Getting laid off from your job sucks. It’s terrible, it’s jarring, and sometimes, it can unexpected. One day, you’re working at your office job, thinking everything’s fine, until you’re called into your boss’s office and shown the door. Life can change instantly, and losing a job is a tough transition for many people.
Especially in our current job markets, layoffs seem to be happening more often. It’s never fun to deal with, but unfortunately it’s a part of life. While it’s definitely not ideal, losing your job is not the end of the world. Don’t treat it like it is. If you just lost your job, tune in to these tips. If you’re hurting from being let go, my advice might help you deal with the transition and come out the other end stronger.
1. Let yourself be upset
If you just got fired or laid off, you’ve got to give yourself time to grieve. Be upset over what happened, because it can be very upsetting! It’s normal to be shocked, confused, or even depressed over suddenly being let go, so acknowledge those feelings.
I always find that allotting time to hurt can actually lead me to heal much faster. Whenever things spiral out of my control, I give myself plenty of time to think on what happened and feel my emotions. It might help you think back on your experience at the job and understand that losing your position won’t be the end of the world. Being laid off is hard. It’s okay to take the time to grieve what you’ve lost.
2. Don’t blame yourself
When a huge change occurs, we as humans often have a hard time reconciling with it. We are too quick to point the blame towards us, even when it’s unreasonable to do so. ‘Why didn’t it work out?’ ‘Did I do something wrong?’ ‘Am I the problem?’ These are questions that can circle throughout your mind and trap you under the weight of ‘what-ifs’ and ‘whys.’
If you got laid off from your job without due cause, chances are it had nothing to do with you. Layoffs happen all the time, especially now in our unstable job market. So if you’re not the reason for the layoff, why are you blaming yourself? Instead of fixating on what you might have done, remember that it’s likely you have anything to do with the decision. Sometimes companies trim off the extra fat, and while it’s not always fair to be let go out of nowhere, just remember that you aren’t the one to blame.
3. Know that you’re not alone
Being laid off can feel like a personal injury. After all, why did this have to happen to you? But hear me when I say that you’re not the only one who’s been let go out of the blue. It might bring you some comfort to hear the experiences of other people who’ve gone through the same situation.
I recommend spending some time online looking through posts and threads of people who’ve also been let go. You’ll find that a lot of your feelings are being expressed by countless other people. Check out this reddit thread, full of people who’ve been laid off and found alternatives, many which have been better for them in the long run. It might be helpful to hear other experiences and know that it’s not just you dealing with this. Don’t isolate yourself, lean into the people around you, even if they’re online. Click here to read this thread!
4. Keep going
After the much needed grieving period, don’t get sucked into a depression over the loss – bounce back! It can be sad knowing what you’ve lost and scary thinking about if you’ll find anything after. But sometimes sudden changes can present new and better opportunities, so go find them!
Try to shift your perspective about the situation. View this change as a good thing, a chance to start over. You might even find that being let go from this position brought you closer towards an even better job. It might feel hard to let go of your previous job and what you left behind, but don’t get stuck in the past. Changing your perspective can help you reevaluate the circumstances with new eyes. The only way to move forwards is to move, so move.
What next?
Finding a new job after being let go can feel like a daunting task. Our current job market is not great, and you might feel stressed about not finding another position. But don’t worry – there will be something out there. You’ve got to give yourself time to grapple with what happened so that you can take the next steps forward confidently. It hurts to be let go, but that doesn’t mean life is over. Who knows, maybe being laid off will end up being the best thing that could ever happen to you.
