Whether you’ve been retrenched or dismissed, a job loss can be devastating. Your career, finances, and self-esteem can all be impacted. This can also have an immediate effect on your security and general wellbeing.
The reality is, however, that even the most loyal and competent employees can face job loss. In fact, studies show that just in 2020, 225 million people lost their jobs. Luckily, coping with job loss can be much less difficult when you have a plan to bounce back. While the stress of losing your job can seem overwhelming, there are several things you can do to take control of the situation and find a refreshed sense of purpose. Let’s explore:
Tips to deal with job loss and how to move forward
Confirm your position
Before you leave your organization, find out what you’re entitled to, from both your employer and from the government. This can include benefits, severance packages, and pension schemes. It’s also important to ask about references, sick and overtime pay, and your eligibility for unemployment insurance.
Focus on what you can control
It can be beneficial to remind yourself of what you can control in the aftermath of losing a job. For example, while you may no longer have control over your income, you can manage your budget. Consider what you need to do in the short term to ensure you’re able to cover your bills, health, and other essential needs.
Estimate your worth
It’s a great idea to understand your worth in a specific industry. Use websites like PayScale to see how much others in similar roles are being paid. It is also recommended that you go through job websites and see how much demand there is for your specific profession.
Update your skills
If your skills are highly specialized in an industry with limited employment opportunities, you may be facing some hard realities. You may need to move to identify which skills you can transfer to other occupations or industries now, or update your current set of skills. Many platforms offer free courses or certifications at low prices for jobseekers.
Make use of your network
The more people who know that you’re looking for new opportunities, the more who can help you get it. Many jobs are never advertised. So, your network is particularly valuable when it comes to finding jobs that are filled via word of mouth. Studies show that around 85% of jobs are filled through networking. Reach out to your existing network and enlist their support in making any introductions that could help you.
Update your resume with a resume builder
If you’ve just started job hunting again, you may be wondering: What is required for making my first resume stand out among the rest? When you’re сreating first resume documents, you may feel slightly overwhelmed about where to start and how to appropriately format your job resume.
Online resume builders make use of resume best practice guidelines and rules, and offer tips for writing a resume to help you in effective resume writing that can make you stand out among a large pool of talent. It is important that you stand out, especially during seasons where either national unemployment is high, or the unemployment rate in your given career field is nationally high.
If you need help with resume formulation, Resume Builder Pro is a great solution. Resume Builder is a simple but valuable online tool for creating specialist resumes fast and efficiently. The benefits of using this effective tool to make your first resume include:
- Saving valuable time and effort
Doing a resume for the first time can be a time-consuming task. But with Resume Builder, you can make an attractive resume in just minutes. The time and effort you save can be directed towards finding the perfect job opportunities and applying for them.
- Presenting yourself professionally
Resume Builder features a large collection of expert templates for you to use. These templates are designed to give your documents a professional look and feel. They are free to use when creating a resume for the first time.
Resume Builders even assist with CV writing rules for spelling and grammar. This can help you to follow the best spell resume guidelines and sound skilled, experienced, and professional.
- Customizing documents effortlessly
Sending out the same basic resume to different job openings is not ideal. On average, each corporate job offer attracts around 250 resumes. So, you have to find a way to stand out. You must increase your chances to get a job by creating customized resumes for each position. With Resume Builder’s smart functions, you can save several copies of your resume and edit them as needed.
Start applying for new opportunities
Sometimes the best way to deal with job loss is to seek a new one. After you’ve spent some time reflecting on the kind of position you want and have researched how to put a resume together that will stand out, you can start narrowing down your choices. Make use of freely available job boards and career websites.
Stay informed
Following new trends and researching favorite companies can give you the confidence for initiating conversations with key players in the job market and help you identify new opportunities.
Seek out support groups
It is important to find people that are going through similar situations. You could join a virtual support group to find a community. On social media platforms such as Facebook, there are groups where users share tips and support. This can help you to talk about your experiences and can even be a good way to network with like-minded people.
Call in the help of professionals
After a while of job seeking, it can be helpful to invest in recruitment agencies that can help you to find new opportunities. However, it is important to remember that some agencies ask a fee to join their database.
Maintain discipline by creating a routine
Jobs often provide our days with a sense of structure. When you lose your job, you often lose your routine. It can be useful to start a new schedule filled with updating your skills, refreshing your CV, and applying for jobs.
Practice good self-care
During the transition phase, it is important to take good care of yourself and your mental health. Getting plenty of sleep and following a healthy diet is key to managing your stress. Remember that you need to take care of your body if you want your mind to work at the optimal level.
The Final Word
Losing your employment is one of life’s most stressful experiences. Besides the financial distress, losing a job can also take a toll on your mood, relationships, and overall mental health. But while losing your job is a setback, there are proven strategies to make it through this tough transition. Looking into new skills, networking, putting together a resume, and applying for new opportunities can all help you to overcome the stress of job loss.