Job Search After Job Loss

Job Search After Job Loss - book excerpt

Chapter 1: I’ve Lost My Job! Now What?

Let’s pull the Band-Aid off! You lost your job! Regardless of the reason for the job loss, it is usually unexpected and almost always heart wrenching. For what you are enduring and for what you will endure, I am extremely sorry. For those who were laid off due to budget cuts/loss of grant funding, I know that this feels like someone pulled the rug out from under you. I know at least that is how I felt when it happened to me. For those fired for a job mishap, no words I say will likely soften the blow. Justified or not, getting fired is painful! By the way, we all mess up at work; no one is perfect!

Whatever the cause of a job loss, it is a painful experience that causes us to feel alone, helpless, defeated, ashamed, and/or without hope. Well, I’m here to tell you that that is all the time we have to dwell on the job loss. Do you feel better? No, the sting from a job loss stays with you for quite some time. However, it is imperative that you don’t dwell on the event itself. Why? First of all, your health and general wellbeing is at risk if you don’t put things into perspective. As a career counselor and stress management coach, I can tell you that individuals that dwell on the job loss event generally lose a lot of sleep and fail to eat properly. That loss of sleep and nutrition causes many individuals to ultimately need medical attention, which costs money a newly unemployed person needs for rent or food. Do you see the trap? Likewise, as an individual who has battled an anxiety disorder for his whole life, dwelling on such a traumatic event can lead to long-term health issues, which won’t become evident until years later. For these reasons alone, it is imperative that you accept the event and move on.

Still dwelling on the event? Consider this.

Every day spent dwelling on the event of losing your job is a day spent away from getting out and searching for a new job, which delays actually obtaining a new job. The result of this means a loss of lifetime earnings, a reduction in funds built up for retirement, and a delay in gaining the satisfaction a job often brings to a person. Think about it: our jobs, even on bad days, often provide us direction and the satisfaction that we have worked towards some goal. Yes, many people find things outside of employment that give them satisfaction. However, we generally have much of our pride tied to our jobs. Dwelling on a job loss delays our getting back to having such a driving force in our lives. For these reasons, it is imperative that you put the job loss event behind you. Learn from the experience and move on.

Getting Support: Your Network and Physician

As I previously remarked, I was laid off unexpectedly AND I have battled an anxiety disorder my whole life. Needless to say, I was put in a tough position of having a difficult time letting go and not dwelling on the job loss event. Whether you have an overriding health concern or not, you too may find it difficult to put aside the job loss event on your own. In such circumstances, I implore you to seek help. First, look to colleagues and friends, your network, for encouragement during this time. Yes, I understand it’s embarrassing to tell people you lost your job. However, your network of colleagues and friends can help you boost your ego and alleviate your stress, which is critical to your physical and mental health. As for your primary care physician, he/she can help alleviate your stress as well, whether it’s through consultation or medication. In my case, given my anxiety, my physician prescribed an antidepressant in addition to referring me to a psychologist to help address the job-loss stress. I am forever grateful for what my doctor did for me, and many will likewise benefit from medical assistance. Talk to your doctor immediately after a job loss to determine what assistance you may need.

Another source of support is likely available to you: staff from the college or high school you graduated from. Professional staff and faculty from career centers, college counseling centers, alumni affairs offices, and major departments often provide guidance to unemployed graduates. Whether it’s connecting you with another alum working in a similar field or it’s a staff member specialized in career searches, the support you receive (often free of charge) could provide the personal support you need to start an effective career search AND manage the stress and anxiety that come with having lost a job.

Unjustified Firing

In the event you feel your firing or lay off was unjustified, I recommend you seek guidance from an attorney specialized in labor issues. An attorney can provide you with a better understanding of what options you have for filing a claim as well as what long-term effects any litigation will have. Remember to ask an attorney what her/his fees are before signing anything (including what an initial consultation costs).

Before a Job Search: Getting Set

Are you ready? Seriously, are you ready? Before venturing forward in search of a good job, there is a list of things you need to take care of, preparations you must make. It’s not just from the financial side of things either. To effectively search for a job, you need a team behind you. Are you worried about hiring someone to help with your job search? If you can afford to hire someone to help, great! Yet, that’s not the team I am referring to. Here is a preparation list for anyone looking for a new job, which includes strategies specifically for someone who was fired or laid off from a job.

• Enlist the aid of your network: I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: your network of family, friends, and colleagues are a crucial outlet for finding jobs. It is especially important to reach out to colleagues and references from previous jobs to let them know you are unemployed and seeking a job. Be specific in letting your network know what you are looking for.