In my previous column on this topic, I covered the basics of what to do immediately after your employer lets you go. It can be really disorienting to lose your job even if you’ve been expecting it. Take it from me, I used to get fired so often I began to feel like pottery. So in this second installment I’ll be talking about how to regain your equilibrium and start moving steadily forward.

But first, one thing I didn’t mention in the other article was how to leave the building just after you’ve been downsized. Most people are in a state of shock, to some degree, when the axe falls and they’re suddenly unemployed. Problem is you’ve likely been given the news somewhere in your workplace itself. Right where all your former co-workers are busily going about their jobs (which they still have, unlike you). How on earth do you leave without feeling humiliated, and can you get out with bridges intact despite the heat of the moment?

Well, it all begins with taking a deep breath and gathering yourself. Don’t just rush out from the room you’ve been terminated in, only to face the uninformed hordes head on. You’re probably quite emotional at this point (though you’ll pretend you aren’t, it’s a typical reaction). Best thing to do is to head straight to your office/cubicle, gather your immediate belongings, make a beeline for the stairs or elevator, then leave the building immediately.

You can call your colleagues at work later to talk about what happened, once your mind clears a bit. And you can make arrangements to come back at a discreet time to pick up any personal belongings you might have left behind. What you want to avoid, I mean you really really want to steer clear of, is lingering in the office and erupting into anger, overwhelming sadness, or some other volcanic reaction that doesn’t come with a rewind button. Remember: you still need references and probably want to depart on the best terms possible.

After a couple of days of getting settled--doing all the post-termination stuff I talked about in Part 1 of this series--you may start feeling antsy; gotta get a job again now! Resist the urge to send out worldwide e-mails announcing your availability... the initial steps in finding new employment should consist of preparing yourself to become a lean, mean job hunting machine.

Scrape the dust off your old resume and list all the great things you did for your most recent employer, ingrates that they were. What were your key achievements? Did you learn any new skills? Take any courses or earn another credential? This is the grist for your resume updating mill.

In future job interviews you’re gonna get asked the killer question: "Please tell me why you left your most recent job." Is your answer ready? It’s not good enough to say "Those doofus bastards turfed me, but that’s o.k., I’ve Google-Mapped where every senior manager lives and their kids’ schools too, he he he." You’ll need to come up with an acceptable Exit Statement, preferable one that’s verifiable should a potential employer choose to check your references.



About those job interviews, you may want to do some mock ones with someone you trust, just to brush up your technique. Also you need to get interim business cards made up so you’ll have something to hand out when meeting people. Not to mention developing your Elevator Speech, a 30-second reply to the odious inquiry "So tell me a little about yourself."

Searching for work after losing your job can be grueling and, in some cases, dehumanizing. It’ll help to have some coping mechanisms in place. Here are some tips from actual job hunters I’ve spoken with over the years:

• Consider doing some exercise on a daily basis (on the advice of a physician if necessary).
• Eat healthy, it’ll help restore your energy.
• Don’t cancel a pre-planned vacation if at all possible, otherwise it only gives everyone more time to sit around moping about the predicament you’re in.
• Reward yourself in small but meaningful ways when you score a victory such as getting a call-back after an important interview (me, a juicy sirloin does the trick, but it kind of negates the “eat healthy” tip).
• Don’t keep things bottled up inside, lest you explode.

More regarding the latter point: if you’ve got persistent blues, if you’re ego has taken what seems like a knock-out punch to its solar plexus, I urge you to reach out and get professional assistance. Speak to a family physician, therapist, spiritual advisor etc. This ain’t the time to play macho. You have to bring your A-game to job interviews and follow-up rigorously; experienced interviewers can sniff if you’re bogged down by excess baggage.

Decades ago, losing your job was a stigma. Today it’s simply business as usual. Dealing with your downsizing is ultimately about drafting a project plan for your transition, so that you take the reins and create your own momentum. It’s about not overreacting, instead doing simple things every day. Process your job loss emotionally. Learn from it. Take care of the minutiae in settling with your former employer. Then look toward the bright blue horizon ahead of you. After all, they can take away your job, but you’re always in charge of your destiny.

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Mark Swartz, MBA, M.Ed., is one of Canada's leading authorities on careers and work, and author of the best-seller "Get Wired, You're Hired" (now in its fourth edition since 1997).

Visit careeractivist.com for his many free insights and articles.





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