We Got Fired, and We Accept It – Here's How to Secure a New Job That Fits for You
A new year's onset is often a time for reflection, and for many, that involves evaluating our work lives.
A pair of editors who left their positions following company reorganizations at first believed it was catastrophic.
"I poured everything into the job... I had faith in the values we stood for. But in my case, those principles were absent," one of them says.
They both opted to say "let go" and argue that being open about it can assist you deal with it.
"We use countless soft terms for being dismissed. However, the quicker you accept it, the sooner you're honest regarding it, the faster you can move on.
"That's the fast track to what you want to do next," she adds.
Today, they are excelling in new positions, with one owning her own firm and the other holding the position of lead editor for a luxury magazine.
Whether you've been made redundant or are just looking for a new career, here are four methods for guidance.
1. Reflect On The Past Year
It's natural to have some unease concerning your career following time off.
A career expert highlights the necessity of looking back prior to launching a new job search.
She encourages individuals to think about what they desire to pursue more, what to reduce, and what motivates or depletes their energy.
Reviewing your accomplishments to spot common themes is useful too. "Avoid just looking at the recent past, since everyone suffer from to focus on the recent that can hinder the process," she notes.
A former editor notes it is vital to determine what place your job fits in your life.
This means being truthful regarding the hours you're working and its effect on your family and family life.
Following her job loss, she recommends not allowing your identity be shaped solely by your job.
2. Implement Incremental Actions
She notes that professionals can implement small steps for a career transition without a complete leap.
She herself took several years to transition from a corporate role to operating her own company full-time, developing her idea concurrently with her role, which allowed self-funding from the start.
"It took more time, however, that was how I did it without risk," she explains.
She suggests an experimental approach.
This can include pro bono work, participating in an initiative that interests you, or accepting a new challenge within your current team.
"If it fails, you find out you don't like, however, it's wiser to know now rather than after you've switched careers," she remarks.
Additionally, she suggests considering short-term "bridging roles". These might not be the ideal job, yet they function as a step forward, such as a role with similarities to your desired career, though not in the exact area.
"It involves granting yourself the leeway to acknowledge this works for now, but that does not mean the same as forever.
"That can be a clever approach for getting closer to that career change."
3. Recall Your Successes
For anyone who has recently lost your job, many are in the same boat – layoff figures have increased markedly recently.
She was the top editor for a fashion publication, previously she and her team were made redundant following a decision to closed the print version.
Understanding that this situation was not a reflection of her ability assisted her process the change.
"What you've learned doesn't go away just because you were dismissed.
"Don't give up your confidence, it's vital for everyone to recall their own worth."
The other editor lost her job after a decade with a finance publication due to leadership changes in management and the arrival of a different editor.
She notes that a lot of the embarrassment of dismissal is internal.
"Given that hundreds of thousands of people being laid off, it's rarely personal. It's likely very much not you, so refrain from bearing that burden of shame forward."
4. Develop a Professional Checklist
If you're urgently looking for a new job or feel deeply dissatisfied with your present job, the temptation is to jump at for any vacancy – overlooking your own happiness.
However, this represents a major error.
Rather, she recommends an exercise called "scanning" – filtering opportunities to only job descriptions that seem appealing.
She suggests browsing sites like LinkedIn and saving a selection of that appeal to you.
"Look for {the words|the
