We Were Dismissed, and We're Owning It – This Is How to Find a New Role That Suits for You
A new year's onset is often a period for contemplation, and for numerous people, that encompasses evaluating our work lives.
Two publishing professionals who left their positions due to organizational changes originally thought their world had ended.
"I poured all my energy into the job... I trusted in the ethos we championed. But in my case, those values didn't apply," one of them says.
Both individuals opted to employ the word "dismissed" and argue that being open about what happened can help you process it.
"People rely on so many alternative phrases for losing a job. Yet, the sooner you accept it, the quicker you're honest regarding it, the faster you can progress.
"That's the direct path to whatever you wish to do next," she adds.
Today, they are excelling in new ventures, where one leading her own media company and another holding the position of editor-in-chief for a luxury magazine.
For those who have been laid off or are looking for a new career, consider these four approaches that can help.
1. Reflect On Last Year
It's common to experience a bit low about work following time off.
A career expert stresses the value of reflection before starting the search for a new role.
She advises individuals to think about what they wish to increase, what to decrease, and what energizes or exhausts their energy.
Reviewing your past successes to spot recurring patterns can also help. "Try not to considering only the recent past, because we all exhibit to focus on the recent that can obstruct clear thinking," she adds.
A former editor states it is important to determine where your work plays in your life.
This means being candid about the amount of time you devote to work and the influence on your family life.
After her own experience, she advises not allowing your life be defined by your career.
2. Implement Gradual Moves
The advisor notes that professionals can take incremental moves towards a career shift without committing fully.
She took seven years to make the jump from her corporate career to running her own business completely, building her idea alongside her job, which enabled self-funding from the start.
"It required a bit longer, however, that was how I did it in a sustainable way," she explains.
She recommends a test-run method.
This could be volunteer work, getting involved in a work project you find appealing, or agreeing to a different task at your present job.
"The worst outcome, you find out it's not a fit, however, it's wiser to learn now than after you've committed fully," she states.
She also encourages looking into short-term "bridging roles". These may not be the ideal job, yet they function as a move in the right direction, like a job that shares traits to your target field, but in a different field.
"It involves granting yourself the space to acknowledge this works for now, but that does not mean permanent.
"That represents a very smart strategy to get much closer to a career change."
3. Recall Your Successes
If you've just left your job, many are in the same boat – redundancy rates have risen significantly lately.
A former editor held a senior role in a magazine, but a few years ago she and her team were made redundant after the company closed the print version.
Understanding that this event did not reflect of her skills assisted her process the change.
"What you've learned remains with you simply due to lost your job.
"Do not surrender your self-worth, it's crucial for everybody to recall their own value."
Her colleague was fired following a long tenure with a finance publication after a change at the top and the arrival of a new editor.
She stresses that a lot of the stigma of job loss is self-imposed.
"Given that hundreds of thousands of people being laid off, it's rarely personal. It's likely not about you, so refrain from bearing that ball of shame forward."
4. Create a Job Search List
For those who are actively hunting for employment or are utterly miserable at work, you might be tempted to dive straight into applying for any job – disregarding your own happiness.
But this is a big misstep.
Rather, she recommends an exercise called "reviewing" – narrowing your search to only role profiles that sound interesting.
She advises exploring sites like LinkedIn and collecting several that seem promising.
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