Immediately after you’ve been let go, you may find yourself experiencing a range of emotions: panic upon saying goodbye to a regular paycheck, exhilaration as you embrace life without a set routine, rage when you reflect on all the long hours you devoted to your former position—the list goes on.
Rather than get caught up in each of these, recognize that they’re all normal.
But then—and this is the tough love talk everyone needs in this situation—move on and focus on the future.
Chances are, your self-esteem has taken a hit, and saying “I’m unemployed” aloud makes it that much more real and devastating.
Though you may be tempted to keep your status a secret, friends and family can’t begin to help if they’re not aware. Letting people know you’re available for new opportunities is the first step in getting your job search off the ground. (This email template will make it easier).
Talking money is awkward, but knowledge is power. Figure out exactly what you’ve got to work with so you’re not accumulating debt at a time when you can least afford it.
The difference between the paycheck you lost and what you receive from severance or unemployment will determine if you need to make some adjustments to your spending—and just how sizable those should be. And this budget worksheet can help you get organized.
It may seem counterintuitive to spend money at a time when little is coming in, but chalk this up to the old “It takes money to make money.”
If enrolling in a class or two will make you more marketable and you can afford it, go for it. Took several writing workshops during the downtime and found that they boosted yourself-esteem and offered you a positive outlet. These also gave you a reason to change out of pajamas and practice looking presentable again.
You may want to put your layoff behind you, but there’s no denying it’ll come up during a future interview.
Come up with an honest but professional narrative and practice it a lot.
Each time I mentioned that my previous employer had restructured in interviews, it was met with understanding. From there, I discussed how my skill set would easily transfer and how thrilled I was to have the opportunity to be considered for this new role.
So, though you may want to retreat for a while and wallow in everything from comfort food to compulsive binge-watching, the best thing you can do is catapult yourself back into the career arena.