Have you lost your job lately?

… Or are likely to lose your job in the current situation?

There’s no denying that a job loss can hit hard, as it may be the only source of livelihood for us. Having said that, a job loss must be viewed as a temporary setback. Tackle it with a resilient attitude and positive mindset, a decent plan and being action oriented.

Let’s look at how.

Have the right mindset and attitude

If you’ve lost your job, what is done is done. Let go of what it meant to you and move on. Don’t hang on to your job loss with a sense of anger (why me?), denial (it can’t be me!) or false hope (my company will reconsider my employment). 

In your own interest, push yourself to a state of open-mindedness and positive exploration as soon as possible. Remember, you are much more than your job, so don’t let your job loss define your self-worth, or lower your self-esteem.

While separating from your employer, don’t burn your bridges. Instead, try and get a positive testimonial from your manager and skip-level manager and part on a positive note. This could help you later when you need a good reference check for your new employer or organization.

Clarify your direction

In your search for new opportunities, your time and efforts need to focus in the right direction and on the right targets. For a start, it’s a good idea to reflect deeply on two questions: –

• Where do I want to go from here?
• What might I need to do next to get there?

Once you’ve given enough thought to these questions and have a sense of clarity, you can start to focus your search efforts.

Focus your search

 Here are some options to seek your next opportunity:

• Competitor organizations or players in your domain: Organizations where your technical, domain, and transferable knowledge and skills will be positively viewed or may even be in demand. Look up the ‘Careers’ page on their websites and apply, register, or sign up for alerts, depending on the situation. Try and find contacts in your network who can connect you to Business or HR people in such prospective organizations.
• Entrepreneurial organizations or start-ups: If you have skills or domain expertise they value and need, they could be interested to use your services. Be open to exploring a part time role, a consulting assignment or even pro bono work, if a fulltime role is not available. If you love creative challenges that fully engage your capabilities in an entrepreneurial work environment, such organizations can reboot your career.
• Gig work: The emerging economy will offer increasing opportunities for gig work - short term assignments, expert consulting or projects on contract basis. Gig work depends on transferable skills and knowledge e.g. domain consulting, content development, software development, cloud, six sigma etc. If you’re open to the idea of working independently, exploring gig work is worth your time.
• Nonprofit organizations: Consider working with a nonprofit organization or even volunteering part-time. Nonprofit organizations value skillsets and expertise that can help them become more efficient and effective in managing and expanding their operations. Working with a nonprofit can help you pursue causes that are close to your heart, leading to a fulfilling career.
• LinkedIn: Search, identify and follow organizations of your interest on LinkedIn. Connect with relevant people from these organizations that are from your function, domain or HR and write to them directly to explore opportunities. Post on LinkedIn your immediate availability for open positions, if you’re comfortable doing so.

Know your strengths thoroughly

Your strengths are your best friend when you’re exploring new opportunities. Create a comprehensive inventory of your strengths. This inventory should comprise of your:

• Transferable knowledge, skills and abilities (Leadership, team management, program-project management, quality, analytical skills, software proficiency etc.)
• Domain expertise (IT, Insurance, Healthcare, Retail, Consulting etc.)
• Work experience (Roles, functions, professional achievements)
• Active personal networks (ex-colleagues, alumnae, clients, vendors etc.)
• Special talents, passions, hobbies and interests
• Top ten personal traits or attributes that have contributed to your professional success.

Remember to deep dive into your professional achievements over the last 5-7 years. Consider the competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, personal attributes) that contributed to these achievements. Make a note of the new capabilities you picked up on the way.

Knowing your strengths, achievements and competencies will boost your confidence and make you more mindful of using them to your advantage while interacting with prospective employers.

Make your profile work for you

It’s not enough to know your strengths. Showcase them on various platforms to potential recruiters, employers and clients.

LinkedIn: LinkedIn is now a preferred platform for recruiters and headhunters. Is your LinkedIn profile projecting the best ‘You’? Make your profile as rich and informative as possible.

• Have a professional profile photo.
• Use the ‘Headline’ to highlight what you do as a professional.
• Use the ‘About’ field to project an impactful profile.
• Use as many fields in your profile to highlight your work experience, achievements and professional credentials.

Resume: Make your resume an effective ‘marketing brochure’ for yourself.

• Write a summary at the beginning of your resume that powerfully projects your professional profile.
• Highlight your transferable skills, knowledge and domain expertise. Use key words.
• Highlight your professional achievements and not just your role and responsibilities.
• Elaborate information on the last 5-7 years, generally considered relevant experience.
• Customize your resume as per the role you are seeking.
• Search for sample resumes on the internet and pick a good format that works for you.  

Job Boards: Make your resume visible on the right job boards, if they are a popular platform for recruiting at your career level. Again, use key words to make your resume more visible on search tools. 

Reach out to your network

Mentors: First things first, connect with your mentor/s. They will have your best interest in mind and can be a sounding board for a constructive discussion that lends clarity on your options, when your mind may be muddled up. They may also help you connect with their network thus expanding your search. Just don’t expect them to get you your next job.

Network: Consider connecting with your active network to ask for help. Create a list of your first level contacts with whom you share a good equation. Reach out to these contacts, honestly share your current situation and the nature of help you seek from them. There’s a good chance someone can provide you with a lead or share your resume with their network.

Accelerate your learning curve

While you’re creating your strengths inventory (as shared above), look out for critical gaps in your skills, abilities and professional credentials.  

You may have heard – ‘Skills are the new currency’. If you have been postponing your efforts to re-skill or earn new qualifications due to work pressures, this could be the perfect time to seriously pursue learning and development opportunities.

You could consider re-skilling in an area that can give your job prospects an immediate advantage e.g. learning a new technology, doing a short-term course. Circumstances and resources permitting, you could consider longer duration or full-time programs, if you believe this is a good time to give your career a longer runway for the future. 

Create your support systems

Given that your career may have temporarily hit a roadblock or is at a crossroad, it makes sense to seek your family’s support. Have an honest discussion with your family to set the right mutual expectations and to seek their cooperation. Let them know that it may take some time to work through the current situation. Organize your finances, streamline your budget and control discretionary expenses.  

Make conscious efforts to de-stress through constructive and positive actions, whether it’s keeping in touch with family and friends, indulging in a hobby, staying physically fit, meditating or learning something new. Try and see the big picture and find meaning in the experience you’re going through. It will give you the fortitude and patience to hang in there and rediscover your mojo.

A parting thought

An interruption in your career is akin to pressing the pause button. This pause is full of possibilities. It takes you off the daily treadmill and gives you precious time to think and reflect on where you want to go next with your career and your life.

Imagine you are at a fork in the road. The choices you make today could lead you to a more fulfilling career and a joyous life tomorrow.

Chin up and get started. Best wishes for the future!