We Were Let Go, and We Accept It – Learn How to Secure a New Job That Suits Your Needs

Two women talking about job changes
Experts talk about their path following redundancy in a recent publication.

A new year's onset can be a period for contemplation, and for a lot of us, that encompasses thinking about our professional paths.

Two publishing professionals who were made redundant from their jobs due to organizational changes at first believed their world had ended.

"I dedicated everything into that role... I trusted in the ethos we promoted. However, regarding my situation, those values weren't there," she remarks.

Both individuals chose to say "let go" and believe that being open about the situation can assist you handle the experience.

"People rely on so many alternative phrases for being dismissed. But the faster you accept it, the sooner you're honest regarding it, the quicker you can progress.

"That is the quickest route to what you wish next," she adds.

Now, they are succeeding in new ventures, where one running her own firm and the other holding the position of editor-in-chief at a prestigious publication.

If you've been laid off or are considering a shift, consider these four strategies to assist you.

1. Consider Last Year

Person thinking about career

It's common to have some apprehension regarding your job following time off.

A career expert stresses the importance of looking back before embarking on the search for a new role.

She encourages professionals to evaluate what they desire to pursue more, what to decrease, and what inspires or drains their energy.

Looking back at your achievements to spot underlying threads can also help. "Try to avoid considering only the recent past, since everyone have a tendency for recency bias that can obstruct the process," she adds.

She also notes it is important to decide the role of work plays in your life.

This involves being honest about the amount of time you spend working and the influence on your social and social life.

After her own experience, she recommends preventing your life be dictated by your career.

2. Implement Gradual Moves

Person taking gradual progress

The advisor states that individuals can implement gradual progress for a career transition without a complete leap.

She herself required a long period to move from a traditional job to running her own business entirely, building her idea alongside her job, which allowed self-funding from the start.

"It took additional time, but that was how I did it in a sustainable way," she explains.

She suggests an experimental strategy.

This might involve pro bono work, joining a professional project that interests you, or agreeing to something different within your current team.

"The worst outcome, you learn it's not a fit, but it's preferable to find out now rather than after you've committed fully," she adds.

She also encourages looking into interim roles. These may not be the ideal job, yet they function as progress in the right direction, such as a role with parallels to your target field, but in a different area.

"It means granting yourself the space to say this is suitable temporarily, but that does not mean permanent.

"That represents a clever strategy for getting much closer to a desired transition."

3. Recall Your Successes

Career accomplishments

For anyone who has recently been made redundant from your role, you aren't alone – job cuts have surged markedly recently.

A former editor was the top editor in a magazine, but in 2022 she and her team were laid off when the firm ceased print operations.

Realizing that this was not a reflection of her performance assisted her process the change.

"The skills you've gained doesn't go away just because you were let go.

"Don't give up your power, it's vital for all individuals to recognize their own value."

The other editor was let go after ten years in a business journal due to leadership changes in management and the appointment of new leadership.

She stresses that so much of the stigma of job loss is internal.

"Given that hundreds of thousands of individuals facing redundancy, it's rarely personal. It's probably not about you, so don't carry that ball of shame around with you."

4. Create a Professional Checklist

Person making a checklist

When you're desperately seeking employment or are profoundly unhappy at work, you might be tempted to jump at for any vacancy – ignoring your own happiness.

However, this represents a significant mistake.

Alternatively, she proposes a technique known as "reviewing" – filtering opportunities down to job descriptions that seem appealing.

She suggests searching professional networks and collecting around 10 to 15 that seem promising.

"Look for {the words|the

Tiffany Ray
Tiffany Ray

A gemologist and luxury jewelry expert with over 15 years of industry experience, specializing in rare diamonds and sustainable sourcing.