Losing their job is one of the most terrifying experiences an adult can go through. The reason why is simple: without a job you cannot survive financially. That being said, this does not necessarily have to be a bad thing. That’s provided you’re able to get another job quickly. And that’s really the point. Instead of seeing this as a disaster, you should see it as an opportunity. Losing your job provides a chance to get a new job and potentially earn more money. It also gives you the chance to develop your career in a different direction. Ultimately, this can be a positive experience. If you’ve recently lost your job, then here’s how to get through this difficult time:
What to Do NOW If You’ve Lost Your Job
1. Get Your Finances in Order
To start with, you need to save every cent you have. This is not the time to make large purchases and spend money extravagantly. Along with this, you’ll also want to avoid going into debt. Also investigate unemployment. If it wasn’t your fault that you lost your job, then you should qualify for this. You’ll also want to investigate alternatives for health insurance. Speak to human resources. You may be able to continue on with your companies health insurance. Human resources may also be able to help you find a new policy.
Next, take care of your retirement plan. It’s critical that you take care of your pension plan and 401K, now that you’ve left your employer. Finally, if you’re getting unemployment, or planning to live on your savings, then you need to draw up a budget. Workout how you’re going to save money and live on your unemployment.
2. Update Your Resume
This is one of the first things you’ll want to after having lost your job. While this may seem obvious to most people, many of us fail to do it. Don’t be one of these people. Go through your resume from top to bottom and update your skills and qualifications. When doing this, make sure that your get references from your network. This is especially important if you were fired. Along with this you should also write a great cover letter. You need to provide specific reasons why prospective employers should hire you, and also why you’re qualified for the job.
Something else you’ll want to do is update your LinkedIn. These days, almost all employees will take a look at your profile. This is why it’s critical that the information on your resume is in line with what’s on your profile. When doing this also take care of other social media. These accounts will show up when people search for you online. You need to make sure that your posts make a good impression and are fit for public consumption. It’s also a good idea to Google yourself. Remember, employers are going to do this, so make sure there’s nothing online which could be a problem.
3. Practice Interviewing
Depending on how long you’ve held your job, it could be years since you last interviewed. This is a problem which you need to take care of. The solution is to practice interviewing. The best way to do this is by studying the most commonly asked interview questions. You may also want to hire an career counselor or interview coach. Friends and family can also help you. It’s also a good idea to record yourself when practicing. This help you determine what type of impression you’re making. Another thing which you should do is buy new outfits for interviewing. While it’s important that you save money, it does pay to update your wardrobe and invest in new clothes. Another tip is to determine what type of salary you’re looking for. Remember, you’ll be asked about this during the interview, so be prepared. How much money do you need to earn? You’ll need to know exactly how much you’re worth, and also how to negotiate a decent salary.
4. Start Looking for Another Job Immediately
If you’ve been let go, there’s a tendency to see it as time off. Most people will take a few days off the recover from the shock. This often turns into a few weeks or even months. This is one of the biggest mistakes that you could make. What you have to understand is that just because you’re unemployed, does not mean you’re on holiday.
The best course of action is to start looking for a new job immediately. Go onto job listing sites and begin apply as soon as you’ve updated your resume. Do it even while you’re busy updating your resume. It’s also important that you look for jobs which match your skills exactly. Due to the competitive nature of the job market, you do not want to waste your time with things you are not qualified for.
5. Stay Positive and Motivated
Having lost your job, it’s easy to fall into a depression and become discouraged. Accept that this is just a normal part of the process. Of course you’re going to feel bad if you’ve been fired. The problem is that you cannot afford to stay this way forever. This is why it’s important that you take action immediately. Don’t sit around for weeks feeling sorry for yourself. The longer you take to get started, the more difficult it will be. You may also miss out on opportunities while you’re sitting around. This is why it’s so important that you take massive action immediately.
Also understand that while it might take time to find a new job, it’s only a matter of time. As long as you keep searching you should find something. The best thing you can do is stay positive and keep looking. Something else to remember is that you shouldn’t take rejection personally. Another thing to remember, is that the hiring process does take time. You may have to interview more than once. In fact, many jobs require that your interview 3-4 times, so be patient and don’t get discouraged.
