The initial impact of a job loss can be tough to overcome. For many, the best way to deal with unemployment is to not dwell on your situation and to find ways to continue forward with your professional goals.
Just because your job has ended doesn’t mean your career is over. Now is the time to reflect and reset so that you can continue your path on the right foot.
Grieving the Loss and Moving On
It’s okay to be temporarily disappointed with this shift in your career path. Losing a job can be unexpected, overwhelming, and difficult to deal with. You might find yourself feeling some intense emotions during all of this, but it’s important that you keep a good perspective.
The sooner you get back on your feet, the easier it will be to rebound from a job loss. Understanding that the choice to let you go is ultimately just a business decision and not necessarily a reflection on your skills or character is a great first step to moving on effectively. In the end, your job loss could ultimately be a positive event.
Not Catastrophizing
Catastrophizing is when you have uncontrollable thoughts about a bad situation you are in, and you end up convincing yourself that your situation is much worse than it is — that you’re in the middle of a very real catastrophe. You have probably experienced this in some form, but an event like a job loss could trigger serious catastrophization.
It’s not an official mental health condition, but it often comes along with depression, anxiety, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). It can even intensify feelings of pain and worsen outcomes after surgical procedures.
Symptoms of catastrophizing include:
- Constant overthinking
- Extreme stress
- Anxiety
- Racing thoughts
- Fear
- Anger
- Depressed feelings
- Avoidance
- Negative thoughts, attitudes, and self talk
If you notice that you are catastrophizing, there are ways that you can manage it. The first step is to make yourself aware. When you recognize that you’ve gotten caught in this negative pattern, you are in a better position to deal with it. Do your best to find ways to have realistic thoughts about your current and future situations.
You can talk out loud to yourself, confide in someone you trust, write what you’re thinking, make lists, and more to help organize your thoughts and address specific fears one at a time.
Filling Your Free Time
After working hard at your last job, free time might be just the thing you need to rejuvenate yourself before jumping into a new job. If you can financially afford to take a break from working, treat yourself to some time off. Whether it’s as short as a weekend or as long as a couple months, spending time with yourself to regain some confidence is a great idea.
You can do more than just relax. This is the perfect time to pick up new hobbies, find volunteer opportunities, spend time with family and friends, and more. On this note, it’s probably not a good idea to make any big decisions immediately after a job loss. Spending some time calibrating could keep you from making a poor decision in the heat of the moment.
Making Yourself More Marketable
Once you feel relaxed and ready to put yourself back into the job market, you should think about ways that you can make yourself more marketable to future employers. Browse job listings to find out what you could learn or brush up on in your spare time that might help you in your upcoming search for a job.
If you reframe how you look at the situation, you might see that you aren’t at a professional standstill. This unique period of unemployment could be your best opportunity to progress towards meaningful professional goals without the distraction of a job. Developing new skills will boost your confidence and increase your chances of landing a new, and possibly better, job.
Looking for a New Job
When you’re ready to apply for new jobs, update your resume and start reaching out to your professional connections. If you don’t have a professional network, there are many virtual opportunities for networking. Now is the perfect time to establish a group of peers who might be able to help you find a new job or reach out directly to employers and recruiters actively looking to fill positions.
As you apply to jobs and send your resume out, remain open-minded and optimistic about the future of your career. Although you might not find what you’re looking for right away, your patience or willingness to try new things could pay off.
