We Were Dismissed, and We Accept It – Here's How to Secure a New Job That Suits You Personally
The start of a new year is frequently a moment for introspection, and for a lot of us, that encompasses thinking about our work lives.
A pair of editors who lost their jobs due to organizational changes at first believed it was a disaster.
"I invested everything into the job... I believed in the ethos we stood for. But in my case, those principles didn't apply," one of them states.
The two opted to employ the word "fired" and argue that being honest about the situation can aid you handle the event.
"There are so many euphemisms for losing a job. Yet, the sooner you acknowledge it, the faster you're candid regarding it, the faster you can move on.
"It's the fast track to whatever you desire next," she continues.
Now, they are succeeding in new ventures, where one running her own firm and another serving as editor-in-chief for a high-end journal.
If you've lost your job or are looking for a new career, consider these four methods for guidance.
1. Contemplate The Past Year
It's natural to feel a bit low concerning your career after a holiday break.
A careers coach emphasizes the value of reflection prior to launching a new job search.
She advises individuals to think about what they desire to pursue more, what to decrease, and what energizes or exhausts their energy.
Reviewing your achievements to spot common themes can also help. "Try not to focusing solely on the recent past, as people often have a tendency to focus on the recent that can impede your judgment," she adds.
She also says it is important to establish the role of work fits in your life.
This involves being candid about how much time you're working and its effect on your family and family life.
Following her job loss, she recommends against letting your life be dictated by your work.
2. Implement Incremental Actions
She says people can make small steps for a career transition without a complete leap.
She required a long period to move from a corporate role to operating her own company entirely, working on her project while still employed, which enabled self-funding from the start.
"It required a bit longer, but that was my approach without risk," she explains.
She recommends an experimental strategy.
This can include volunteer work, getting involved in an initiative that captures your interest, or saying yes to something different in your existing role.
"If it fails, you find out you don't like, but it's better to find out now instead of after you've made the move," she adds.
She also encourages exploring temporary "stepping-stone" positions. They are perhaps not the dream position, yet they function as a move towards your goal, such as a role with parallels to your target field, but in a different area.
"It means allowing yourself the space to accept this is good for now, but that does not mean the same as forever.
"That can be a clever approach for moving much closer to a desired transition."
3. Recall Your Successes
If you've recently lost your job, many are in the same boat – job cuts have increased significantly lately.
She was the top editor in a magazine, previously her entire team were made redundant following a decision to closed the print version.
Recognizing that this event was not indicative of her performance assisted her process the change.
"What you've learned doesn't go away because you were dismissed.
"Do not surrender your confidence, it's vital for everyone to recognize their own worth."
The other editor was let go after ten years with a finance publication following a regime change in management and the hiring of a different editor.
She stresses that a lot of the shame of dismissal is self-imposed.
"Given that hundreds of thousands of people being laid off, it's rarely personal. It's likely not about you, so refrain from bearing that ball of shame around with you."
4. Create a Job Search List
For those who are actively hunting for a new job or feel deeply dissatisfied in your current role, it can be tempting to apply hastily for any vacancy – ignoring what suits you.
However, this represents a major error.
Alternatively, she proposes an exercise called "browsing" – filtering opportunities to only role profiles that seem appealing.
She advises exploring professional networks and gathering several that seem promising.
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