Have you been recentlyâ fired?â Itâs â˘certainly never easy to⤠dealâ with,â especially if you werenât expecting â¤it. Whether youâ had aâ long-term â¤job or âit was just a short-term gig, âit can be difficult to process. â˘Itâs natural âto feel rejected and have a lot of⤠questions but you⤠donât want to â˘take⣠any hastyâ decisions. â¤
In â¤this article, weâre going to explore âwhat you should â¤and should⣠not do âwhen youâre âŁfired. Weâll helpâ you figure â¤out the bestâ way toâ move forward and makeâ sureâ that youâre in aâ better⣠position in the future. So read on and⣠get ready to â¤uncover⢠the practical⢠steps you⢠need toâ take.
1.â The Inevitable Reality – What to Do When⤠You’re Fired
Losing⣠your job â˘is never anâ easy situation âŁto face. Getting firedâ can⤠lead âto feelings⢠of anger,â confusion,⢠insecurity,â and even depression, so itâs important to have the⤠right approach when handling â˘your sudden âloss.
Here are a few⢠tips to help:
- Stayâ calm – Take a few âdeep breaths. Itâs completely understandable to be angry, âŁespecially if the firing was unexpected, but âit is essential to âremainâ composed.⤠Moving forward in the job market requires a professional reputation, â˘and you donât want âthis event to take â¤away from that.
- Proceed with caution – Donât âŁmoveâ too quickly. You donât want âŁto burn⤠any bridges and this âincludes with your previous employer. You donât know if they will be contacted to provideâ a reference⤠in the future. âMake âsure to⢠go through the proper channels â˘so that you â¤can receiveâ all the compensation due to you.
- Learn from it ⣠– Take â˘a step back and â˘reflect on what happened. What didâ you do âwrong? What could you have done differently? What could you â¤do âbetter in theâ future?⣠Reflecting⤠on the⤠situation can âhelp you learn and grow, and help⣠you toâ become a strongerâ candidate âwhen âlooking ⢠for âthe⣠next job.
When youâve been âfired, it is normal to feel overwhelmedâ and scared. Remember to stay positiveâ and â¤take the time toâ explore your options, both short⤠and long-term. Consult with friends⣠and family and, if necessary, speak⢠to âa professional â˘career counselor. â˘It may take some time, but youâ will beâ backâ on your âfeet.
2. Acceptance is⣠Key – Understandingâ That the⢠Situation is⢠Out of âYour Control
In life, there âare times⤠when âŁthings don’t go as expected, and itâs easy to⤠feel discouraged and disheartened.â However, it isâ important to accept the⤠situation, endeavor to look at âthe âcurrent situation objectively, and understandâ that the â˘situation is out ofâ your control.
Here â˘are some practical tips for â¤making theâ most â˘of being in a situation⣠that is out ofâ your âcontrol:
- Acknowledge âŁand accept that the situation is out of⤠your control. Donât â˘dwell on whatâ may haveâ been, and instead focus on what lies ahead.
- Look for the positive,â and accept that there are no perfect âscenarios. Sometimes, in⣠hindsight,⣠all is not as bad as it first appeared.
- Focusâ on âyourâ own personal growth, and move on with âyour lifeâs purpose âdespite challenging âcircumstances.
- Let go of⢠the past, and use the situation as an opportunity⢠to ârefocus âŁyour efforts in a â˘more productive â¤way.
- Surround yourselfâ with positiveâ and⢠inspiring people. Do yourâ best to stay away from gossip âand⣠energy-sapping conversations.
By making a conscious effortâ to practice acceptance and understanding that the situation is out of â¤your⣠control, you will âbe better âŁequipped to handle difficult â¤situations⣠and keep your calm when faced⣠with adversity.
3. Don’t Take it Personally – âIt’s Probably Not âa â˘Reflection onâ You
Sometimes, when something bad happens orâ someone tells⣠you something youâ don’t âlike, it⤠can beâ easy âŁto take âitâ personally. Even ifâ the person is simplyâ trying to give âyou constructive feedback to help you improve!
