Lack of funds, lack of work, organization restructuring, end of the project, employee ineligibility and a dozen other reasons could easily make it’s way to the subject line of you termination letter. That is the quickest way for a company to cope with the loss of business. Layoffs aren’t personal, although they often feel like they are. And what do you do next might may not have crossed your mind at all. It can be fairly disorienting. So here are a few suggestions to help you pull yourself together in the first few weeks of it and strive for a brighter future.
1. Keep your cool
The chances are you’ve seen others go this way but never imagined it would happen to you. It is natural to feel more upset, shocked and disappointed. Then comes the tendency to be very angry and trashing your employer to anyone who will listen. But this is only going to aggravate things. You should stay on good terms with your former coworkers and bosses so you can later call on them for networking help or references. See if you can develop a sense of humor impromptu.
2. Relieve a little bit of pressure by telling some close ones
You don’t have to suffer in silence. At times like this, calling an empathetic loved one, friend, or close mentor will take some of the sting out of the bad news. Talk to people you think will provide you with some needed support and broader perspective. Only turn to those who will empathize and support you in self-care — not those giving advice and new job suggestions.
3. Hear out the full story
Sometimes in our shock and upset at the news of a layoff, we forget to listen or to get all the information we need. Is there a severance package or a benefits package I get to leave with? What about my family’s health insurance? Will the company help me with finding new work or offer any kind of resume service? What about job references? Do I have to return the company laptop that I use at home?
4. Do not think you have been victimized
Again, layoffs aren’t personal, although they often feel like they are. While losing a job can be a traumatic event, maintaining a victim mentality won’t just turn other people off: It can prevent you from moving forward with your life.
5. Don’t leave without recommendation letter
If you have a good rapport with any of your remaining bosses or colleagues, you could ask to use them as references for future job applications. If you don’t already have their personal contact information, now’s the time to ask.
6. Don’t Leave Without Your Contacts
If you don’t have a backup of your contacts at home, the very first thing to do is to get your contacts. Your contacts are paramount to jump-starting your new job search. Further, you may write to each of your contacts and let them know that you’ve been laid off and give them a paragraph about what you’re looking for. This could prove to be an easy shortcut.
7. Keep yourself active and note down your accomplishments
While keeping your expenses at check may be a smart thing but not shutting yourself down is the way to go. You will need to act normally and visit the places you often do. It would also help if you wrote, say 20 of your accomplishments down and narrowed it further to 5. That will help to clarify your talents and ambitions.
8. You have worked for one company means there will be 100 others with similar positions
Nearly all job classifieds are now online, so searching through them is far easier than it was 10 years ago. Although it might seem like nobody is hiring, you should keep an eye out anyway. Jobs sometimes become available as people retire, or a company’s focus changes. Extend your search somewhat outside your profession as well, just to see what else might be available.
9. Rediscover Your Interests
Pick up that dusty guitar and strum away or dive into a top selling novel. Every human has at least a couple of interest that they would love to pursue in free time. Well, now wouldn’t be a bad idea. Your interest may just turn into a passion and a new business idea.
10. See if you can take a quick course and pick up skills
There’s a much easier way to fill up your resume: Actually, learn some skills. There are plenty of impressive abilities that you can learn in six months or less, which is a great way to catch a potential employer’s attention for all the right reasons.