There are few worse feelings than getting laid off. It opens up a world of stress about what you’ll do next, how long it will take to find a new job, how you’ll handle your bills, and more.
There are both practical and emotional factors to consider, and right after receiving the news your head will be whirling.
While it’s normal to feel overwhelmed, it’s important that you know how to cope and move forward. Here are some tips.
Consider the Circumstances
Right off the bat, you need to think about why you were laid off. Consider whether or not the reasons are fair and legal. You can visit HKM.com to find legal support if you think you need it.
If you don’t have any suspicions about the validity, you should still think about what happened and why you lost your job. There are certain circumstances wherein you need to accept that there was nothing you could do, and others where you might need to accept responsibility and learn from mistakes.
Allow Yourself to Grieve
Next, allow yourself to feel your feelings. Losing your job is a major life upheaval that can come with guilt, embarrassment, shame, anger, frustration, and a hoard of other difficult emotions.
Giving yourself time to feel them and process what has happened will play an important role in being able to cope and move on with determination rather than a feeling of defeat.
Assess Your Finances
We all know that budgeting is important, but managing money when you lose your job is a different challenge entirely. Make sure you come up with a game plan for how you’ll be paying your bills – since you won’t know for how long you might be unemployed.
If you don’t have savings to fall back on, you might need to seek external help for the time being, and use this as a lesson. It’s always a good idea to have three to six months’ worth of income saved up for emergencies like this.
Update Your Resume
Before you start applying for new roles, make sure you have the perfect resume for your industry. Make sure that your education and experience are up to date, and that your personal information aligns with where you are currently.
Think about factors like whether you’re willing to relocate for a new job, and if you’d prefer to work remotely or in an office. You can also take this time to upskill – do some online courses to add to your resume or consider whether or not you’re interested in a bi of a career pivot.
Explore New Opportunities
Once you’ve prepared the perfect CV and considered what you want your next steps to be, it’s important to put yourself out there, relentlessly. Apply for jobs every day, talk to people in your network, and don’t let rejections get you down.
Explore every avenue, and if you feel stuck, you can even consider the best careers for your personality type. This is a great way to look for inspiration when you’re not sure if you want to stay in your current field.