You've lost a job, but not a career. Think of this time as a transition period to venture into building your career path.
Photo credit: Renan
You wake up and get ready for work. For some reason you feel nervous because you heard the company is in the process of retrenching some of its staff. So you keep hoping that you’re not on the list. When you get to work, the manager calls you into his office. You walk in and take a sit.
After a lengthy talk you hear the words, “I’m sorry to inform you but we are letting you go.” The minute you hear those words you zone out from the rest of the conversation. What now? It’s easy to go down a rabbit hole and wallow in self-pity. The process of what comes after seems hard but it is necessary. You can bounce back from it and here’s how:
1. Be positive
Immediately after you’ve your lost job, you find yourself experiencing a range of emotions like anger, panic and frustration. It is understandable for you to question how to find any positivity about that. Think of this time as a transition period to venture into building your career path. You can also reach out to a professional career coach who can guide you through it.
2. Create a budget
Determine how long your finances can last. Figure out exactly how much you’ve got to work with. Avoid accumulating debt and make some adjustments to your spending.
3. Develop your skills
You don’t have to go straight into looking for a new job. Update your resume. Take advantage of the time you have to remain relevant and ahead in the current industry market. Improve your skills by attending short courses or seminars. This will make a difference and increases your chances of employment.
4. Network
Don’t be ashamed to reach out to some of your contacts like friends, former colleagues and recruiters to let them know you’re available for new opportunities. Attend events/forums and build professional relationships.
5. Prepare
“Why did you leave your previous job?” There is no denying that this question will come up during a future interview. Each time you answer come up with an honest but professional answer. Don’t delve too much into why you were let go but how you used that time.
