We Got Let Go, and We're Owning It – This Is How to Land a New Job That Works for You
The beginning of a new year can be a time for reflection, and for a lot of us, that involves evaluating our work lives.
A pair of editors who lost their positions due to organizational changes initially felt it was a disaster.
"I invested my heart into the position... I had faith in the principles we promoted. But in my case, those values were absent," she states.
They both decided to use the term "dismissed" and suggest that being honest about what happened can aid you process it.
"There are so many alternative phrases for job loss. However, the quicker you accept it, the sooner you're truthful about it, the quicker you can progress.
"That's the quickest route to whatever you desire to do next," she adds.
Currently, they are excelling in different roles, with one running her own media company and the other holding the position of top editor at a prestigious publication.
For those who have lost your job or are just contemplating a change, here are four approaches for guidance.
1. Reflect On The Previous Year
It's typical to have some unease about work following time off.
A professional advisor stresses the value of reflection before starting the search for a new role.
She advises professionals to evaluate what they desire to pursue more, what to reduce, and which factors motivates or depletes their drive.
Reviewing your accomplishments to spot underlying threads can also help. "Try to avoid just looking at the recent past, as people often have a tendency to focus on the recent that can impede clear thinking," she adds.
Another professional says it is crucial to determine where your work fits in your life.
This means being candid regarding the hours you devote to work and the influence on your personal and family life.
After being let go, she suggests against letting your identity be defined by your career.
2. Make Incremental Actions
The expert says people can implement incremental moves for a career transition without committing fully.
She required a long period to make the jump from her corporate career to running her own company entirely, working on her idea concurrently with her role, which enabled self-funding from the start.
"It took more time, however, that was my approach without risk," she says.
She recommends an experimental approach.
This might involve volunteering, joining a work project that interests you, or accepting something different within your current team.
"If it fails, you learn it's not a fit, but it's preferable to learn now than after you've committed fully," she states.
She also advises looking into short-term "bridging roles". They are perhaps not the ideal job, yet they function as progress in the right direction, such as a role with parallels to the career you want, but in a different industry or sector.
"It involves granting yourself the leeway to acknowledge this is suitable temporarily, but that does not mean permanent.
"That can be a clever tactic to get nearer to that new career."
3. Remember Your Achievements
Should you have just left your position, you are not the only one – layoff figures have surged markedly in recent times.
One professional was editor-in-chief for a fashion publication, but a few years ago she were made redundant following a decision to discontinued the physical magazine.
Recognizing that this situation was not indicative of her performance allowed her to process the change.
"What you've learned doesn't go away just because you lost your job.
"Don't relinquish your confidence, it's important for everyone to recall their own worth."
Her colleague lost her job after ten years with a finance publication following a regime change in management and the hiring of a new editor.
She notes that a lot of the stigma of job loss is in your head.
"Given that hundreds of thousands of professionals losing jobs, it's usually not about you. It's likely very much not you, so refrain from bearing that feeling forward."
4. Develop a Professional Checklist
When you're actively hunting for a new job or feel utterly miserable at work, you might be tempted to dive straight into applying for any job – ignoring personal fulfillment.
Yet, this can be a significant mistake.
Alternatively, she proposes an exercise called "browsing" – focusing your search on position summaries that sound interesting.
She recommends searching sites like LinkedIn and saving a selection of that appeal to you.
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