We Were Fired, and We're Owning It – This Is How to Secure a New Role That Suits for You
A new year's onset is frequently a time for reflection, and for many, that includes thinking about our professional paths.
Two editors who lost their roles after corporate restructures initially felt it was a disaster.
"I poured everything into the position... I trusted in the values we championed. Yet, when it came to me, those principles were absent," one of them states.
They both chose to use the term "fired" and believe that being open about it can aid you process it.
"We use numerous alternative phrases for being dismissed. Yet, the sooner you own it, the faster you're honest about it, the sooner you can progress.
"That's the quickest route to what you wish next," she notes.
Now, they are excelling in new ventures, with one owning her own firm and the other serving as lead editor at a prestigious publication.
Whether you've been made redundant or are simply looking for a new career, these are four methods that can help.
1. Contemplate Last Year
It's common to feel some apprehension concerning your career after a holiday break.
A professional advisor emphasizes the importance of introspection before starting the search for a new role.
She encourages professionals to evaluate what they desire to pursue more, what to reduce, and the things that energizes or exhausts them.
Examining your accomplishments to spot common themes can also help. "Avoid considering only the last month, because we all exhibit for recency bias that can obstruct the process," she notes.
Another professional states it is crucial to decide what place your job plays in your life.
This means being truthful about the amount of time you're working and its effect on your personal life.
After her own experience, she recommends against letting yourself be shaped solely by your career.
2. Implement Incremental Actions
The advisor notes that professionals can take incremental moves for a career transition without a complete leap.
Her own journey required a long period to make the jump from a corporate role to running a company completely, working on the venture alongside her job, which meant she could pay herself.
"It required additional time, but that was my approach sustainably," she explains.
She advocates for a test-run strategy.
This might involve volunteer work, getting involved in an initiative you find appealing, or accepting a different task in your existing role.
"Worst case scenario, you discover it's not a fit, but it's preferable to know now than after you've made the move," she remarks.
She also encourages looking into temporary "stepping-stone" positions. They are perhaps not the ideal job, yet they function as a move in the right direction, such as a role with similarities to your target field, though not in the exact field.
"It involves granting yourself the leeway to accept this works for now, however, that is not the same as forever.
"That represents a clever strategy for getting nearer to a desired transition."
3. Acknowledge Your Successes
For anyone who has recently lost your position, many are in the same boat – redundancy rates have increased to high levels in recent times.
A former editor was editor-in-chief in a magazine, previously her entire team lost their jobs following a decision to ceased print operations.
Recognizing that this event did not reflect of her performance assisted her handle the transition.
"What you've learned remains with you just because you were let go.
"Do not surrender your self-worth, it's vital for everybody to recognize their own value."
Her colleague was fired after ten years in a business journal due to leadership changes in management and the arrival of a new editor.
She notes that much of the stigma of dismissal is self-imposed.
"With many professionals losing jobs, it's rarely personal. It's probably very much not you, so refrain from bearing that ball of shame unnecessarily."
4. Create a Job Search List
When you're urgently looking for a new job or feel profoundly unhappy with your present job, you might be tempted to apply hastily for any vacancy – ignoring what suits you.
Yet, this can be a significant mistake.
Rather, she recommends a method called "scanning" – focusing your search down to job descriptions that sound interesting.
She advises browsing job platforms and collecting around 10 to 15 that you like.
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