We Were Fired, and We're Embracing It – Here's How to Land a Fresh Position That Fits Your Needs
The start of a new year is frequently a period for contemplation, and for numerous people, that includes evaluating our career trajectories.
A pair of editors who left their positions following company reorganizations at first believed it was catastrophic.
"I invested all my energy into the position... I believed in the ethos we stood for. But in my case, those values didn't apply," she says.
The two opted to say "let go" and suggest that being open about what happened can aid you process it.
"We use countless euphemisms for job loss. However, the quicker you acknowledge it, the faster you're candid about it, the quicker you can progress.
"That is the direct path to what you desire to pursue next," she continues.
Currently, they are succeeding in new ventures, where one owning a media business and the other working as editor-in-chief at a prestigious publication.
Whether you've been laid off or are considering a shift, consider these four methods to assist you.
1. Contemplate The Previous Year
It's natural to feel some unease regarding your job after a holiday break.
A career expert emphasizes the necessity of introspection prior to launching a fresh job hunt.
She encourages professionals to evaluate what they wish to do more of, what to reduce, and which factors motivates or depletes their energy.
Reviewing your past successes to identify underlying threads can also help. "Try to avoid just looking at the recent past, since everyone suffer from for recency bias that can impede your judgment," she states.
She also says it is crucial to determine what place your job fits in your life.
This requires being honest about how much time you devote to work and its effect on your personal and family life.
After her own experience, she suggests not allowing your life be shaped solely by your work.
2. Implement Gradual Moves
She says people can make gradual progress towards a career shift without committing fully.
She took seven years to move from a traditional job to managing a company entirely, building her idea while still employed, which meant financial stability.
"It needed more time, but that was my approach sustainably," she says.
She recommends an experimental strategy.
This might involve volunteer work, joining a work project that captures your interest, or accepting a different task within your current team.
"If it fails, you discover you don't like, but it's preferable to know now rather than after you've switched careers," she states.
She also encourages considering temporary "stepping-stone" positions. These might not be the ideal job, but they act as a step forward, for example a position with parallels to the career you want, yet not in the same field.
"It involves allowing yourself the space to acknowledge this is good for now, but that does not mean permanent.
"This is a clever strategy for getting much closer to that new career."
3. Recall Your Achievements
For anyone who has recently been made redundant from your job, you are not the only one – job cuts have surged markedly lately.
One professional held a senior role at a style magazine, previously her entire team were laid off following a decision to discontinued the physical magazine.
Recognizing that this event did not reflect of her ability assisted her process the change.
"Your experience doesn't disappear just because you were let go.
"Don't give up your self-worth, it's vital for everybody to recognize their own worth."
Her colleague was let go after a decade in a business journal due to leadership changes in management and the arrival of new leadership.
She stresses that a lot of the embarrassment associated with being fired is internal.
"Considering the vast numbers of individuals facing redundancy, it's rarely personal. Chances are not about you, so don't carry that ball of shame around with you."
4. Create a Professional Checklist
For those who are actively hunting for work or are profoundly unhappy in your current role, the temptation is to dive straight into applying at any opportunity – overlooking personal fulfillment.
Yet, this can be a major error.
Alternatively, she proposes a method called "reviewing" – narrowing your search to only role profiles that seem appealing.
She suggests exploring job platforms and collecting around 10 to 15 that appeal to you.
"Identify {the words|the