The sun will come out tomorrow, bet your bottom dollar there’ll be sun! 🎤🎼
You’ve just been informed that your position has been eliminated and you’ll be out of a job in the coming weeks (insert time frame here). For that split second, you feel dazed and confused, as if this was just a bad nightmare and you just need to wake up. Instantly you have an array of emotions and thoughts all at the same time, what will you do now?
Losing your job is never an easy feat, for many employees, they associate who they are with their job. Meaning that when they are fired, they often feel lost and afraid of how they’ll be seen and who’ll they’ll be after the dust settles.
Well, just like the song “tomorrow” from Annie, you can bet your bottom dollar there’ll be sun tomorrow. I wanted to share my top 10 favorite action items if you find yourself in this situation, and like Gandi quoted “action expresses priorities” ….lets clearly focus on our actions.
1. Take a healthy amount of time to take in what has happened & know that it will always work out for the best. Cheesy I know, but it’s true!
2. Envision what you want your next job to look like. Keep that vision board front & center during this entire process. If you need helping on creating a vision board, take a look at our New Year, New Opportunities Blog.
3. Dust off your resume, consider hiring a resume coach. Working with a resume coach will remind you how talented you really are & they’ll work with you on detailing your experience in the perfect manner. It’s worth the investment to secure your next big opportunity. They typically have different packages you can choose from based on your budget and experience. Revive Your Resume has affordable packages & Jen Macias is a pleasure to work with. Part of this process, you should spend the time & determine what types of jobs you want to look for, maybe you want to head in a totally new direction, maybe you want to change industries, maybe you want to work for a specific client. P.S. Don’t forget to update your LinkedIn profile & yes you need one!
4. Work on your story…. all companies restructure or make business decisions that impact employees, that’s okay! What you have to know is how to positively communicate that with headhunters & hiring managers. Here are some examples what to say & some no no’s:
-
(NO!!) My company sucks, they are horrible. They treated me super unfair and fired me.
-
(NO!!) My boss is a jerk, he was jealous of how smart I am, so he fired me.
-
(YES!!) My company has recently restructured our department (or our organization) and based on the new company vision & goals, my positioned was impacted. My last day is (enter date here).
5. Work on your brand…sell, sell, sell! That’s correct, you are in the business of sales, selling your brand, yourself, your experience and the value you will bring to your next opportunity/organization. Make sure that what you share is branded in the same way, this means your resume, LinkedIn & how you speak about yourself! So, how do I sell my brand? Easy…. spend time creating a :30 second elevator pitch. It should be buttoned up and practiced often (out loud) so that you can deliver it as you go throughout life.
People Consulting | Example of an elevator pitch:
I am a dynamic and results driven HR Resources Executive with demonstrated success driving organizational change and transformation as a strategic business partner. Most recently, I work for a global advertising agency as the Director of Human Resources overseeing Talent Strategies and Human Resources globally. Currently, I am targeting an HR Executive role leading organizational development, learning & development as well as coaching leaders to success.
6. Work on your energy level….what you think about you bring about, this includes your energy levels. You must raise your level of consciousness and catch yourself if you are in a negative and victim like mode. This means that if you are thinking negative thoughts, you must redirect your mind & thoughts. Instead of negative thoughts, think about all of the amazing people and opportunities you’ll come across daily.
7. Network, network, network. It’s all about old and new connections. Get out there and talk to everyone, look back at anyone you’ve worked with in the past and let them know your situation and pass along your resume. Research headhunters in your industry and background and schedule time to meet them in person. This is like having someone your brand while you continue to sell yourself.
8. Officially get your resume out there, start applying for opportunities that resonate with you. Get creative & follow up (yes, thank you notes are still used). Remember that your success is based on doing all of these things, not based on if someone responded to your thank you note. Don’t be tied to the outcome, your main goal here is to send your resume and positively go through all the steps of being hired.
9. Don’t get discouraged. The job hunting process is daunting and can often leave you feeling hopeless. Keep your eye on the prize and keep moving forward.
10. Be open. You may want to consider freelance or temporary work while you land your next big opportunity. This will allow you to earn some cash flow and not be desperate to take the first job that comes your way (knowing you’ll resign as soon as you get something else).
People Consulting | Enjoy the Journey
Enjoy the journey, the experience will teach you something every step of the way. It’s not just where you end up that’s important; it’s how you get there. Easy is not always better. If you found this article helpful, please help in spreading the word by sharing with your connections. Stay connected by joining our mailing list and browse through our website to to read more People Consulting related articles. Much Love.