How to Cope with Being Fired

Any career is bound to have its ups and downs. At any given time, it could be smooth sailing when suddenly a rogue wave pops up and dashes your dinghy to bits, leaving you stranded in the ocean with half a paddle…and there are sharks in the water…and giant squids. In other words, you’ve been fired. Your source of income and security has been ripped away and you’ve got rent or bills, or rent and bills, and now the stress is creeping in and you can do nothing but recoil in horror at the uncertainty of the situation you’ve just found yourself in. What comes next? First, take a deep breath. Then, take a gander at the advice below. We’ll get through this.

Being fired – ehem, let go – can be one of life’s most stressful events. It can lead to feelings of failure, embarrassment, and shame. Being fired can trigger mood disorders such as depression, which can lead to all sorts of self-destruction. On top of all of that, losing your income can affect your living situation, transportation capabilities, communication capabilities, and well…just about everything that costs money to maintain. This is where our first step towards recovery begins: with the one thing that does not cost money – you.

The very first thing to do after you’ve been fired is to reassess yourself. How did it come to this? Whether you saw it coming or not, there is usually a reason why you’ve been let go from a job. If you know you’re in the wrong, it’s best to admit it to yourself so you can move forward. Maybe it was financial, and your employer is trying to cut costs. Whatever the case may be, it can help to make the event tangible in your mind. While it may seem like the end of the world in the moment, you’re still breathing, and as obvious or redundant as that may sound it can put things into perspective. Make a promise to yourself that you’ll get up the next morning and start fresh.

Next is your job search. Treat looking for a new job as your job, and spend a lot of time on it. Take extra care with revising your resume, and apply to as many jobs as you can. Before you even get a response, you will start to feel relief because you are making progress towards your end goal. It may be hard to see the silver lining here, but you’ll get plenty of practice with interviewing, especially if you don’t land your first opportunity. Interviewing is an important skill all on its own, and those who have worked at the same job for many years may find themselves bewildered if they should ever have to interview again.

Remaining positive is incredibly important. You may find yourself thinking that it’s a stretch to find those silver linings in this situation, but it really isn’t. When you learn to maintain a positive outlook, you’ll always approach any situation, good or bad, with the mindset that you can learn something new from it. Of course, this is easier said than done, but it will only help if you try your best. Let’s talk about some ways in which you can stay positive and feel good about yourself.

If you don’t exercise, now would be a great time to start. Since you’ll temporarily have more time on your hands, try engaging in some physical activity. If you can’t afford a gym, you can go for walks outside if the weather permits, or do some simple calisthenics or yoga at home. Set goals for yourself, for example: try increasing how many miles you walk, or add some jogging in. There is plenty of evidence that exercise directly impacts mood, and the more you do it, the better you’ll feel. Be consistent, and when you do find your next job, figure out a way to integrate your workout routine into your schedule.

You may or may not have some money saved that you can float on for a while. Either way, you should make a list of your monthly bills, and contact each one to see if they’ll give you a little wiggle room for a month or so. If you’ve been good with your payments most credit card companies will offer to wave your late fee, and in some cases, they may wave your payment for 30 days. Keep in mind this may not be true of all companies, but you should be able to get at least some relief if you explain the situation. This will alleviate any financial-related stress for the time being, and will allow you to remain focused on finding a new job.

Finally, if you’ve already started to build up a network this would be an excellent time to try reaching out to some of your contacts. Whether it’s an old coworker, someone from a previous internship, or a family member, there may be an opportunity somewhere for you. At the very least, someone in your network could also put the ol’ feelers out for you. Remember, though you may feel embarrassed, most people are more than willing to help another person when they are going through a tough time – sometimes all you have to do is ask.

Consider the phrase “a blessing in disguise.” As cliché as it may seem, we’ve already addressed the fact that there is usually a reason for someone to be let go from their job. This suggests that the employer/employee relationship wasn’t so great to begin with, and it was in the best interest of both parties to end the relationship. So, what does this mean for someone who has recently been fired? It’s simple: better things are on the horizon. Keep your head up, do your very best to remain positive, and stay busy with things that will move you forward. Before you know it, you’ll be smooth sailing again.