…Now What?
First, I’m sorry. Getting laid off for many people is a traumatic experience. For some, it takes them by complete surprise. The shock alone can be enough to make you double over. You were a good worker. You were dedicated. You were loyal to the company. You had no warning. And now… …now what?
Everyone reacts differently to getting laid off. As crazy as it sounds, some people are happy to get a severance package and an outplacement service to help move on from what was a bad experience, poor fit, or just tired.
Others have ridden this ride before. Sharing how you’ve handled this in the past with others is one of the best things you can do.
Regardless of which camp you fit in there are several things you should do…
Take a little time
After telling your family, make sure to take some time to yourself. Talk about it with friends, and family. It’s OK to be a little upset or cranky. You have to acknowledge what happened and this usually takes time.
You may feel embarrassed at first and that’s OK. The truth is, many people have lost their jobs during this latest recession. The stigma that once followed layoffs is nearly gone. People know now that anyone can get laid off at any time.
Many of us have our identities so tangled up in our jobs that having our job stripped from us leaves us feeling empty-handed. This can be a good thing. You’re more than your job and it’s good to be reminded.
The main reason I say to take some time is – you can’t move to the next step in the process until you acknowledge that this did happen. You got a bum deal. Chances are, it wasn’t even your fault. In fact, this may not be a consequence of any of your actions. You may have done everything right and you still got laid off. BUM DEAL.
A lot of people spend time asking “why”. It’s important to ask “why” because there is usually something to be learned. Perhaps there were things that we didn’t do well or things that we were involved in that led to being a part of this action. In this case, if we don’t understand what happened and learn from it, then we’re just going to suffer the same fate again the future.
Whatever the case, don’t get caught up asking “why”. Take the time to understand as well as you can and then move on. Make sure getting laid off doesn’t define you. Define it.
Everyone is different. There are people that will be ready to move on in days. For others it takes weeks. A good guideline might be that if you’re still negative and moping around after 2 weeks seek help.
Oh, and don’t start drinking!
Stare at your Navel
We get so busy with our careers and family and everything else, that we rarely get time to focus on who we are and where we’re from. If you have the financial backing and resources to do it, this can be a wonderful opportunity for you. Allocate some time for figuring out or rediscovering who you are. Decide if this career choice is really what you should be doing.
If it’s not, find the right resources to help you figure it out. One of the things that helped me, was writing down every possible idea of what I could do and everything I thought of doing from the time I was a kid. That can be a very big list, but it’s much easier to knock things off a list if you have one.
Don’t get stuck in this phase either. Dreaming is fun because it’s dreaming –and it’s safe. But pride and accomplishment only come from doing.
Plan
If you’ve decided to look for a job in the same field, you need to plan. What type of company do you want to go to? Are you going to have to move? Will you have to take a pay cut? Or take a step down on the ladder to get back to work? Believe me, there are worse things than taking a step back. Most accomplished professionals have done it at one time or another.
Are you going to work on moving up to the next level of responsibility? What skills will you need? Do you need training? A degree? Let’s figure out a plan for getting there.
Will you be changing fields altogether? Plan carefully.
Check the Plan
Does the plan fit with your reality? Make sure your family buys in. Family members can be our biggest supporters if we involve them.
Can you actually make this happen? What weak points are there in your plan (hint: if you don’t have weak points in your plan, you’re not human).
Work the Plan
You’ve heard the saying “plan the work and work the plan”. That’s your next step. You don’t have a boss to hold you accountable… except the best or worst boss in the world – yourself. He (or She) will let you get away with wearing PJ’s until 3pm and playing Halo until 1am… or this boss can keep you focused, on task, and producing results. Which boss do you have?
Success will seem like an accident once you work the plan, if the plan is good and you adjust for the unexpected appropriately.
You’ve got to start the plan before you can finish it. Work every business day if you want it to succeed. Did he say business day? Yes, I did. People in transition need weekends too!
Volunteer
Pick a Volunteer organization and work with them on something. Start your own if you have to. Heck, this business started out as mine!
Meet People
Get to know new people and gain more in-depth relationships with the people you already know. Network, regardless of what your plan is. Extending and developing your network is always good.
And when your plan works out, don’t forget the organizations with which you worked. And don’t forget the little people.
Good Luck!
