If you have lost or are about to lose your job, it is perfectly normal to feel hurt, angry or vulnerable. But there are a number of approaches you can take to stay in control and keep positive.
Losing a job can actually be a great opportunity to regroup, rethink and rediscover what really makes you happy. It may be difficult to think this way at first, but you will become more resilient and gain strength as a result.
It is important to accept the reality of your new situation: rather than dwelling on your job loss, it is time to move forward and get on with the next phase of your career. Don't blame yourself you lost your job because of restructuring, not because you're personally not good at what you do. Put the past behind you and look forward to the next exciting stage of your life.
Taking positive action will help you feel in control of your situation. Simple strategies such as focusing on building your network, gathering advice and honing your CV help. Invest time in defining what you have to offer.
Think about sharing your situation with friends, involve your family and ask for support. Tell them about your plans, look for feedback on your ideas, and update them on your developments. This helps avoid isolation.
Ensure you think about your total wellbeing. Regular exercise can be a great antidote to stress, it helps improve sleep patterns and boosts energy levels.
Treat your job search like a job. Set a start and finish time each day. Create daily and weekly goals and stick to them. However, make sure you do slot in some quality time in your week for family activity together and take advantage of the temporary increase in free time. It is always worth spending time listing your positive attributes, key skills, achievements and successes.
Think outside the box, think of different ways to achieve your goals. Consider a day a week undertaking voluntary work, for example, to keep your hand in and give you a sense of achievement. Offering your services free to certain businesses will help broaden your CV. Think about additional training needs.
Above all, do not worry about those factors that you cannot control. You cannot influence the behaviour of companies or individuals who take excessive amounts of time to decide which candidates will be called for second interview. Nor can you control your network contacts who decide they have something more important to do than keep the prearranged meeting slot you had with them.
To sum up concentrate your energies totally on those activities that can best influence your chances of success in securing a new role.
Glenn Steward is a professional business coach and director of The Trading Edge Co.
Losing a job can actually be a great opportunity to regroup, rethink and rediscover what really makes you happy. It may be difficult to think this way at first, but you will become more resilient and gain strength as a result.
It is important to accept the reality of your new situation: rather than dwelling on your job loss, it is time to move forward and get on with the next phase of your career. Don't blame yourself you lost your job because of restructuring, not because you're personally not good at what you do. Put the past behind you and look forward to the next exciting stage of your life.
Taking positive action will help you feel in control of your situation. Simple strategies such as focusing on building your network, gathering advice and honing your CV help. Invest time in defining what you have to offer.
Think about sharing your situation with friends, involve your family and ask for support. Tell them about your plans, look for feedback on your ideas, and update them on your developments. This helps avoid isolation.
Ensure you think about your total wellbeing. Regular exercise can be a great antidote to stress, it helps improve sleep patterns and boosts energy levels.
Treat your job search like a job. Set a start and finish time each day. Create daily and weekly goals and stick to them. However, make sure you do slot in some quality time in your week for family activity together and take advantage of the temporary increase in free time. It is always worth spending time listing your positive attributes, key skills, achievements and successes.
Think outside the box, think of different ways to achieve your goals. Consider a day a week undertaking voluntary work, for example, to keep your hand in and give you a sense of achievement. Offering your services free to certain businesses will help broaden your CV. Think about additional training needs.
Above all, do not worry about those factors that you cannot control. You cannot influence the behaviour of companies or individuals who take excessive amounts of time to decide which candidates will be called for second interview. Nor can you control your network contacts who decide they have something more important to do than keep the prearranged meeting slot you had with them.
To sum up concentrate your energies totally on those activities that can best influence your chances of success in securing a new role.
Glenn Steward is a professional business coach and director of The Trading Edge Co.
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