MONEY & ENTERTAINMENT

It seems that it is getting easier all the time to become suddenly and unexpectedly unemployed. Whether you are fired, laid off, down-sized, or any other number of euphemisms for “losing your job without wanting to,” you are going to feel a little off-kilter, perhaps a little out of control and anxious. Because it is happening more and more, however, you are not alone. Being fired does not mean an end to your earning potential, but rather an opportunity to take a look at what you are doing, and what you are not doing, to get to where you want to be.

The Exit
Before you react outright to the news of your termination, realize that how you leave the job you have been fired from will have an effect on your future employment opportunities. As difficult as it is, control your emotions at least long enough to find out why it is that you are being let go. If it is a matter of economics (or downsizing, or restructuring, whatever they want to call it), then that is important for you to know. Find out if there are any professional or personal reasons why you are the person losing his job.

It is an important step to find out why you are being let go so that, instead of blaming it all on a personality conflict, you can find out if there is an aspect of your professional conduct that you need to work on. Don’t see this as them talking down to you, but rather see it as using their experience and expertise to further where you are able to go in the future.

While there is no law requiring a severance package, many employers will offer one. This is important to inquire about, as it has implications for how quickly you have to find a new job. If you have been laid off, or the reasons for your termination are unclear, visit the unemployment office to see if you are covered. Also, ask them about the laws governing benefits. You and your family may be entitled to coverage by the group health insurance plan (at your own expense) for a period of time after you have been let go. This will take some of the pressure off the interim between jobs.

Finally, don’t make a big fanfare about your exit. Quietly pack up your things, and inform your close co-workers of your situation either by email or phone call later that day. You will gain nothing but burned bridges by bad-mouthing or criticising your employer or the company while you are there. Remember that the chances are good that your employer will be contacted for a reference form your next job, and you want your final impression to be that of a rational professional.

The Search
When you have been fired, allow yourself to feel bad and disappointed and wronged. It’s healthy and normal. For a brief while. Then, pick yourself up, dust yourself off and buck up. Worse things could happen. How you deal with being fired is a matter of perspective. If you look at it as a failure, you are failing to learn the lesson of what happened and what you can do to change it. If you feel helpless, you are not taking control of your life and your job search. You are letting fear and self-doubt beat you. The only way to conquer these fears is to prove them wrong.

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One of the best ways to find new work is through networking. If you did that at your old job, there are contacts you can call up to help hook you up with something in your industry. If you didn’t do that, now is the time to start attending cocktail parties and mixers to see what’s out there. Hopefully you have kept your resumé up to date and you have been keeping abreast of what is new and exciting in your field. If you are able, this period is perfect for evaluating if you are in the industry you want to be in, and if not, where you would like to go from here.

Once you have done your research and distributed your resumés, you are going to have to face the scary prospect of the interview process. A daunting process in its essence, now you have the task of focussing your interviewer on your skills and not on the end of your last job.

This is where it is important to understand why you lost your last job. If it was purely economics, then say so. Sadly, this is becoming more frequent. If in your parting conversation with your last employer, you are satisfied that the termination was not a reflection of your skills, but only of your low-man position in the company, you have nothing to fear by being honest with your interviewer.

If you were fired at your last job because of a performance-related issue, it is best if you bring it up before the interviewer does. The worst thing you can do is lie about how you left your last job. If you do, and they hire you, if found out, they will likely fire you for lying during the interview process, and you will be right back where you began.

This interview experience is one of the key reasons for finding out the true reasons for your termination and for reflecting on them a bit. A future employer isn’t going to want to know about petty squabbles you had with your supervisor or co-workers, but they do want to know what you felt was your part in those interactions and how you would deal differently with them in the future. No matter how unfair you feel your firing was, find something in it to take responsibility for. This shows that you are not blinded by your ego or some misguided sense of persecution.

With a fast-moving economy and job market such as ours, there is no end to opportunities in the job market. The most important thing you can do in a transitional time is recognize your strengths, focus on them, and be vocal—to yourself and future employers—about how you will use those to make your next job a lasting and rewarding experience.

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