Posted by Sacked. Terminated. Laid off. No matter how you say it, getting fired from a job is never a good thing, and it’s all too easy to get stuck in a rut and think you’ll never work again.
If you’ve been fired, take responsibility for it. Accept the reality of the situation and tell yourself that there are other jobs out there. Then, put yourself and your resume back on the market, stronger than ever. But be honest and do it the right way.
Follow these 5 steps to return to the game after getting fired:
1. Use your networking skills
Get networking. Don’t forget about your business network from before your most recent job. During this time, your old coworkers can be your best allies, especially if they can talk about your general skills and how hard you work. No matter why you were fired, these people can help paint a bigger picture of you as a coworker and show that you have much more to your job than one bad spot on your resume.
2. Look for a reference
If you are fired, you can still use your old boss as a reference, depending on the circumstances. You are the best person to decide this, but it never hurts to send a thank-you letter to your old boss after being fired to show that you respect the time you worked there. Don’t get us wrong—you must take the blame for being fired. But if you hit the right tone, you’ll have a better chance of leaving on a good note.
3. Don’t lose sight of the game
Don’t give in to the urge to watch Netflix and laze around. If you just got fired from your job, you mustn’t let the gap in your resume grow into a huge hole. Even if you don’t apply for jobs immediately, try to do something useful that will help you when you return to the job market. For example, you could sign up for a class to improve your skills and make yourself a more desirable employee.
Use social media to keep up with what is going on in your field. Follow thought leaders and influencers who post about important things to your business. Do more by liking and sharing their posts. Your network will notice how busy you are, putting you at the top of their minds if they hear about new jobs.
4. Pick the right words carefully
So, you’ve gotten over that first hurdle and are now in an interview for a new job. Congrats! But now comes the hard part of looking for a job after being fired. You need to be very careful about how you describe your situation. Don’t run away from it, and don’t lie about it. But phrases like “differences of opinion” or “different working philosophies” mostly speak for themselves as long as they correctly describe the situation.
The most important thing to avoid? Talking badly about your past boss. Don’t do it under any circumstances.
5. Take a step back and start over
Self-reflection isn’t given enough credit, and it’s helpful when you’ve just been fired. Now is the time to ask yourself why things didn’t work out, think about your strengths and weaknesses as a worker, and think about how you’ll define success as you move on to the next step in your job.
Even if you feel like a victim, now is not the time to feel sorry for yourself, no matter how bad you think. Try to determine why the job didn’t work by looking at yourself. This can help you explain to future hiring managers why the old job wasn’t a good fit for you or the company and how your skills can be used in a new area.
Now, get out there and show them what you are capable of! Find your dream job on Jobstore.com, download our free mobile app today.
Anisa is a writer who focuses on career and lifestyle topics in an effort to motivate both job searchers and employers towards greater fulfillment in their professional lives.
Reach me at anisa@jobstore.com.