So you have just been walked out or handed your termination package. You stand with your back facing a place you are no longer employed at. Now what !!
Well lets begin with the first week:
Don’t be Stupid….its not the end of the world.
Although it seems and feels like your world just came to an end, this is actually a new beginning. Every possible bad thought will go through your mind and that is fine (just don’t act on it). It’s the natural process for us human beings to be concerned about taking care of our families and been able to survive. In some cases your employer may provide counseling as part of your severance, USE IT. Your next opportunity is right around the corner and you want to be the best version of your self when it presents itself. Angry and hurt clouds judgement, don’t give in, stay positive.
No matter what happens you will always have someone that is concerned about you. So…… Don’t jump off a bridge…Stand Tall and know that these feelings will pass in time.
Get it off your chest
Spread the word, this is not a time for pride. You family and friends are your biggest support during this chaotic time. It will be a Huge mistake to hide this from you family. Sometimes pride gets in the way and may force you to keep it to yourself, however in the long run there are a lot of positives to getting the word out. I will touch on this some more, but just think, the sooner the word gets out, the sooner another opportunity may present itself.
Reflect
Take the first few days to reflect on your job and your career. Have you been working at your former company for 5, 10, 15, 20 years. Is this all you know or were you going to quit anyways?
Here are some critical questions to ask yourself:
- Is this the career you actually wanted to pursue?
- Were you happy going to work and doing your job?
- What are you passionate about?
- What were the high points of your career to far. What have you accomplished?
- What can you be proud of?
- What do you want for the next 5-10 years of your life?
This is a time for you to think about you. Your job did not define you. You brought value to the company not the other way around. A company is nothing without employees.
Rest
Take at least one day in the first week to do something amazing…sleep in….rest. You will have plenty of time to work on that resume.
I have not talked about finances because I think its more important at this stage to focus on yourself and really understand what you want to do with the next chapter of your life.
So what did you think about in your first week of being unemployed? Putting the finances aside for a second, what other thoughts ran through your brain? Did you come to any surprising revelations?
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