People have very different reactions that they have just lost their job. For some it’s a reason to celebrate, particularly if plans have already been made or there is a sizeable severance payout as part of the redundancy package…….
For others, job loss creates a host of negative feelings ranging from anger to depression. A very common reaction for many is to feel a loss of self-confidence. This is often experienced by men more than women because men are more likely to measure their level of personal success by the job or career they have.
It is not unusual to hear stories of people who choose not to tell anyone, including friends and family, of the redundancy. They then continue to go about their daily routine as if nothing has changed. The only difference is that instead of going to work, the person spends time idling the day away and alone in a shopping mall or library.
Job loss has the potential to turn your world, as you know it, upside down. Experiencing low levels of confidence is a very normal and natural response.
HOW CAN YOU OVERCOME LOW CONFIDENCE?
Don’t take the job loss personally. This is often easier said than done! Redundancy is a very common event and seldom has anything to do with the person, their attitude or levels of work performance. It is a business decision that has been made by your employer for commercial reasons.
Continually remind yourself that it’s the job that has been made redundant, not you! A job or position may be made redundant because the role, for whatever reason, is no longer required by the employer. A person, however, can never be made redundant. You continue to own your values, your skills and your experience that you will eventually take to another employer – no one or nothing can take that away from you.
Seek the support of others – pretending to go to work rather than facing up to the steps that you need to take to move forward will only worsen the negativity and confidence levels.
If your employer has given you the opportunity to receive outplacement or career transition assistance, then take it. It will cost you nothing and yet can make a huge difference to your job search success. The Outplacement Consultant that you work with will not only provide you with practical job search assistance but will also help you manage the emotional roller coaster ride that you find yourself on.
Work out just how long you can be without a job before you start to face financial pressure. For some people, especially those who have received a severance package, this ‘safe time’ can be measured by months or even years. It is not always necessary to replace the job as quickly as you think it may be.
Learn to handle those well meaning folk who will offer you loads of sympathy and will continually ask if you ‘have found another job yet’. Whether you believe it or not, say that you are enjoying the opportunity to take some time out to think about what you really want to do before you look for the next job and that you really are in no hurry.
Spend time each day doing something that you really enjoy. Further develop an interest or pastime, take a training course that you have never had time for before. Do things that you have always wanted to do but just never got around to. Don’t spend each and every day doing nothing much at all. Make each day count!
Take time to deal with any emotional reactions to redundancy – if you feel angry, aggrieved, upset, depressed or desperate, no matter how hard you try, these emotions will come through as you progress your job search and especially if you attend interviews.
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