We Got Fired, and We're Owning It – Here's How to Find a Fresh Position That Works Your Needs
The start of a new year is often a moment for introspection, and for many, that involves considering our career trajectories.
A pair of editors who lost their jobs following company reorganizations originally thought it was a disaster.
"I dedicated my heart into the job... I had faith in the ethos we promoted. Yet, when it came to me, that ethos were absent," she remarks.
Both individuals decided to use the term "fired" and argue that being transparent about what happened can help you deal with it.
"We use numerous euphemisms for losing a job. Yet, the sooner you accept it, the faster you're candid regarding it, the sooner you can move on.
"That's the direct path to anything you desire to pursue next," she notes.
Today, they are excelling in different roles, where one running her own media company and the other serving as editor-in-chief for a luxury magazine.
If you've lost your job or are just considering a shift, these are four strategies to assist you.
1. Consider The Previous Year
It's typical to experience some unease concerning your career post-festive period.
A career expert stresses the necessity of introspection prior to launching a fresh job hunt.
She advises individuals to think about what they wish to do more of, what they want less of, and what inspires or drains their drive.
Examining your accomplishments to spot recurring patterns can also help. "Try not to focusing solely on the recent past, as people often suffer from for recent-event bias that can impede clear thinking," she adds.
A former editor states it is important to establish what place your job plays in your life.
This involves being truthful about how much time you're working and its impact on your personal life.
After her own experience, she suggests preventing yourself be dictated by your work.
2. Take Incremental Actions
She states that individuals can take small steps towards a career shift without diving in headfirst.
She herself took several years to transition from her corporate career to operating her own company completely, building the venture concurrently with her role, which allowed self-funding from the start.
"It needed more time, but that represented how I did it without risk," she comments.
She suggests an experimental approach.
This can include volunteering, joining an initiative you find appealing, or agreeing to a different task in your existing role.
"Worst case scenario, you discover it's not a fit, but it's preferable to know now than after you've committed fully," she states.
She also encourages considering temporary "stepping-stone" positions. They are perhaps not the dream position, yet they function as a step towards your goal, such as a role that shares traits to the career you want, yet not in the same field.
"It's about granting yourself the permission to say this is suitable temporarily, but that isn't permanent.
"That represents a very smart approach for getting closer to that new career."
3. Remember Your Successes
Should you have recently been made redundant from your job, many are in the same boat – redundancy rates have surged significantly lately.
A former editor was editor-in-chief in a magazine, but in 2022 she and her team were laid off after the company ceased print operations.
Recognizing that this event was not indicative of her performance allowed her to cope with the situation.
"The skills you've gained doesn't disappear simply due to lost your job.
"Don't relinquish your confidence, it's important for everybody to recognize their own worth."
The other editor was fired following a long tenure with a finance publication after a change in senior ranks and the appointment of new leadership.
She stresses that so much of the embarrassment of job loss is self-imposed.
"Considering the vast numbers of professionals losing jobs, it's not personal. It's probably not your fault, so don't carry that ball of shame unnecessarily."
4. Develop a Professional Checklist
When you're actively hunting for a new job or feel profoundly unhappy in your current role, you might be tempted to dive straight into applying for any job – disregarding what suits you.
Yet, this can be a major error.
Instead, she suggests a technique known as "scanning" – focusing your search down to role profiles that sound interesting.
She recommends browsing sites like LinkedIn and collecting a selection of that seem promising.
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