Help! I’ve Been Fired!
October 13, 2011|Interesting Facts, Tips At work| No comments yet
Every year, millions of people experience the exasperation and stress of being fired. In today’s tough economy, high quality work and positive performance reviews isn’t enough to prevent a termination. Fortunately, there are many steps you can take to recover from this painful experience.
It’s a Thursday afternoon. You’ve just completed most of your work for the day, and you receive a phone call from your boss. He needs to see you for “Just a few minutes in his office, to discuss some paperwork”. You go into his office, vaguely wondering what he needs to see you for, but you’re more concerned about what you’ll be having for dinner in another hour or two.
He asks you to sit down in a chair. “You’ve been a great employee the past few years, but I have some unfortunate news. We’re taking the company in a new direction, and we have to let you go.” You stutter, you ask why this is happening, especially after all your positive performance reviews. He gives you some vague reasons, and then says he needs to get back to work. He tells you not to worry about going back to your desk: all your stuff will be packed up and mailed to you in a few weeks.
When you’ve been fired, there are several important steps to help get you back into the workforce. The most important step is to begin a new, temporary budget. Some jobs offer severance pay, and most states in the US pay unemployment, but these are usually less than half of a regular salary. Unemployment insurance in the United States varies from 300-600 a week, depending on the state. Cut out any unnecessary expenses, including eating out and movies. Try to find fun activities that aren’t expensive, such as hiking or bicycling. If you have cable or satellite TV, go to the cheapest available plan without cancelling your contract. If you get a cup of coffee every morning, try making coffee at home instead.
After creating a temporary budget, beginning calling friends and family to see if they have heard of any job openings. It’s possible to find employment outside of one’s experience, if you can relate your previous experience to what you will be doing in a new job. Rewrite your resume, and showcase as many job relevant skills as possible.
Most important, try to network with as many people as possible. Many jobs are not publically listed, and positions are filled based on word of mouth. By building an effective social network, you’ll be back in the workforce in no time.
