When a company is in play... timeline, employees, etc.

I posted a few months ago about what a great buyout deal my REIT is (where I’m an associate), and sure enough I’ve found we are in talks with a PE firm. I know this is premature but assuming the deal does go through, I was wondering a few things... how much time do we have before jobs are lost/reinterviewed for? In searching for another job, do potential employers view me as an opportunity to hire a competitor or as someone they can take advantage of due to downsizing? Has anyone been through this before who can shed some light on what expect or with any advice? Thank you! *note: moving this to the PE forum for a wider net of experts