Losing Your Job is Like Losing A Loved One

reproduced from my article in linkedin

For those of us who have lost a job for one reason or another, its often a brutal blow, especially when its unexpected or sudden. Research has shown that the impact of job loss is almost the same as losing a loved one - our physical and emotional reactions are similar - grief, helplessness, and hopelessness. 

While most will sympathise on the loss of a loved one, many are left to their own devices when it comes to dealing with the loss of livelihood. So how can one deal with losing our job? There have been much written about these, but I find the below actions are simple and effective

Reaffirm Yourself - You are not alone!. Sadly, in the modern economy this has become a common occurrence, and many a time its nothing to do with performance issues. Restructuring, cost cutting, realignment have become the norm in dealing with corporate bottom line issues. So you are not being singled out, nor does this make you a negative person in society! You should not be ashamed of what has happened. You did not let anyone down. Every Job is Temporary

Tell your loved ones. All too often, we find ourselves shutting out those we care about. But you need to do the opposite - telling your loved ones about your loss opens you to getting much needed emotional support. This also allows you to renew and re-engage with those that love you, and this has a nourishing effect. Focus on what matters - your family, your children, your loved ones. 

Enjoy the transition. I've often heard that many have found such times to be one of the best times they have had. They are given a chance to take time to smell the roses; they can now seriously do the things they've always wanted but never had the time; they can now seriously review what they really want to do moving forward instead of feeling tied down. Get a new skill, take a holiday to somewhere you've never been, pick up your kids from school everyday!  

Reassess and Review. Now's the time to really think about where you stand and what you REALLY want to do with your career. Use this opportunity to assess your career goals, your strengths and transferable skills etc, and plan your career like a business! Have an open mind to new opportunities. 

Get Help. This is not an admission of failure or guilt. Getting help from someone who has been through this before can be cathartic. A career coach can help you add structure to your job search process, or indeed work with you to assess what your next step should be. A mentor can help in providing a sounding board to your ideas. Engage your network - this is often the best and fastest route to finding the next job of your choice.