🔗 Share this article

The beginning of a new year is often a time for reflection, and for numerous people, that involves considering our work lives.

Two editors who lost their roles following company reorganizations originally thought their world had ended.

"I poured everything into that role... I trusted in the values we stood for. But in my case, those principles were absent," she says.

The two decided to say "dismissed" and believe that being open about it can help you deal with the event.

"People rely on numerous alternative phrases for losing a job. Yet, the sooner you accept it, the faster you're honest about it, the quicker you can progress.

"That is the fast track to what you desire next," she adds.

Currently, they are thriving in different roles, with one owning a media business and another serving as top editor at a prestigious publication.

Whether you've lost your job or are contemplating a change, these are four strategies for guidance.

1. Reflect On Last Year

It's natural to feel some unease concerning your career post-festive period.

A professional advisor emphasizes the importance of looking back prior to launching a fresh job hunt.

She advises people to consider what they wish to pursue more, what to reduce, and what motivates or depletes them.

Reviewing your accomplishments to identify underlying threads is useful too. "Try to avoid just looking at the last month, because we all suffer from for recent-event bias that can obstruct your judgment," she states.

A former editor states it is vital to decide where your work plays in your life.

This means being candid about how much time you devote to work and the influence on your family and social life.

After her own experience, she suggests against letting your life be defined by your work.

2. Make Incremental Actions

The advisor notes that professionals can take small steps for a career transition without committing fully.

Her own journey required a long period to transition from her corporate career to running her own company full-time, working on the venture while still employed, which meant she could pay herself.

"It required additional time, but that represented the method I used in a sustainable way," she comments.

She advocates for a "try before you buy" strategy.

This can include volunteering, participating in an initiative you find appealing, or saying yes to a new challenge in your existing role.

"Worst case scenario, you learn you don't like, but it's better to know now rather than after you've made the move," she adds.

She also advises considering temporary "stepping-stone" positions. These may not be the ideal job, yet they function as a step forward, for example a position with parallels to your target field, though not in the exact field.

"It involves allowing yourself the space to say this is suitable temporarily, however, that is not for all time.

"This is an intelligent approach for moving closer to that new career."

3. Acknowledge Your Successes

For anyone who has recently lost your job, many are in the same boat – redundancy rates have increased to high levels in recent times.

She held a senior role at a style magazine, but a few years ago she and her team were made redundant when the firm ceased print operations.

Realizing that this situation was not a reflection of her performance assisted her process the change.

"The skills you've gained doesn't disappear because you were let go.

"Don't give up your power, it's crucial for everybody to remember their intrinsic value."

Another professional was fired after ten years with a finance publication due to leadership changes in management and the hiring of new leadership.

She stresses that much of the stigma associated with being fired is internal.

"With many individuals facing redundancy, it's usually not about you. It's likely very much not you, so avoid carrying that burden of shame around with you."

4. Develop a Career Checklist

For those who are urgently looking for a new job or feel profoundly unhappy with your present job, you might be tempted to jump at for any vacancy – overlooking personal fulfillment.

But this is a significant mistake.

Rather, she recommends a technique known as "browsing" – filtering opportunities down to role profiles that sound interesting.

She suggests searching professional networks and collecting around 10 to 15 that seem promising.

"Look for {the words|the