Moving On . . . Steps to Recovery
Dear e-COACH,
I am an engineer and have just been released from my job after 21 years, without warning or cause. How do I get over this? I'm not even sure why this happened! How do I move on? What do I do first?
Dear Sender,
- Honour your feelings. You are grieving a loss, so indulge in your feelings for at least a few days. Talk to someone you trust. Expect to experience a wide range of emotions for several days or weeks. See a professional therapist if necessary. You can not launch an effective job search until your emotions are under control.
- Get professional advice. You may need a lawyer to look over your package; a financial expert to help sort out your options; an outplacement counselor to coach you through the job search process. Using professionals saves time and money in the long run.
Learn your lessons - Once you are feeling better emotionally, ask yourself: "What can I learn from this?" Don't blame yourself but examine the role you may have played.
- Reflect on your life and goals. If there is something else you've always wanted to do, now may be the time to consider it. Take this opportunity to evaluate your values, interests and skills (books and outplacement counselors can help) to determine your preferences and whether you are prepared to act on them at this time.
- Prepare a plan. Write out how you will approach your job search or new business. Include your goals and a step by step process for getting there. Make sure you utilize all of today's methods of job search including networking, direct marketing and the Internet.
- Manage yourself. Make a commitment to your weekly hours of work during which you will conduct only job search activities. Do not allow your days to be taken over with personal activities. Allow some flexibility, be patient and reward yourself for small accomplishments.
- Strive for excellence. Whether it is the wording of a letter, the appearance of your resume, your telephone presentation or your interview skills, remember that you will be judged by every detail. So have another proofread your written materials, script and practice your telephone calls, do a mock interview with a manager friend and prepare in advance for everything. Any effort short of your personal best can cost you.
- Be optimistic. Right now you may see this as a bad situation that is hard to accept, but steer clear of sharing any resentment or negative thoughts with ex co-workers or potential networking contacts. No one wants to hire or refer an angry, depressed or bitter person.
In the weeks to come I hope you can make the shift to seeing this as an opportunity and a new chapter in your life. Good luck!
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