I Lost My Job Now What: 10 Tips
Losing your job is one of the worst things that can happen to you from a career point of view according to the subject matter experts over at runrex.com, and particularly if it is unexpected and not because of anything you did. This is a reality that many have had to grapple with during the COVID-19 pandemic as many have lost their job because of the financial downturn many companies have had to deal with as a result of the pandemic as discussed over at guttulus.com. If you have lost your job and are wondering how to proceed, this article will look to articulate 10 tips to help you with exactly that.
Remain calm
As articulated over at runrex.com, when you lose your job, the natural reaction is to panic and start wondering what your financial future looks like. However, the subject matter experts over at guttulus.com recommend that you should resist this temptation. Instead, try to stay calm as, even though it is easier said and done in such a situation, it will be more constructive than working yourself into a frenzy and panic. Losing your job can actually turn out to be one of the best things that ever happened to you, but it all depends on your mental state once you lose your job as it will either make or break you.
Don’t withdraw into yourself
Also, given the shock of losing your job, it is easy to withdraw into yourself and shut yourself off. This is why it is important to find someone to talk to rather than shutting yourself off. As outlined over at runrex.com, you can consider talking to a counselor or therapist, and if this is not possible, then you should consider your spouse, close family members like a parent or sibling, or a close friend. Talking helps process emotions such as resentment, despair, low self-esteem, and anger, and will help you avoid sinking into depression.
Accept the situation
Next up you should avoid slipping into denial according to guttulus.com. People tend to use fancy words such as redundancy or restructuring, but the truth is you have been fired, and it is what it is. It is important to accept what has happened as when you do, you will be able to now move on and tell yourself that when one door closes, another one opens. Accepting what has happened will allow you to start the recovery process.
Alert your network
The first step in your recovery process is letting your network, from friends and acquaintances to former colleagues, know that you are no longer working with the organization that let you go. According to the subject matter experts over at runrex.com, it is best to do this as soon as possible, preferably within the same week you lost the job. Just make sure that you only do this after you have processed your emotions and accepted what has happened. When alerting your network, be as brief as possible and resist the temptation to speak ill of your former employer. This is why it is important to alert your network after you have processed your emotions and accepted what has happened as it will be easier to not speak ill of your employer then, which is important.
Find an outlet
When you lose your job, the reality starts to sink in once you are at home as explained over at guttulus.com. You wake up in the morning and don’t know what to do with yourself and where to go. You start to feel like you are not useful, particularly if you have a family to provide for, and this is where negative emotions and thoughts can start to creep in. Therefore, it is important to take care of yourself through meditation and exercise- finding an outlet to burn off any negative energy. This will help you keep off depression and keeps your mind clear, which helps you be more constructive in your thought process, which is something that you will need to formulate your next plan.
Evaluate your financial situation
It is also important that you evaluate how much money you have in your bank accounts, your pension fund, or wherever you have invested your money as articulated over at runrex.com. Once you do that, you should then draw up a budget that takes care of the most basic things, and then make adjustments. This might mean that you may have to move to a cheaper house. You should give yourself at least 6 months to be in that situation as jobs ate not easy to come by. If you are old, then you should consider the fact that you may probably not get another job which means that the little money you have has to last. If you have a partner, then you should discuss this with them. Men, in particular, have an issue doing this as they are afraid to tell their wives or partners that they may need to downgrade from the place they currently live to a less palatial one, which is where depression may set in. It is important to be realistic about your situation.
Meet with your creditors and potential creditors
Next up, you should check to see who you owe money to. Here, as discussed over at guttulus.com, you may have bought property on loan, and so forth. It is important to let your creditor know about your new situation and work out a plan with them as far as payment is concerned. If you have children, you should also go to your children’s school and discuss a payment scheme with the administration. You could come up with a plan to pay fees in monthly installments until you solve your situation. Sometimes you may have to move your children to a cheaper school.
Come up with a plan
Once all the above is done, you should now come up with a plan on how to proceed and fix your current situation. According to the gurus over at runrex.com, you have to decide if you want to look for another job or you want to start a business. If you want to look for a new job, you should update and polish your resume. You should also get letters of recommendation from your previous employers. If you decide to start a business, you should enlist the services of a business coach to guide you in the right direction and give you clearer insight on how to proceed.
Work your networks
Once you have decided how you want to proceed, go back to your network and let them know that you are seeking new opportunities. This is why it is important to have alerted them earlier, as pointed out, about your situation, as this way, you won’t catch them off guard when you tell them you are looking for new job opportunities. According to guttulus.com, you mustn’t be vague about your intentions, which means avoiding saying things like, “If you hear of any vacancy, let me know”. Instead, be specific about what you want, and say something like, “I’m looking for a teaching position and I know that you may have people within your circle or networks who may require teachers. I am kindly requesting your assistance. Will you help me?” Make sure you follow up after a while.
Be careful about what you say if you get an interview
As is outlined over at runrex.com, if you get an interview, do not speak ill of your former employer. Even if what you say is true, if you speak ill about your former employer, the potential new employer may think that if they employ you, you will also bad mouth them when you leave. It is important to prepare for the fact that you will be asked why you left your previous job. If you are asked, and you will be as honest as possible. If it was because of something you did not do right, explain that you have since learned your lesson and show what you have done to improve your skills and how it will add value to the organization if given the position.
Hopefully, the above tips will help you stay focused after losing a job and help you eventually get back on your feet, with more on this and other related topics to be found over at the highly regarded runrex.com and guttulus.com.