The start of a new year is often a moment for introspection, and for a lot of us, that includes evaluating our professional paths.
Two editors who lost their jobs after corporate restructures at first believed it was a disaster.
"I dedicated my heart into the position... I had faith in the principles we promoted. But in my case, those principles weren't there," she remarks.
Both individuals opted to say "dismissed" and argue that being honest about what happened can aid you handle it.
"We use numerous soft terms for being dismissed. Yet, the sooner you accept it, the faster you're honest about it, the faster you can move on.
"It's the quickest route to anything you desire next," she adds.
Currently, they are thriving in different roles, where one leading her own firm and the other serving as editor-in-chief for a high-end journal.
If you've lost your job or are just contemplating a change, consider these four strategies to assist you.
It's natural to experience some apprehension regarding your job post-festive period.
A professional advisor stresses the necessity of introspection prior to launching a new job search.
She suggests individuals to think about what they desire to do more of, what to decrease, and what energizes or exhausts their energy.
Examining your accomplishments to find common themes is also beneficial. "Avoid considering only the last month, because we all exhibit for recency bias that can obstruct the process," she adds.
Another professional states it is important to establish where your work plays in your life.
This requires being candid about how much time you're working and its impact on your family and family life.
Following her job loss, she advises against letting yourself be defined by your work.
The advisor says people can make gradual progress towards a career shift without diving in headfirst.
She took several years to transition from her corporate career to running her own business full-time, working on her idea while still employed, which meant self-funding from the start.
"It required additional time, but that represented the method I used in a sustainable way," she says.
She recommends a "try before you buy" approach.
This can include volunteering, participating in a professional project that interests you, or saying yes to a new challenge within your current team.
"If it fails, you learn that area isn't for you, but it's better to know now instead of after you've switched careers," she adds.
Additionally, she suggests considering short-term "bridging roles". These may not be the dream position, but they serve as a step in the right direction, such as a role with parallels to your desired career, but in a different area.
"It's about granting yourself the leeway to accept this works for now, but that isn't the same as forever.
"This is an intelligent strategy for moving nearer to your new career."
For anyone who has recently been made redundant from your job, you are not the only one – job cuts have risen to high levels recently.
She was editor-in-chief in a magazine, previously she were laid off when the firm ceased print operations.
Realizing that this event was not indicative of her performance helped her cope with the situation.
"The skills you've gained doesn't go away just because you lost your job.
"Do not surrender your confidence, it's crucial for everybody to recall their own value."
The other editor was fired after ten years at a financial magazine after a change in management and the arrival of a different editor.
She stresses that a lot of the shame associated with being fired is self-imposed.
"With many professionals losing jobs, it's not personal. Chances are not your fault, so don't carry that burden of shame unnecessarily."
If you're desperately seeking employment or are utterly miserable in your current role, you might be tempted to apply hastily at any opportunity – overlooking your own happiness.
However, this represents a major error.
Instead, she suggests a method called "reviewing" – filtering opportunities down to position summaries that capture your interest.
She advises browsing professional networks and saving several that appeal to you.
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A seasoned IT strategist with over 15 years of experience in digital transformation and enterprise software solutions.