We Were Fired, and We Accept It – Learn How to Land a Fresh Position That Fits Your Needs
The start of a new year can be a time for reflection, and for a lot of us, that involves considering our professional paths.
A pair of editors who were made redundant from their jobs due to organizational changes originally thought their world had ended.
"I invested all my energy into the position... I believed in the principles we stood for. However, regarding my situation, those principles were absent," a former editor says.
They both opted to say "let go" and believe that being honest about the situation can assist you deal with it.
"People rely on numerous euphemisms for losing a job. But the faster you own it, the sooner you're truthful regarding it, the quicker you can advance.
"That is the direct path to whatever you wish to pursue next," she notes.
Today, they are excelling in new ventures, with one running her own media company and another serving as editor-in-chief for a luxury magazine.
If you've lost your job or are just looking for a new career, these are four methods for guidance.
1. Consider Last Year
It's natural to feel some unease about work after a holiday break.
A careers coach highlights the value of looking back prior to launching a new job search.
She encourages professionals to evaluate what they wish to pursue more, what to decrease, and what motivates or depletes them.
Examining your achievements to spot underlying threads is also beneficial. "Avoid considering only the most recent period, since everyone suffer from for recent-event bias that can impede clear thinking," she adds.
A former editor says it is vital to decide the role of work occupies in your life.
This involves being honest about the amount of time you spend working and its effect on your social life.
Following her job loss, she recommends preventing your life be shaped solely by your career.
2. Take Gradual Moves
She says people can make incremental moves towards a career shift without a complete leap.
She herself took several years to move from a corporate role to running a company completely, working on the venture while still employed, which enabled self-funding from the start.
"It required more time, but that represented how I did it without risk," she comments.
She recommends an experimental approach.
This could be pro bono work, getting involved in a professional project you find appealing, or saying yes to a different task within your current team.
"Worst case scenario, you discover that area isn't for you, but it's preferable to know now instead of after you've switched careers," she remarks.
Additionally, she suggests considering interim roles. These might not be the dream position, but they serve as progress towards your goal, such as a role that shares traits to the career you want, but in a different area.
"It's about granting yourself the permission to say this is suitable temporarily, however, that is not the same as forever.
"This is an intelligent approach for moving much closer to that new career."
3. Acknowledge Your Accomplishments
If you've recently been made redundant from your job, many are in the same boat – redundancy rates have increased to high levels in recent times.
A former editor was editor-in-chief for a fashion publication, previously she and her team lost their jobs after the company discontinued the physical magazine.
Recognizing that this was not indicative of her skills assisted her handle the transition.
"Your experience doesn't disappear simply due to were let go.
"Do not surrender your power, it's crucial for everybody to remember their own value."
Her colleague was let go after a decade at a financial magazine after a change at the top and the hiring of a new editor.
She emphasizes that so much of the embarrassment of dismissal is internal.
"With many professionals losing jobs, it's usually not about you. It's probably not about you, so refrain from bearing that ball of shame around with you."
4. Build a Career Checklist
If you're desperately seeking a new job or feel deeply dissatisfied in your current role, the temptation is to apply hastily for any vacancy – disregarding your own happiness.
Yet, this can be a big misstep.
Rather, she recommends an exercise called "browsing" – focusing your search to only position summaries that seem appealing.
She suggests searching professional networks and gathering a selection of that you like.
"Identify {the words|the
