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12 Do's and Don'ts After Losing a Job

Even if you liked or disliked your job, the day you are fired or lost it, it would come like just crashing the whole world down for yourself. It all happens so fast that sometimes you remain in a state of shock before it sinks in, with full force.

The most important thing to remember in such moments is that you should not panic or lose hope. There are some things that you can do to make sure you are not left completely in the ditch.

Here are 12 do’s and don’ts after losing a job or getting fired that can help you to make stable your feared mind waves.

12 Do's and Don'ts after losing a Job

Things TO DO the Moment You Lost the Job

In order to get back on track, you will have to act quickly. This way you won’t have time to waste mourning about the loss of your job. If you have asked your employers for one last try to prove yourself and that has failed, here are some of the things you should do.

  • File for unemployment benefits – Depending on why you were thrown out, you may be eligible for unemployment benefits. Check with your unemployment office as more often than not, they tend to bend on the side of the employee.
     
  • Try and find time to decompress – You will certainly have a lot to deal with, especially if this firing came out of the blue. But no matter what the case, you need to try and find time to decompress and introspect. Suppressing everything that happened and refusing to address it will just have a negative impact on your health and wellbeing.
     
  • Find your real skill – Instead of moping around and feeling sorry for yourself, spend the rest of the day trying to find what you are really good at so that you can now get yourself a job that will help improve your capabilities.
     
  • Analyze why you’ve been fired – Even if this came as an unexpected shock, there is no need to feel ashamed or angry. Instead, try and understand why you have been fired. Look at it from an objective point of view and see if there are any lessons that you can take away from the situation.
     
  • Find the right job – Even if you desperately want to find yourself another job that very day, make sure you find the right job this time around. Don’t settle for anything just because you are jobless. Try and find a job that you will be good at and that will help you develop your skills further.
     
  • Prepare yourself to discuss the situation When you appear for interviews, you will be asked why you lost the job. All you need to do is be honest about the entire situation and let your employer handle the rest.

 

By following these points, you will develop a pro-active way of approaching the situation and will emerge in a better position to tackle your next job.

At the same time, there are certain temptations that you may be drawn toward in such moments. You need to make sure you steer clear of them so that you do not harm yourself.

 

Things NOT TO DO the Moment You Lost the Job

  • Don’t panic at all This is the most common reaction when a person is dismissed. However, panicking is not going to get you anywhere. When you panic, you may do something stupid that you may not be able to take back later.
     
  • Don’t spread the story immediately – Yes, you will certainly be angry or even plain furious but telling your story when your temper is raging is never a good thing. Instead, spend time reflecting on why you were fired and wait until you have cooled off before informing others about your dismissal.
     
  • Don’t apply for a new job immediately – Instead of applying for a new job immediately, think about what you would like to do and only then start handing out resumes.
     
  • Don't send your resume to all your contacts  Sending out resumes to everyone you know the moment you are fired is not a good idea. First, plan your career and then send across your updated resume to the right person only.
     
  • Don’t go on a trip – No matter what state you are in, taking a vacation is not the solution. You may not have a job for a while so make sure you save that money for the coming days instead.
     
  • Don’t say no to outplacement service – Since you may not have an easy time finding yourself another job, getting an expert to guide you along in this task is certainly something you should hang on to.
     

Do's and Don'ts After Losing a Job- Infographic

Do's and Don'ts After Losing a Job- Infographic

Resources:

http://jobsearch.about.com/od/salary/a/fired.htm
http://www.workwriteresumes.com/careers/fired-what-to-do-that-day/
http://www.businessinsider.in/7-Things-To-Do-Right-After-Youve-Been-Fired/articleshow/44985648.cms
http://www.yourofficecoach.com/topics/job_search_skills/losing_your_job/what_to_do_if_you_are_fired.aspx
http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2012/06/25/10-things-you-should-do-immediately-after-being-fired
http://www.forbes.com/sites/deborahljacobs/2012/12/05/citigroup-to-cut-11000-jobs-six-things-not-to-do-if-youre-fired/#4f636f4f5472
 

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