We Were Let Go, and We're Owning It – This Is How to Secure a Fresh Position That Works You Personally
A new year's onset is frequently a moment for introspection, and for a lot of us, that involves thinking about our professional paths.
A pair of editors who lost their roles due to organizational changes originally thought their world had ended.
"I dedicated all my energy into the position... I trusted in the principles we championed. However, regarding my situation, those values were absent," a former editor states.
Both individuals decided to say "fired" and believe that being open about what happened can aid you process the experience.
"We use numerous soft terms for being dismissed. Yet, the sooner you own it, the faster you're truthful about it, the faster you can advance.
"It's the quickest route to what you desire to pursue next," she continues.
Today, they are excelling in different roles, where one running her own firm and another holding the position of top editor for a high-end journal.
Whether you've been made redundant or are simply considering a shift, here are four strategies that can help.
1. Contemplate The Previous Year
It's typical to feel a bit low regarding your job after a holiday break.
A careers coach stresses the necessity of introspection before starting a fresh job hunt.
She advises individuals to think about what they wish to pursue more, what they want less of, and what inspires or drains their drive.
Looking back at your past successes to identify underlying threads can also help. "Try to avoid considering only the recent past, as people often suffer from for recent-event bias that can impede clear thinking," she notes.
She also says it is crucial to establish what place your job occupies in your life.
This requires being truthful about the amount of time you devote to work and its effect on your personal life.
After being let go, she recommends preventing your identity be shaped solely by your career.
2. Implement Gradual Moves
She states that individuals can take gradual progress towards changing careers without committing fully.
Her own journey took seven years to move from a traditional job to operating her own business completely, developing her project while still employed, which meant financial stability.
"It took a bit longer, but that was my approach without risk," she explains.
She suggests an experimental method.
This can include pro bono work, getting involved in a work project that captures your interest, or accepting a different task in your existing role.
"The worst outcome, you find out you don't like, but it's better to find out now rather than after you've committed fully," she adds.
She also encourages considering temporary "stepping-stone" positions. They are perhaps not the dream position, yet they function as progress forward, such as a role with similarities to the career you want, but in a different field.
"It means granting yourself the permission to say this is suitable temporarily, but that isn't the same as forever.
"That can be a very smart approach for getting much closer to your career change."
3. Acknowledge Your Successes
For anyone who has recently been made redundant from your job, you aren't alone – job cuts have increased to high levels lately.
A former editor was editor-in-chief in a magazine, but a few years ago she were laid off when the firm closed the print version.
Recognizing that this situation was not a reflection of her performance allowed her to cope with the situation.
"Your experience remains with you simply due to lost your job.
"Don't give up your self-worth, it's crucial for everyone to recall their own value."
The other editor was let go after ten years with a finance publication due to leadership changes in management and the arrival of a different editor.
She stresses that so much of the shame of dismissal is in your head.
"Given that hundreds of thousands of professionals losing jobs, it's not personal. Chances are very much not you, so refrain from bearing that feeling around with you."
4. Build a Professional Checklist
If you're urgently looking for work or are profoundly unhappy in your current role, the temptation is to jump at for any job – ignoring what suits you.
However, this represents a major error.
Alternatively, she proposes a technique known as "reviewing" – narrowing your search down to job descriptions that capture your interest.
She advises browsing professional networks and collecting several that you like.
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