We Were Let Go, and We're Owning It – Here's How to Find a New Job That Fits Your Needs
The start of a new year can be a moment for introspection, and for a lot of us, that involves evaluating our work lives.
Two editors who left their jobs due to organizational changes at first believed their world had ended.
"I dedicated my heart into the job... I believed in the principles we promoted. Yet, when it came to me, those principles were absent," a former editor says.
The two decided to employ the word "let go" and argue that being honest about the situation can aid you handle the experience.
"We use numerous alternative phrases for being dismissed. Yet, the sooner you own it, the sooner you're honest about it, the quicker you can advance.
"That's the quickest route to whatever you wish to do next," she adds.
Now, they are excelling in different roles, where one owning her own media company and another working as top editor for a luxury magazine.
If you've been made redundant or are simply considering a shift, consider these four methods to assist you.
1. Reflect On The Past Year
It's typical to feel some unease concerning your career after a holiday break.
A careers coach highlights the value of reflection before embarking on a new job search.
She suggests professionals to evaluate what they want to do more of, what they want less of, and what inspires or drains them.
Looking back at your achievements to find underlying threads can also help. "Try not to considering only the last month, as people often suffer from for recency bias that can impede your judgment," she states.
A former editor notes it is vital to decide where your work fits in your life.
This requires being candid regarding the hours you devote to work and its impact on your family and family life.
After her own experience, she suggests preventing yourself be defined by your work.
2. Make Small Steps
The expert says people can take incremental moves towards changing careers without a complete leap.
She herself required a long period to make the jump from a corporate role to managing her own company full-time, building the venture alongside her job, which meant she could pay herself.
"It required additional time, however, that was the method I used sustainably," she explains.
She recommends a test-run approach.
This could be volunteering, getting involved in a work project that captures your interest, or agreeing to something different in your existing role.
"If it fails, you find out you don't like, but it's better to know now than after you've committed fully," she remarks.
She also advises considering interim roles. These may not be the ideal job, but they act as a step forward, for example a position with similarities to the career you want, though not in the exact area.
"It involves granting yourself the permission to accept this works for now, but that isn't for all time.
"This is a clever approach to get nearer to your desired transition."
3. Recall Your Accomplishments
If you've recently lost your job, you aren't alone – job cuts have increased significantly lately.
A former editor was editor-in-chief in a magazine, but in 2022 her entire team were laid off after the company discontinued the physical magazine.
Understanding that this was not indicative of her performance allowed her to cope with the situation.
"Your experience doesn't disappear simply due to lost your job.
"Don't give up your confidence, it's vital for everybody to recognize their own value."
Another professional was fired after ten years at a financial magazine following a regime change in senior ranks and the arrival of new leadership.
She stresses that so much of the embarrassment associated with being fired is internal.
"Considering the vast numbers of people being laid off, it's usually not about you. Chances are not your fault, so refrain from bearing that burden of shame forward."
4. Develop a Career Checklist
For those who are urgently looking for employment or are deeply dissatisfied in your current role, you might be tempted to apply hastily at any opportunity – disregarding personal fulfillment.
However, this represents a big misstep.
Rather, she recommends an exercise called "scanning" – focusing your search on role profiles that seem appealing.
She suggests searching job platforms and gathering around 10 to 15 that appeal to you.
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