We Were Dismissed, and We're Owning It – Learn How to Secure a Fresh Position That Works You Personally
The beginning of a new year is often a period for contemplation, and for a lot of us, that includes thinking about our work lives.
Two publishing professionals who lost their jobs following company reorganizations initially felt it was catastrophic.
"I poured all my energy into the job... I believed in the principles we championed. But in my case, those values were absent," she states.
The two decided to say "let go" and believe that being open about what happened can help you process the experience.
"People rely on countless euphemisms for losing a job. Yet, the sooner you acknowledge it, the sooner you're truthful about it, the faster you can progress.
"That is the quickest route to whatever you want next," she notes.
Currently, they are excelling in new ventures, where one running her own firm and another holding the position of editor-in-chief at a prestigious publication.
Whether you've lost your job or are looking for a new career, these are four approaches for guidance.
1. Contemplate Last Year
It's typical to experience some unease concerning your career following time off.
A professional advisor emphasizes the value of reflection before embarking on the search for a new role.
She advises professionals to evaluate what they want to do more of, what they want less of, and which factors energizes or exhausts them.
Reviewing your past successes to spot common themes can also help. "Avoid focusing solely on the recent past, because we all suffer from to focus on the recent that can hinder the process," she adds.
She also notes it is important to establish what place your job occupies in your life.
This requires being candid about how much time you spend working and its effect on your social life.
After her own experience, she advises not allowing your life be shaped solely by your career.
2. Make Incremental Actions
The advisor notes that professionals can take small steps towards changing careers without a complete leap.
She took several years to make the jump from a corporate role to running a company full-time, developing the venture while still employed, which meant she could pay herself.
"It needed additional time, but that was the method I used in a sustainable way," she explains.
She suggests a "try before you buy" strategy.
This could be volunteer work, participating in a work project you find appealing, or saying yes to something different within your current team.
"Worst case scenario, you discover it's not a fit, but it's preferable to learn now instead of after you've made the move," she states.
Additionally, she suggests looking into interim roles. They are perhaps not the ideal job, but they serve as progress in the right direction, for example a position with parallels to your target field, but in a different area.
"It's about granting yourself the permission to accept this is suitable temporarily, however, that is not the same as forever.
"That represents a clever tactic to get much closer to your career change."
3. Remember Your Achievements
Should you have recently lost your job, you aren't alone – redundancy rates have risen to high levels lately.
One professional held a senior role at a style magazine, previously she and her team were made redundant after the company discontinued the physical magazine.
Realizing that this situation was not a reflection of her skills helped her cope with the situation.
"What you've learned doesn't go away because you lost your job.
"Do not surrender your power, it's important for all individuals to recognize their intrinsic value."
Her colleague lost her job after ten years in a business journal after a change at the top and the hiring of a different editor.
She emphasizes that a lot of the shame of job loss is internal.
"With many professionals losing jobs, it's not personal. It's likely not your fault, so avoid carrying that burden of shame forward."
4. Develop a Career Checklist
For those who are urgently looking for work or are profoundly unhappy at work, the temptation is to dive straight into applying for any job – ignoring what suits you.
Yet, this can be a big misstep.
Rather, she recommends a technique known as "browsing" – narrowing your search on position summaries that sound interesting.
She advises browsing professional networks and collecting a selection of that seem promising.
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