Losing your job is one of the most challenging stages in one’s career path. It can never be a celebratory moment when you are called into that office and told the most dreaded words, “We have to let you go”, “We are restructuring” or “We are closing down”.
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As the saying goes, "Every cloud has a silver lining". Losing your job is not the end of your future; it’s just a bad day, not a bad life. These are situations we cannot change. To others, it is the beginning of a sudden life not planned for. Here are 5 most important things you should do that will help you gain ground after losing your job.
1. Acknowledge your emotions
It is okay to feel bad after losing your job. Learn how to accept your emotions, this will help you face your fears and deal with them better. One of the mistakes we make is to pretend we are not affected; we force a smile and brag to our colleagues, “I will get another job, this is not the only company in the world.” Well, however true this might be, do not get ahead of yourself. No one wants to lose a job and we cannot make that ever seem like an easy thing to deal with. Do not hold the blame for too long. Spending the entire day, weeks turning into months thinking of how you would have handled the situation better will only frustrate you the more. When you see your emotions getting out of hand, talk to a friend, family, or better yet see a therapist.
2. Reflect on your wins and losses
The easiest way to bounce back into a good spirit after losing a job is to look back at your career journey. What have you achieved along the way, have you collected some accolades like, ‘Best Employee of the Month?’ Focus on those to know that at one time, everything was in your favor. Nonetheless, you should never ignore your mistakes. Accepting where you failed to meet the target, ended up in a disciplinary committee, to the current job loss is key. This will help you identify your areas of weakness and draft solutions to working on them before you focus on finding the next job.
3. You need to revise your expenses
The last thing you want to do after losing your job is to go on a spending spree because it is obvious you have much time on your hands. The economic law is clear, ‘Spend not, for you earn not’. Take time and make a budget with what is available to spend, not what is available in your savings account. It will be more heart-breaking to spend your entire gratuity before getting a new job. Eliminate the luxuries; you do not need to buy a new suit to wear and sit at home watching your favorite football player or chilling with the "Big boys". Strive to live within your means until you are sure of your next earning channel. Here are more strategies to manage your finances after you are laid off.
4. Refocusing on self-development after your job loss is key
Being a job seeker will always put you in a place of desperation. You should never be fully comfortable working in a place where you can be let go of at any time. After losing your job, find out whether you have a hobby or a skill that you could monetize. Use the time to think out of the box, your job loss may come with an opportunity to be your own boss. It might not be solely about looking for income; it might be getting your health in check, having a few extra hours in your hands will give you more running time, more hours in the gym, and on the brighter side, family time.
5. After losing your job, re-evaluate your career path
A fresh perspective in the career field will give you a new start after losing your job. One of the ways to change your career path is networking. This is the best time to attend all those career and self-development seminars you never had time for. If you have a few bucks to spend, go ahead and buy that ticket and if you don’t, there are always tons of free seminars online that will refresh your mind; expose you to new career trends. Luckily enough your next employee may be seated next to you.
In an article about how you can successfully change your career, Sandra Musonge says, “Most of the people I talk to (or even you will talk to) will tell you that finding a job in most cases is rarely about your qualifications but about the quality of your network”. This is therefore your time to cast that fishnet and make yourself new important friends. Who said that you are too old to make a new friend?
Before I call it a day, I want to remind you that we all make mistakes. But how we choose to react to our mistakes after, will make us who we are. Let all your mistakes teach you important lessons about life. Remember, winners never quit.