However, âit’s important to remember that what â˘they are⤠saying is âlikely not a reflection âŁon you as a person – it’s âŁlikely a⣠reflection â¤of their own feelings or outlook. Here âare three tips to⤠help you keep things in perspective:
- Understand the Context â – If a situation went wrong, it âŁhelps to think about⣠it objectively and understandâ what led toâ it. Usually,⢠there â¤are underlying reasons behind why â˘something⣠happened, and âtaking âa step back⣠to assess⢠can⤠help âyou identify theâ cause âand⤠put â˘it into â¤perspective.
- Don’t Take It âŁPersonally ⢠-⣠It’s important to remind yourself that it’s not about you. âPeople often misinterpret âothers’ intentions or âlash out because of something goingâ on in their own life. Try to be understanding and keep an open âmind.
- Focusâ on the Learnings – When things don’t âŁgo â˘as planned, it’s easy to âdwell on them and forget⢠to âthink about theâ lessons.â Focusing âon what⢠you’ve âlearned and how you can apply⤠it in the future âwill help put â˘theâ situation in âcontextâ and help you â¤move forward.
It is natural to take things personally inâ tough situations, but understanding the context, not⢠taking it âpersonally, and focusingâ on the learnings,⤠can help you⢠put things into perspective and âbe â¤better âŁprepared for â˘the⣠future.
4.â Don’t â¤Burn Bridges -⢠Make âa Smooth â˘Exit
It’sâ always important to make sure you leave your previous âŁjob with good relations with co-workers⢠and your former employer. âThis doesn’t just help your career⤠in the long run but alsoâ makes the transition smoother âŁfor all involved.
- Give âtwo weeks’ notice â Make sure you give plenty of notice.â Being abrupt⤠and leaving too quickly makes you âlook like an unreliable employee.
- Maintain professionalism ââ Keep⢠a professionalâ attitude, even if âŁyou don’t agree with your â¤former employer’s decisions. Honoring any non-disclosure â˘and other agreements is also important.
- Say your âgoodbyes â If you’re leaving⣠on âgood⤠terms, it’s always⢠a nice gesture to sayâ goodbye to coworkers. Show⤠a little gratitude for what â˘you âhave learned â˘during your time âŁwith your previous employer.
- Keep in touch â After leaving, â˘follow up with your former colleagues âfrom âtimeâ to time. Maintaining â˘relationships pays off in â¤theâ long run.
The key takeaway âŁfrom this section⣠is âthat although you may have âŁgrievances with your former⤠employer,⢠it doesn’t âmean â¤that you haveâ to burn bridges. It’s important to show some respect and have aâ smooth transition when leaving for the benefit of âall involved.â Everyone will appreciate a peaceful departure.
5.⢠Don’tâ Lose Hope â˘- Take Positive Action
When facedâ withâ hard times, it’s easy to feel discouraged and overwhelmed. But, no matter how âŁbad things seem, you shouldn’t â¤lose hope. It’s âimportantâ to â˘stayâ positive â¤and⢠takeâ action to⤠reach âyour âŁgoals. âHere are five steps you âcan take â¤to move forward:
- Motivate yourself with⣠positiveâ affirmations â¤- it may sound too easy, but repeating positive mantrasâ to yourself âcan be surprisingly effective inâ improving your mood and outlook.
- Setâ clear goals – figure out what you want to achieve, âthen âŁbreak⣠it down into a⤠list âof smaller goals that you can gradually â¤work⢠through. â
- Take small steps each day âŁ- even⣠when progress feels âslow, make sureâ to always take at âleast one stepâ each day towards your⤠goals.â
- Tackle difficult tasksâ first – if you’re â˘feeling unmotivated, â˘tackling the⣠hardest tasks at âtheâ beginning⤠of the day can help you â˘stay on⣠track.
- Stay focused âon â˘theâ present â -â concentrate âon the tasks and goals in âfront of â¤you and don’t get sidetracked by negative thoughts⣠about â¤the future. â
It’s âŁnot always â¤easy âŁto stay positiveâ during tough⣠times. But, with hard â¤workâ and⣠dedication, you can âmake progress⤠and find âa wayâ forward.â
Conclusion
Ultimately, it is âcrucial⣠toâ remember that getting fired is only one experience, and it is not representative â¤of who âyou are. âWhether⣠you âchoose to seek âŁlegal action,â find another âŁjob, or take time to assess the situation, you â¤can take control of the â¤narrative and â˘turn this⣠negative into a âpositive if â¤you â¤take the âright steps to move forward. â˘
Also read:Â 5 Steps to Prevent A Business Crisis!