Losing a job can be one of the harshest experiences for people. No matter whether one has been laid off or fired, a job loss can be truly devastating. As Kavan Choksi says, the finances, career, and even the self-esteem of a person are likely to take a hard hit as they lose their job. This can have an immediate impact on the security and well-being of a person. However, it is important to understand that while losing a job can be out of control for a person, the way they react to it is not. With a determination to bounce back, people can even turn adversity into opportunity.
Kavan Choksi underlines important pointers for recovering from a job loss
Losing a job can be extremely difficult for any person, regardless of their age or the position they are in their career. However, as a person looks at a job loss, they would start to realize that success in life is measured far less by the opportunities than by how people respond to the setbacks and challenges of life. Here are a few helpful tips that can help people to bounce back from a job loss.
- Stay future-focused: It is easy to get stuck in the past and think of what should have happened, but doing so is not productive. Rather it perpetuates destructive emotions, fueling self-pity, anger, and a sense of powerlessness. One must focus on the future and understand what has to be done to set themselves up on the job front.
- Do not take job status too personally: Losing a job is quite a personal experience, but one must not take it too personally. One of the biggest determinants between those who succeed after setbacks of any kind is how they interpret the challenges. People who consider a job loss as a sign of their personal failure or inadequacy often take more time to get their careers back on track. On the other hand, people who see a job loss as just an unfortunate circumstance, and rather consider it to be a valuable opportunity to grow in self-awareness and build resilience are able to go far ahead in their career. Potential employers are more likely to be attracted to people who have proven their ability to stay positive and confident despite a setback.
- Engage with positive people: Emotions are contagious. The people one meets and engages with majorly impacts how they see themselves, their current situation, and what can be done to improve it. People must be intentional in regard to who they hang out with. It is prudent to be surrounded by people who can spread positive vibes and encourages one to work harder.
Kavan Choksi points out that while the pointers discussed above can seem simple, they are among the most effective ways of bouncing back after a job loss. In addition to following these tips, one also needs to focus on finding a new job. A lot of jobs are never advertised. Hence, people should try to reach out to their ex-colleagues, mentors, and acquaintances, in order to enlist their support in making any introductions or connections that can prove to be helpful.