We Got Fired, and We Accept It – This Is How to Secure a New Role That Works Your Needs
A new year's onset is often a period for contemplation, and for a lot of us, that encompasses thinking about our professional paths.
Two publishing professionals who left their jobs after corporate restructures initially felt their world had ended.
"I dedicated everything into that role... I believed in the values we promoted. Yet, when it came to me, those principles were absent," one of them states.
They both opted to use the term "let go" and suggest that being transparent about what happened can assist you deal with it.
"We use countless euphemisms for losing a job. Yet, the sooner you acknowledge it, the quicker you're honest about it, the quicker you can advance.
"That's the quickest route to what you want to pursue next," she adds.
Currently, they are succeeding in different roles, with one leading her own firm and the other serving as lead editor for a high-end journal.
For those who have lost your job or are looking for a new career, consider these four strategies that can help.
1. Consider Last Year
It's typical to experience some unease concerning your career following time off.
A careers coach highlights the importance of looking back before embarking on the search for a new role.
She suggests people to consider what they wish to increase, what to decrease, and which factors motivates or depletes their energy.
Looking back at your accomplishments to find recurring patterns is also beneficial. "Try to avoid focusing solely on the recent past, because we all exhibit for recent-event bias that can impede clear thinking," she states.
She also notes it is important to establish what place your job fits in your life.
This means being honest about how much time you spend working and its impact on your personal and family life.
Following her job loss, she recommends against letting yourself be shaped solely by your job.
2. Make Small Steps
She notes that professionals can implement gradual progress towards a career shift without a complete leap.
She took several years to transition from her corporate career to running a company entirely, developing the venture while still employed, which meant financial stability.
"It required a bit longer, but that was my approach without risk," she comments.
She advocates for a test-run approach.
This can include pro bono work, joining a work project you find appealing, or agreeing to something different in your existing role.
"Worst case scenario, you learn you don't like, but it's preferable to learn now instead of after you've made the move," she adds.
Additionally, she suggests exploring short-term "bridging roles". These may not be the dream position, yet they function as progress forward, for example a position that shares traits to your desired career, though not in the exact area.
"It involves giving yourself the permission to acknowledge this is suitable temporarily, but that does not mean the same as forever.
"This is a clever tactic for moving much closer to that new career."
3. Remember Your Achievements
For anyone who has recently lost your job, many are in the same boat – job cuts have risen significantly in recent times.
She was the top editor in a magazine, previously she lost their jobs when the firm ceased print operations.
Understanding that this did not reflect of her performance assisted her cope with the situation.
"Your experience doesn't disappear simply due to were dismissed.
"Don't give up your self-worth, it's crucial for everybody to remember their own value."
The other editor was let go after a decade in a business journal following a regime change in management and the hiring of a new editor.
She notes that a lot of the embarrassment associated with being fired is in your head.
"Given that hundreds of thousands of professionals losing jobs, it's usually not about you. Chances are not about you, so don't carry that ball of shame unnecessarily."
4. Develop a Career Checklist
If you're desperately seeking a new job or feel profoundly unhappy with your present job, it can be tempting to jump at for any job – disregarding your own happiness.
Yet, this can be a big misstep.
Rather, she recommends a method called "browsing" – focusing your search down to position summaries that sound interesting.
She suggests searching job platforms and gathering around 10 to 15 that appeal to you.
"What are {the words|the
