Bouncing Back After Losing or Quitting Your Job

Let’s talk about losing your job - a traumatic experience that can leave you feeling helpless and disoriented. It’s important to stay grounded and remember that losing your job or even leaving your job voluntarily isn’t the end of the world. In fact, with the right attitude, you can use your unemployment as an opportunity to reevaluate your personal goals and propel yourself forward in your job search strategy. Here are some tips for bouncing back after losing (or quitting) your job.

Grieve and Reflect

The first step in bouncing back from job loss is to give yourself time to grieve. It’s normal and healthy to take some time for yourself to process your emotions without judgment, guilt, or pressure. Allow yourself time to feel all of the feels - the trick is to acknowledge your feelings without wallowing! Once you’ve taken some time to reflect on what happened, you can begin focusing on the practical steps of getting back on track with your career goals.

Look Inward

Look into yourself and ask what went wrong in your past position or roles prior. Be honest with yourself. What could you have done differently? Going forward, what can you do to prevent this from happening again? It’s important to take ownership of mistakes that were made and learn how you can improve the next time around. This period of self-reflection is essential and will help you be better prepared for interviews or new opportunities in the future.

Update Your Resume

Once you’ve felt all of the feelings and you’ve reflected on what happened, start updating your resume with relevant skills, experiences, and references from past jobs (ideally ones who will speak positively about you). Keep your resume concise but descriptive – include any certifications or courses that improve upon your existing skillsets during periods of unemployment as well. Be sure to include any volunteer work or freelance gigs that demonstrate continued engagement in the workforce even after job loss.

Update Your Networking Skills

Networking is essential for finding new opportunities - both online and offline! Remember that old adage “It’s not about what you know, but who you know”? There’s a reason people say that - it’s especially true in the event you are job searching! Start with updating all of your social media profiles (especially LinkedIn) with any recent accomplishments or changes in employment status, so people know who you are and what you have been up to.

Make sure your social media profiles, LinkedIn profile, personal websites, and freelancer profiles showcase the best version of yourself – this means keeping negative language and irrelevant information off the pages! Also, make sure to attend networking events when possible - don't be afraid to reach out to important people via email or LinkedIn if there are specific companies or people who inspire you! You’d be amazed at the type of people you can get ahold of just by reaching out and trying! You never know who might be able to provide helpful advice or point out potential opportunities that might be right up your alley.

Conclusion

It's never easy dealing with job loss but it doesn't have to mean the end of your world as you know it! With an optimistic outlook, self-reflection, an updated resume, and a strong network behind you, you’ll be surprised at just how fast you can bounce back from job loss! The key is taking ownership of mistakes made in previous roles while also putting yourself out there for great opportunities to come your way. With these strategies in mind, I know you’ll be able to find your way back into a successful career path!