You're Fired, Now What?

 

Losing a job is devastating. It's demoralizing, scary, and paralyzing. When it happens, it's hard to believe that it is actually happening to you. The quicker that you can get over it and move on the better. Here are some tips for picking up the pieces and moving forward.
 
Face the facts. It may not be fair but who said life is fair. You might have been a fabulous employee. Perhaps you were working 60-80 hours a week. It doesn't matter anymore. Right now you are unemployed NOT unemployable just unemployed. You need to put your time, energy and your focus into moving forward. Allow yourself some time, a very short period of time, to grieve but then get yourself going. You have a lot of work to do.
 
Assess your Skills. Make a list of all of the things that you are really good at. Be honest with yourself. Are there skills you need? For example, my husband is retiring from the NYPD and his computer skills are weak. Very weak! It might be worthwhile for him to take a computer class. If there are skills that you need to develop, now is the time. Community Colleges offer lots of reasonably priced programs focusing on skill development and career enhancement.
 
Make a list of your Certifications and Credentials. These certifications might lead you to another job. In 1991, I was certified by Development Dimensions International to teach their management classes. When I was fired, I applied for a position with Development Dimensions International. It helped that I was already certified. I did get a job offer from them and I turned it down. It took me a few months to make the decision to start my own training consulting business.
 
Take Advantage of Available Resources If you are offered out placement counseling, accept it! The more people that you can connect with, the better off you will be. Outplacement counselors can help you with a variety of things; updating your resume, polishing your interviewing skills, and getting your career search focused.
 
Build Your Network. It's not what you know; it's who you know that counts. Let's face it; there are hundreds of people looking for jobs. Now is not the time to be bashful. Get on the phone and call people. Call friends, relatives, college buddies, co-workers from years ago, and anyone else that you can think of. Everybody knows somebody. Join a few social networking sites that are business related such as Linked In or Plaxo.  Go to the local Chamber of Commerce meeting. Dress professionally and introduce yourself to others. Find out when the next industry association meeting or conference is, attend the meeting or better yet offer to speak to the group for free. You must have some experience that is worth sharing. Tap into the alumni association at your college. Colleges are always happy to hear from alumni. Volunteer in your community. It will give you access to new people. You never know where a new job is going to come from. A few weeks ago, I attended the Orange County Business Expo. in New York. As I was walking around, I ran into a person from my past that told me about a job. You just never know!
 
Get Online This isn't your father's job search. Everything is happening online. Make sure you are listed with a variety of websites. Here are a few - www.jobing.com, www.careerbuilders.com, www.hotjobs.com. www.monster.com, www.theladders.com. If you decide on a specific employer, check out their website weekly. Always follow up with a phone call. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain!
 
Spend Smart. Now is not the time to book a Caribbean cruise. It is a tough job market and it might take time to find a new job. Be realistic with your spending. Try to stretch your severance check and/or unemployment check as far as possible. Get rid of luxury spending. You can probably live without lawn service, manicures, car washes, and eating out right now. You might even need to turn down social events that cost too much money although social events are good places to build your network.
 
Communicate with your Family. If you have kids, they might be worried for you or they might not have a clue. Be honest with your kids; let them know that now is not the best time to ask for an increase in their allowance. Ask your kids to chip in. If they are teenagers, they can absolutely be expected to get a part time job and pay for their own expenses. When I was fired years ago I was too embarrassed to tell people that I was fired. I thought only poor performers and jerks were fired. Boy was I wrong!
 
Do an Ego Check. Yesterday, you were a big wig with a fat compensation package and a company car; today you are unemployed. You might not find your dream job again, be prepared to settle for a good job even if it's not a great job. My husband did not have his heart set on being a police officer but at the time it was a decent job which our family needed.
 
Count Your Blessings It's easy to get down in the dumps after losing a job but you need to put things in proper perspective. If you are reading this article, you have good eyesight. What a blessing! Do you have your health? What a blessing! Do you have a healthy, loving, supportive spouse and great kids? What a blessing! Do you have your faith? What a blessing! Are you a United States citizen? What a blessing! Do you have friends and food in your belly? Do you have skills, an education and valuable experience that an employer would want? You get the idea, be thankful for what you have. You will get through this.
 
Take a Metal Health Break Looking for a new job can be overwhelming and exhausting. Take time to recharge your batteries. Spend time doing something that you love. If you always wanted to run a marathon but could never find the time to train, now is the time. If you always wanted to volunteer more at your child's school but couldn't find the time, now you have it. An unemployed friend of mine with four children recently told me that he was enjoying going to lunch with his wife on Wednesday afternoons, her day off.
 
Losing a job might be the best thing that ever happened to you. It might be the push you needed to start your own business or to go back to school or to start a family or to relocate. Even though it doesn't feel like it right now, you will survive and you will be fine. You might even thrive after this job loss. When I lost my job, I was angry, very angry at my employer. Looking back I can honestly say that it was the best thing that ever happened to me. I started my own speaking and training business fifteen years ago and somehow I'm still paying my bills. Good luck!