Being let go is a huge upheaval, emotionally, financially and in many other aspects of your life. Some people find it to be a traumatic experience and struggle to move forward and start picking up the pieces again.
However, dealing with the damage, moving on and starting fresh can be a real turning point in your life, and you may find in the end that the loss was for the best. Whether you find an amazing new job, finally work on your side hustle or take some much-needed family or personal time, you can try to look on the bright side.
Before you reach that point though, here are the most important things you need to know about losing your job.
1. You Have Legal Rights
Yup, simply packing up your desk and saying your goodbyes isn’t necessarily the best approach when you’ve been given the sack. It’s important to consider the situation, what lead to your dismissal and whether or not you believe the reasons to be valid.
If you know you were at fault, you’ll need to make peace with that and consider how you can do better next time. However, if you believe you’ve been fired for doing nothing wrong, you’ll need to get in touch with a labor attorney to help you deal with the claim – you might be entitled to compensation in some form.
2. You Need to Process It
Employees who have been let go often suffer from resentment and even depression that needs to be processed and moved on from. Taking some time to process what has happened is important, because if you bottle it up, you might find it more difficult to move on.
Taking some time for yourself and reflecting on what happened is a good start, but you might need to reach out. Consider talking to an old colleague, a close friend or family member or even a therapist. Expressing how you feel, what doubts and worries you might have and your hopes for the future will help you to make sense of things and move past what happened.
3. You Might Struggle To Find Work
Finding a new job, whether you’re fresh out of college, newly unemployed or even just seeking out better opportunities, can be a long, tough game to play. Try to emotionally prepare yourself for the fact that you might not pick up a new job on your first try.
Remember that this is normal and okay! Be persistent, but if too much time goes by, try rethinking your strategy.
4. You Shouldn’t Give Up
If you’re not finding success after a few weeks, try out other avenues for your job search. You could find other places to look, or start networking with people you know, or people who know people.
You might also take this time to revamp your resume and consider learning some new skills through short courses online. These can be quick, easy and affordable to complete but really boost your CV when you’re on the hunt.
