback
A bi-weekly rhythm of accountability and connection
We also pair people with a buddy. Why? Because no one should go through this part alone.
Some weeks are heavy. Others are hopeful. All are welcome.
The Future of Work is Reinspired, Not Replaced
Why Now Is the Time for HR to Take Care of HR
The role of HR is evolving. AI, DEI shifts, and hybrid work have changed the landscape. But one thing remains: People leaders need care, too.
It’s time we:
Normalize transition for HR
Support exits like we do entries
Create safe landings
Make job loss part of the conversation
If we’re going to talk about employee experience, it needs to include the last mile—what happens when someone leaves.
Emerging Trends We’re Watching
Career coaching powered by AI (like Respiris Companion Coach)
Fractional and interim HRBP roles on the rise
Community-led career navigation (vs. solo job hunting)
Emotional resilience as a key skill for People leaders
The HR function is being redefined. And we get to lead that redefinition.
Real Success Stories
One Head of People went from layoff to offer in 6 weeks after reworking her Career Prayer™ and connecting with our group
A Senior HRBP landed a fractional role that turned into full-time after using our template outreach messages
A recruiter activated her Career Prayer™, received three interviews in a week, and regained her confidence
These aren’t just wins. They’re reminders that support works.
Conclusion: Don’t Go Through This Alone
If you work in HR and you're in transition—you’re not alone. Join us.
You can reach out to me directly at angel.cruzado@Respiris.com.
Want to connect for a strategic conversation? Schedule time here: calendly.com/angelcruzado/cxo.
Just want to kick it and chat, no agenda? I’m here for that too: calendly.com/angelcruzado/noagenda.
Respiris was built by and for people like you. We understand how isolating this phase can feel. But with community, clarity, and the Career Prayer™, you can find your next chapter.
DM me your email, and I’ll send you an invite to our next session. If you can’t make it this time, we’ll see you in two weeks.
Let’s reinspire your transition. Together.
Because your best chapter might be the one you write next.
About Angel Cruzado
Angel Cruzado is the founder and CEO of Respiris, a career transitions company redefining outplacement, job search support, and workforce care. Angel has over 20 years of experience in HR, starting as a recruiter and growing into executive roles at VC and PE-backed companies. He’s worked across sectors—from gaming to edtech to healthcare—and brings a human-centered approach to every engagement.
Angel is a first-generation college graduate, proud dad, and co-parent. His journey includes building Respiris from personal experience—after being laid off, navigating custody challenges, and realizing how unsupported HR professionals are during their own transitions. That pain became purpose. He created Respiris to be a friend, a coach, and a system of support for people navigating job loss.
A believer in AI-enabled human empathy, Angel has spoken at conferences like Transform, served as a Fractional Head of HR for early-stage startups, and built a job search coach marketplace that’s helped hundreds of people find clarity and confidence. His lived experience gives Respiris a competitive edge—and his empathy gives it soul.
He is currently building a bi-coastal life between Los Angeles and Boston, creating the kind of company—and community—he wished existed during his own transitions. that helps companies and individuals navigate change through human-centered, AI-enhanced transition support. As a former Head of HR and executive recruiter, Angel combines 20+ years of experience with a deeply personal mission: to make transitions better—starting with the people who support others the most.
About Respiris: Who We Are and What We Do
Respiris is a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE)-certified, human-centered platform designed to reinspire career transitions for individuals and companies. We specialize in offering outplacement assistance, strategic HR support, and coaching through community, empathy, and technology.
Our mission is to transform transitions from moments of uncertainty into opportunities for rediscovery. Whether you’re a People Leader navigating a layoff, a finance leader considering workforce shifts, or an individual experiencing unexpected change, we meet you where you are.
Our Core Offerings:
Outplacement Services: Personalized support for impacted employees, not just executives
Job Search Coaching: 10 coaching sessions across 3 months, with tactical and emotional support
AI Companion Coach: 24/7 digital support guiding career decisions, interview prep, and job search optimization
The Career Prayer™ Framework: Our signature approach to bringing intention and clarity to the job search
Community Circles: Bi-weekly, agenda-free virtual meetups designed to foster accountability, reflection, and growth
Fractional HR & Recruiting Services: For businesses navigating organizational change or in need of interim support
Who We Serve:
VC and PE-backed companies looking to handle exits with dignity
Government programs supporting veterans or unemployed professionals
HR, Legal, and Finance teams preparing for workforce planning
Professionals seeking to transition with clarity and support
At Respiris, we believe the last mile of the employee experience can reinspire the first mile of a new chapter. We exist to ensure no one goes through transition alone.
Visit www.respiris.com to learn more, or reach out to explore how we can partner together.
A first-generation college graduate, co-parent, and community builder, Angel believes that reinspired transitions can change lives. Through Respiris, he is proving that career care can scale—and that every departure can lead to a more purposeful arrival.
