6 Things to do if you lost your job
Are you one of those people who lost their jobs recently? Or are you worried that you might soon lose your job due to the fact that your company is struggling financially? I would like to share 6 things to do when you lose your job.
6 Things to do when you lose your job
# 1 — Things to do when you lose your job: Think positive!
It’s completely normal to have negative thoughts if you just lost your job. The challenge consists in turning these negative thoughts into positive ones, so that your self- confidence and motivation don’t suffer from it.
It’s important to always keep a positive mindset. I know, it might all sound very easy to say, but hard to implement.
Let me give you an example: Instead of thinking “I’m too old to find a new job”, think positive and tell yourself “I have 18 years of work experience in (xyz industry) and gained a vast set of skills and knowledge in the process.” Tell yourself positive affirmative sentences in the morning when you get up and in the night before going to sleep. For example: I will find a great job. — I can do it. — I’m the best candidate that they can get. — Nobody is better than me. — My enthusiasm, my skills, my experience, my education, my qualifications…. I deserve this job, and I will get it.” Choose your own words but make sure you believe in them when you say them to yourself. You might also want to write them down and put it on your wall, so that you never forget them and stay focused.
# 2 — Things to do when you lose your job: Stay proactive!
The first weeks of your unemployment will not be easy. Visualizing yourself for days and weeks spending time at home, instead of being at the office or shop, will surely feel like a big change for you. It might hit you like a brick and worst case, it might even lead to depression.
If you are a parent with other dependant family members, it is clearly understandable that the lack of income can feel like a huge financial and emotional burden. In that case, try to maintain a certain routine as you used to have in the past.
Get up in the morning, plan your day ahead and think of different steps to take in order to find a new job. Consider the time you invest in looking for a new job not as holidays, but ‘working days’.
The more effort you put initially into your job hunt, the quicker you will find a job. Remember to stay flexible and don’t hesitate to look beyond your usual tasks.
In today’s world, you need to be prepared to work more and longer hours, maybe even on weekends or bank holidays. If you are a mother of a small child and don’t get any other support from any other family member, this can be very difficult.
Occasionally I came across graduates, who had to take on jobs for which they were highly overqualified.
A recent survey revealed that in England 40 % of Graduates are still unemployed after 6 months. One has to realise that in a person’s professional life there is no guarantee anymore of having a secure job for a lifetime.
Being employed by a big company doesn’t mean that for the rest of your life you don’t need to worry about your career anymore. Having a degree can increase your job chances and give you more options, but as I said before, there is no guarantee. You still have to work hard to find the right job for you, the one you love, the one that is not too far from your home, the one that pays you a decent salary, the one that fits your lifestyle and the one where you feel like “home”.
# 3 — Things to do when you lose your job: Think strategically!
Preparation is the secret to success. Think as if you were a product that needs to be promoted to an employer. How would you sell yourself effectively on paper and then during an interview?
Emphasize to a company why YOU should be offered a job. If you look at the job description and the person specification, make sure that you meet every single criteria that they are asking for.
Think of examples that confirm how you meet their requirements, show some proof of your claims, don’t just talk about them! Don’t waste your precious time to apply for jobs, for which you don’t meet all the requirements. Competition is tough.
# 4 — Things to do when you lose your job: Invest in personal development.
Try to gather as much information as possible on courses and seminars on your subject matter. Enrol in courses, educate yourself and at the same time enrich your CV. There are many free and paid options to find on the internet. These would bring the following benefits:
- You extend your skills portfolio and learn new things.
- You show a prospective employer that you use your time of unemployment effectively to learn something new.
- You shorten the period of your unemployment.
- You get to know new people who might be in the same situation as you are. Maybe they can help you, encourage and support you too in your job search (online and offline).
# 5 — Things to do when you lose your job: Let your network know that you are looking for a job.
As we all know, word-of-mouth is the best way of advertisement. Thus, let your friends, relatives, acquaintances know that you are job hunting. Maybe they are aware of a vacancy in their own company or heard about any other interesting company where you could apply to. Don’t hold back and don’t feel ashamed. You never know what options might be out there.
# 6 — Things to do when you lose your job: Start a blog, if you have not already done it!
If you have not worked on your online presence yet, now might be the best time to do so. Why not starting a blog in your niche and writing every day some thoughts, ideas, findings, etc. in your particular industry. Show your expertise and use this as a way to show a prospective employer what you did during your employment gap.
My last piece of advice
Whatever company you are applying to, find ways in which you can exceed a company’s expectation. Let the company know that you can offer more than what they are looking for. This would drastically increase your chances of being invited to a job interview. Then it will be again up to you to impress them during the interview to offer you the job.
