We Were Let Go, and We're Embracing It – Learn How to Land a New Job That Works You Personally
A new year's onset can be a moment for introspection, and for many, that involves thinking about our work lives.
A pair of editors who left their jobs due to organizational changes at first believed their world had ended.
"I dedicated my heart into the job... I trusted in the ethos we championed. However, regarding my situation, those values weren't there," one of them says.
They both opted to employ the word "let go" and argue that being honest about it can assist you handle the event.
"People rely on so many soft terms for losing a job. But the faster you accept it, the faster you're truthful regarding it, the faster you can move on.
"It's the fast track to anything you want to do next," she continues.
Now, they are thriving in new ventures, with one owning a media business and the other serving as lead editor for a luxury magazine.
For those who have been made redundant or are simply contemplating a change, consider these four methods for guidance.
1. Reflect On Last Year
It's natural to experience a bit low concerning your career post-festive period.
A careers coach stresses the value of looking back before starting a new job search.
She suggests individuals to think about what they want to do more of, what to decrease, and which factors inspires or drains their drive.
Examining your accomplishments to identify underlying threads is useful too. "Try to avoid just looking at the last month, as people often have a tendency for recent-event bias that can impede clear thinking," she states.
She also notes it is vital to decide what place your job occupies in your life.
This involves being honest regarding the hours you spend working and its impact on your family life.
Following her job loss, she advises preventing your identity be defined by your career.
2. Make Gradual Moves
She says people can make gradual progress towards changing careers without a complete leap.
She required a long period to make the jump from a corporate role to running her own business entirely, developing the venture concurrently with her role, which allowed self-funding from the start.
"It needed more time, but that was how I did it without risk," she says.
She advocates for a "try before you buy" approach.
This could be volunteering, getting involved in a professional project you find appealing, or accepting a new challenge at your present job.
"If it fails, you find out you don't like, but it's preferable to know now than after you've made the move," she remarks.
Additionally, she suggests considering interim roles. These may not be the perfect role, yet they function as a step in the right direction, for example a position with parallels to the career you want, but in a different area.
"It involves allowing yourself the space to say this is suitable temporarily, but that isn't permanent.
"That represents an intelligent tactic for getting much closer to your new career."
3. Acknowledge Your Successes
If you've recently lost your position, you are not the only one – layoff figures have risen significantly lately.
A former editor was the top editor in a magazine, previously she and her team lost their jobs when the firm discontinued the physical magazine.
Recognizing that this event was not a reflection of her skills allowed her to cope with the situation.
"What you've learned doesn't disappear because you were let go.
"Do not surrender your power, it's important for everyone to recognize their intrinsic value."
Her colleague was let go after ten years at a financial magazine after a change at the top and the appointment of a new editor.
She emphasizes that a lot of the shame of dismissal is in your head.
"Considering the vast numbers of individuals facing redundancy, it's rarely personal. It's likely not about you, so refrain from bearing that ball of shame unnecessarily."
4. Create a Job Search List
When you're urgently looking for employment or are utterly miserable in your current role, you might be tempted to apply hastily at any opportunity – disregarding personal fulfillment.
Yet, this can be a big misstep.
Instead, she suggests a technique known as "scanning" – filtering opportunities on position summaries that sound interesting.
She suggests browsing sites like LinkedIn and collecting around 10 to 15 that seem promising.
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