No matter why or how it comes about, job loss can be devastating. Even if you didn\u2019t love the position that you were laid off or fired from, the life changes resulting from losing a job\u2014which often include financial uncertainty and lack of purpose\u2014can cause you to experience a wide range of emotions. You might sink into feelings of regret and remorse, hopelessness, and\/or loss of confidence about your career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Certified Career Coach Dawid Wiacek, Founder of Career Fixer LLC<\/a>, explained to Job-Hunt that from working with his clients, he has seen firsthand that job loss<\/a> can do a number on people\u2019s sense of self-esteem and confidence\u2014and that building up \u201cjob momentum\u201d again can be tough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cJob loss can be incredibly demoralizing, especially if you consider yourself to be a dedicated employee,\u201d he said. \u201cEven if you\u2019ve been a slacker or were underperforming, losing a job can still present a lot of challenges, including the obvious, like not having a paycheck but also negative perceptions from family and friends who might think you\u2019re being a ‘lazy bum.'”<\/p>\n\n\n\n While finding yourself without the professional position you\u2019ve relied on can be disorienting and scary, the fact is that not everything about losing a job is bad. Once you\u2019ve recovered from the initial shock of being, at least for the moment, unemployed, it\u2019s possible to recover from job loss and emerge from it in an even better situation than before<\/strong>\u2014if you know the right steps to take to get back on your feet again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWithout exception, my clients who have lost jobs have gone to do wonderful things, whether it\u2019s starting their own businesses, taking a (forced) sabbatical, volunteering, finding jobs that are more fulfilling<\/a>, and\/or being paid more than at the job they lost,\u201d Wiacek noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The career coach recommended trying out the following three tactics to recover more quickly and gracefully from job loss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the initial aftermath of losing your job and in the first weeks of being without your usual routine that follow, it\u2019s easy to spiral into anxiety, depression, or self-deprecating (false) thoughts about your lack of talent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wiacek suggested unplugging from these concerns<\/a> temporarily by doing something that\u2019s personally fulfilling to you, rather than plunging immediately into trying to line up new work. \u201cDon\u2019t think about the job search for a few weeks, or at least a few days,\u201d he said. \u201cTake some time off to go camping, or visit a nearby city that has been on your list.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n A smart way to get your foot in new doors right away, without needing to go through all the steps of a formal job search, is to offer your services as a volunteer at an organization you might be interested in working for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cVolunteering will make you feel less crappy, it will put the focus on the other person or group that you\u2019re serving, and, at worst, it will be a good distraction,\u201d Wiacek said. Just as importantly, he added that volunteering could lead to new opportunities<\/a><\/strong> since you\u2019ll be able to network organically. \u201cYour fellow volunteers, or the admins from the organization that you\u2019re volunteering under, will see your good deed and will (usually) gladly connect you with their professional network,\u201d he pointed out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The time freed up by losing a job may create a rare opportunity in your life to do something different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Is there something you\u2019ve thought of doing in the past but never got to explore because you were too busy working? Wiacek said that now is the time to explore alternate career pathways<\/a> and pursue new training and skills<\/a>\u2014for example, by taking a class at your local community college in person or online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A new hobby may also help get you out of a rut while potentially leading to an income stream<\/a>. \u201cIt just may turn into a side hustle that pays<\/a> some (or all) of your bills,\u201d Wiacek said.<\/p>\n\n\n\nGive Yourself a Brain Break <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Go Volunteer<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Develop New Interests, Skills, or Hobbies<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n