We Were Fired, and We're Owning It – This Is How to Find a New Job That Suits You Personally
The start of a new year is frequently a time for reflection, and for numerous people, that includes considering our work lives.
Two editors who lost their positions due to organizational changes at first believed their world had ended.
"I dedicated everything into that role... I trusted in the ethos we championed. But in my case, those principles weren't there," one of them states.
The two opted to employ the word "let go" and believe that being honest about what happened can help you handle the experience.
"People rely on numerous alternative phrases for job loss. However, the quicker you own it, the quicker you're candid regarding it, the sooner you can progress.
"That is the direct path to what you desire next," she notes.
Today, they are succeeding in different roles, where one leading her own media company and the other serving as lead editor at a prestigious publication.
Whether you've lost your job or are considering a shift, consider these four strategies to assist you.
1. Contemplate Last Year
It's natural to have some apprehension about work after a holiday break.
A careers coach highlights the importance of introspection before starting a new job search.
She encourages people to consider what they desire to increase, what to reduce, and which factors motivates or depletes their energy.
Examining your past successes to spot underlying threads is useful too. "Try not to focusing solely on the recent past, because we all have a tendency for recent-event bias that can impede the process," she adds.
A former editor notes it is vital to establish what place your job fits in your life.
This requires being candid about how much time you devote to work and the influence on your family life.
After being let go, she suggests against letting your life be defined by your job.
2. Make Small Steps
She notes that professionals can implement incremental moves for a career transition without diving in headfirst.
She took seven years to transition from a traditional job to running her own business full-time, working on her project alongside her job, which meant she could pay herself.
"It required additional time, however, that was how I did it sustainably," she comments.
She recommends a test-run strategy.
This might involve volunteer work, participating in a professional project you find appealing, or saying yes to a different task in your existing role.
"Worst case scenario, you learn it's not a fit, but it's preferable to learn now rather than after you've switched careers," she states.
Additionally, she suggests considering short-term "bridging roles". They are perhaps not the dream position, yet they function as a step towards your goal, like a job with similarities to your desired career, but in a different industry or sector.
"It's about allowing yourself the permission to say this works for now, but that isn't permanent.
"That represents a clever tactic for moving nearer to that desired transition."
3. Remember Your Accomplishments
For anyone who has just left your position, you are not the only one – job cuts have surged significantly lately.
She was editor-in-chief in a magazine, but in 2022 she lost their jobs when the firm discontinued the physical magazine.
Understanding that this situation was not indicative of her ability assisted her handle the transition.
"Your experience remains with you because you were dismissed.
"Don't relinquish your self-worth, it's crucial for everybody to recognize their own worth."
Her colleague lost her job after ten years at a financial magazine due to leadership changes in senior ranks and the arrival of a new editor.
She stresses that so much of the shame of job loss is in your head.
"Given that hundreds of thousands of professionals losing jobs, it's not personal. It's likely very much not you, so don't carry that ball of shame forward."
4. Build a Job Search List
For those who are urgently looking for a new job or feel profoundly unhappy in your current role, the temptation is to dive straight into applying for any vacancy – disregarding what suits you.
However, this represents a significant mistake.
Alternatively, she proposes an exercise called "scanning" – filtering opportunities to only position summaries that seem appealing.
She advises exploring sites like LinkedIn and collecting a selection of that you like.
"Look for {the words|the
