The loss of a job can be a huge stress for the employee. You could say that it’s comparable to a loss of a friend. It happens because in most of the cases, we’re not expecting to receive a notice of termination. But remember, it’s not an end of the world.
“Anybody who ever built an empire or changed the world sat where you are now, and it’s because they sat there that they were able to do it” – the most commonly repeated sentence from the movie “Up in the Air”, where George Clooney plays a corporate downsizing expert. The fact is that many of the big names and people at the top of the wealth rankings, sealed their careers with failure. A question to ask yourself is – should we consider the loss of a job as a sign of failure or a disaster? What can be done in this situation?
- Avoid a hasty decision. Emotions have never been a good advisor especially when stressed. When we receive a termination letter, we should read it calmly and analyse. Any mutual agreement needs to be reviewed and decided carefully. Only when you have standard termination of service following a period of notice you have noting else to play with.
- Don’t pull the blanket over head. Schedule a meeting with your supervisor to discuss the reason behind your termination. You may receive constructive feedback, what you should avoid in the future. When you lose a job due to no fault of your own, you should have this knowledge as well. Also to receive severance payment – when legally applicable.
- Be diligent at work till the end. More often companies release employees from their service. However when we are expected to work till the end of our notice, my advice would be to stay focused and diligent at work. True – you don’t need to go above and beyond anymore. However, you never know what will happen in the future.
- Talk to someone about your fears. The best way will be to speak to someone close. Don’t be plagued with guilt and remorse. Summarise your time with the company and think if you were happy there. Talk to someone who is in the same situation. Time heals all wounds, so the best is to think about loss of job from a distance, after a while.
- Holidays? Rest and relax is the last thing we consider in this case. But it’s the best recipe for thoughts and decisions about your next steps. Starting a new job, we often don’t have time or the ability to take holidays at the beginning. When the issue is with money, we can rest at home or consider low cost relaxation.
- Think about everything again. Think what’s next. What kind of job you want to look for. Refresh (update) your CV. Plan everything.
- Losing a job could harm our ego. We can lose self-esteem. It’s worth creating a list of personal and professional accomplishments. This list should be a realistic to help us see where we could be valued and where we will feel comfortable.
- Show that you are actively looking for a job. Let recruiters (head hunters) see you. Speak to people in your respective industry, other colleagues, friends and your professional network. Don’t be ashamed.
- Plan your expenses knowing that you may not have a regular income for a while. For a time when you are looking for are job, try freelancing or temporary work to improve your own budget. Try to avoid getting in to debt.
- Looking for a job is a full time job. Many times I’ve written how important it is to create a CV, what mistakes to avoid and how to prepare for an interview. The ideal job / employer may ask you to wait a bit. Be prepared for it.
Whilst searching for a job it’s worth focusing on the effectiveness in taking actions. It is not in our interest to perform things without understanding the bigger impact. It would be good to prepare a list of activities and then verify their effects. A simple excel table is always a good idea. This will give you the opportunity to assess the plan and track steps. Consider this as a project and keep an eye on realization.
Losing a job in this sense should be considered as the end of one chapter and the start of a new one and a chance for new challenges and experiences. Could this be that crucial moment in your career when you find yourself on that wealth ranking?. 😊
Big thank you to my amazing peer Scott for his support and proofreading! 🙂
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