Losing your job unexpectedly can be a serious knock – on your finances, your future and your self-confidence. While it can be a hard pill to swallow and a massive hurdle to overcome, it can also bring unexpected positive changes.

If you’ve been let go and want to turn the situation around and into a more positive one, there are some important steps you need to take. Even if it’s hard and you feel a little hopeless, take the following advice and use it to make the most of your bad situation.

Ask Yourself the Right Questions

First of all, take some time to reflect on what happened. What caused you to lose your job? Consider whether it was due to behaviour that you could have changed, or mistakes that you could have avoided. Acknowledging personal faults is hard, but it’s also the only way to improve for your next job opportunity.

There’s also the chance that you were fired unfairly. Consider the reasons for your being let go, whether they seem fair and reasonable or not, and whether the conditions align with anything you see in your employment contract. This will help you to decide if you need an attorney for a wrongful termination claim.

Let Yourself Grieve

Making peace with being fired is tough. This is a major ordeal to go through, and it’s important to give yourself a little time to feel the emotions and make yourself feel better – even if you know you were at fault. Remember that all humans make mistakes.

Be sure to take some time to rest and recover your mind. If you don’t take care of your mental health, unemployment can even lead to serious anxiety and depression. Spend time talking to friends and family for support, or consider reaching out for professional help if you think you need it.


Consider Next Steps

You’re allowed to have a brief pity party, but then you have to start taking responsibility and getting yourself back out there. If you’ve lost your job, you could take this as the perfect time to start fresh, if that’s something you would be interested in.

If a career change is on your mind, or perhaps you’ve been thinking about starting your own business, this could be the right time to do so. You might even consider working from home if you’re looking for a change of pace. Look at your financial situation and what your options and preferences might be.

Fix Up Your CV

Once you know where it is you want to go from here, it’s time to take the very first step which is to spend some time working on your CV to make it stand out to recruiters.

Whether it’s a simple update or a complete revamp, your CV and resume will need some dusting off before you put yourself back on the market. Once it’s ready, start looking for what’s available in your area, in any places you’re willing to relocate to or even online.

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