When you are working you never think about the day when you will not have a job. In fact most of us expect to have the same job for a very long time. Usually there does come a time when we either decide to leave a job or for some reason we are terminated.
In these difficult economic times it can be more devastating to lose a job because you might think it is difficult to get a new one. It can also be difficult to know what to do next. If you lost the job because you were terminated the first thing to do is to grieve the loss. What many people do not know is that the loss of a job is like anything other loss: You will go through the stages of grief.
Do not let yourself sink into it however because it can hold you captive for a very long time. While you are going through the grief it is also a good time to think about how things are and what you want to do next. Maybe there is a dream job that you have always had in mind. Now is the time to explore it.
After grieving the first thing to do is to update your resume and cover letter. The resume is something that most people do not update regularly if they are in a job they want. Take a look at the skills you've learned in this job and write them down. Compare them to what you have done in the past. Decide what it is that you want to do now and start looking for jobs in that area.
Job Hunting After You've Lost The Job
Believe it or not you can still post your resume places and get calls after you have lost your job but you need to be clear about what you want. Recruiters will call if you put your resume online and you will have some interesting job offers quickly.
You must also talk to friends and family about your job search and tell them what you are looking to do next. Talk to your colleagues at the old job as well if that is possible. Another good idea is to check your newspaper for job fairs. These are sometimes productive but most of the time they are a chance to see the types of jobs that are available.
If you are unsure of how to approach job hunting you don't have to do it alone. You can hire a career coach who will help you through the job loss and right into a new job. They are skilled in this area and know how to help. A coach can help keep you on track and help you deal with issues that may come up as you move forward.
The bottom line: Don't be discouraged about losing your job — there is another one around the corner even in this troubled economy.
