We Were Let Go, and We Accept It – Here's How to Land a New Job That Suits for You
The start of a new year can be a period for contemplation, and for many, that includes thinking about our career trajectories.
Two publishing professionals who lost their roles due to organizational changes at first believed it was catastrophic.
"I poured my heart into the position... I had faith in the values we championed. However, regarding my situation, that ethos were absent," she states.
They both decided to use the term "fired" and suggest that being honest about what happened can help you process the event.
"We use so many soft terms for job loss. Yet, the sooner you acknowledge it, the sooner you're truthful about it, the faster you can move on.
"That's the fast track to whatever you want to do next," she adds.
Currently, they are succeeding in new positions, where one leading a media business and the other holding the position of lead editor for a high-end journal.
If you've been made redundant or are simply looking for a new career, these are four strategies to assist you.
1. Reflect On The Past Year
It's typical to have some unease about work post-festive period.
A careers coach highlights the importance of looking back before starting a fresh job hunt.
She suggests people to consider what they wish to do more of, what to decrease, and the things that energizes or exhausts their drive.
Examining your accomplishments to identify recurring patterns is also beneficial. "Avoid just looking at the most recent period, because we all have a tendency for recency bias that can impede clear thinking," she states.
Another professional notes it is vital to determine the role of work occupies in your life.
This requires being truthful about how much time you devote to work and its impact on your family and family life.
After her own experience, she recommends not allowing yourself be shaped solely by your job.
2. Take Gradual Moves
The expert states that individuals can make incremental moves towards a career shift without diving in headfirst.
She took several years to make the jump from a corporate role to operating a company full-time, working on the venture alongside her job, which enabled financial stability.
"It needed a bit longer, but that represented how I did it in a sustainable way," she says.
She advocates for an experimental strategy.
This might involve volunteer work, participating in a work project that interests you, or agreeing to a new challenge within your current team.
"Worst case scenario, you find out you don't like, but it's preferable to learn now instead of after you've committed fully," she states.
She also encourages looking into short-term "bridging roles". These may not be the dream position, but they serve as a move forward, for example a position with similarities to the career you want, though not in the exact field.
"It's about allowing yourself the space to acknowledge this is suitable temporarily, however, that is not for all time.
"This is an intelligent tactic to get nearer to a new career."
3. Recall Your Achievements
If you've just left your role, many are in the same boat – job cuts have surged to high levels lately.
A former editor held a senior role in a magazine, but in 2022 she and her team lost their jobs following a decision to discontinued the physical magazine.
Understanding that this event was not indicative of her ability allowed her to handle the transition.
"What you've learned doesn't disappear because you were let go.
"Don't give up your confidence, it's crucial for everyone to recognize their own worth."
Her colleague was let go after a decade at a financial magazine following a regime change at the top and the arrival of a different editor.
She stresses that much of the stigma associated with being fired is internal.
"Given that hundreds of thousands of people being laid off, it's not personal. Chances are not about you, so don't carry that burden of shame unnecessarily."
4. Create a Professional Checklist
When you're urgently looking for a new job or feel deeply dissatisfied at work, the temptation is to jump at for any vacancy – disregarding your own happiness.
However, this represents a major error.
Alternatively, she proposes an exercise called "reviewing" – narrowing your search to only job descriptions that seem appealing.
She suggests searching job platforms and collecting a selection of that appeal to you.
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