The start of a new year is often a time for reflection, and for many, that involves evaluating our work lives.
Two publishing professionals who were made redundant from their jobs following company reorganizations initially felt their world had ended.
"I invested my heart into the job... I had faith in the principles we promoted. However, regarding my situation, those values didn't apply," she says.
They both decided to employ the word "let go" and believe that being transparent about the situation can assist you deal with the experience.
"We use numerous soft terms for job loss. However, the quicker you accept it, the quicker you're honest about it, the faster you can advance.
"That is the quickest route to whatever you wish to do next," she continues.
Today, they are succeeding in new ventures, where one owning her own firm and the other holding the position of top editor for a high-end journal.
For those who have been made redundant or are simply looking for a new career, consider these four methods to assist you.
It's natural to have some unease concerning your career following time off.
A career expert stresses the necessity of introspection before starting the search for a new role.
She suggests people to consider what they desire to pursue more, what to decrease, and the things that inspires or drains their drive.
Examining your achievements to find common themes is useful too. "Try to avoid focusing solely on the last month, because we all exhibit for recent-event bias that can obstruct your judgment," she states.
Another professional says it is crucial to decide where your work plays in your life.
This requires being candid about how much time you devote to work and its effect on your family and family life.
After being let go, she advises preventing your identity be defined by your career.
The expert states that individuals can make small steps for a career transition without committing fully.
She took seven years to make the jump from a corporate role to running a company completely, building her project alongside her job, which allowed she could pay herself.
"It took more time, however, that was how I did it without risk," she comments.
She advocates for a "try before you buy" method.
This could be volunteering, getting involved in a work project that captures your interest, or agreeing to a new challenge in your existing role.
"Worst case scenario, you find out it's not a fit, however, it's wiser to learn now instead of after you've made the move," she states.
She also encourages exploring temporary "stepping-stone" positions. These may not be the perfect role, but they serve as a move towards your goal, for example a position that shares traits to your target field, yet not in the same industry or sector.
"It involves allowing yourself the leeway to say this is suitable temporarily, but that isn't for all time.
"That represents a clever tactic for moving closer to that desired transition."
For anyone who has recently lost your job, you aren't alone – layoff figures have increased to high levels recently.
She was the top editor at a style magazine, but a few years ago she and her team were made redundant when the firm closed the print version.
Recognizing that this situation was not a reflection of her skills assisted her process the change.
"Your experience doesn't disappear just because you were let go.
"Don't give up your power, it's crucial for everybody to recall their own worth."
Another professional lost her job after a decade at a financial magazine following a regime change in senior ranks and the arrival of a different editor.
She stresses that a lot of the shame of dismissal is in your head.
"With many individuals facing redundancy, it's not personal. It's likely not your fault, so refrain from bearing that feeling around with you."
If you're urgently looking for employment or are profoundly unhappy at work, you might be tempted to apply hastily for any job – disregarding what suits you.
However, this represents a major error.
Rather, she recommends an exercise called "reviewing" – filtering opportunities on job descriptions that sound interesting.
She recommends browsing sites like LinkedIn and gathering several that you like.
"Identify {the words|the
Elara Vance is a seasoned business analyst with over a decade of experience covering international markets and industrial transformations.