We Were Dismissed, and We're Owning It – Here's How to Secure a New Job That Suits Your Needs

The start of a new year is often a moment for introspection, and for many, that includes thinking about our work lives.

Two publishing professionals who were made redundant from their roles after corporate restructures originally thought their world had ended.

"I invested all my energy into the position... I believed in the values we promoted. However, regarding my situation, those principles were absent," she says.

They both decided to employ the word "fired" and suggest that being transparent about the situation can help you deal with the event.

"There are so many soft terms for losing a job. Yet, the sooner you acknowledge it, the quicker you're candid regarding it, the faster you can progress.

"It's the quickest route to whatever you desire next," she continues.

Today, they are succeeding in new ventures, where one running her own media company and the other working as lead editor at a prestigious publication.

For those who have been made redundant or are just considering a shift, these are four methods that can help.

1. Reflect On The Previous Year

It's natural to experience some apprehension regarding your job following time off.

A career expert emphasizes the value of looking back before starting the search for a new role.

She suggests people to consider what they wish to increase, what to reduce, and the things that energizes or exhausts their energy.

Examining your accomplishments to spot common themes is useful too. "Try not to just looking at the last month, because we all have a tendency for recent-event bias that can hinder clear thinking," she adds.

She also notes it is vital to establish what place your job fits in your life.

This involves being candid about how much time you're working and its impact on your social and social life.

Following her job loss, she recommends against letting your identity be dictated by your job.

2. Make Incremental Actions

She notes that professionals can implement incremental moves towards a career shift without committing fully.

She herself required a long period to transition from a corporate role to running her own business full-time, working on the venture while still employed, which enabled she could pay herself.

"It required additional time, but that represented how I did it sustainably," she comments.

She advocates for an experimental approach.

This could be pro bono work, joining an initiative you find appealing, or accepting a different task within your current team.

"If it fails, you learn that area isn't for you, but it's better to know now than after you've made the move," she adds.

She also encourages exploring interim roles. They are perhaps not the ideal job, but they serve as a move forward, for example a position with similarities to the career you want, yet not in the same industry or sector.

"It means allowing yourself the space to accept this works for now, but that does not mean the same as forever.

"This is a clever approach for getting closer to that new career."

3. Recall Your Achievements

Should you have recently been made redundant from your position, many are in the same boat – redundancy rates have increased to high levels recently.

A former editor was editor-in-chief for a fashion publication, but a few years ago she and her team lost their jobs after the company closed the print version.

Recognizing that this event was not indicative of her skills assisted her process the change.

"What you've learned doesn't disappear because you were let go.

"Don't give up your confidence, it's crucial for everybody to recall their own worth."

The other editor was fired following a long tenure with a finance publication following a regime change in senior ranks and the arrival of a different editor.

She notes that so much of the stigma associated with being fired is internal.

"Given that hundreds of thousands of individuals facing redundancy, it's rarely personal. Chances are very much not you, so don't carry that feeling around with you."

4. Develop a Professional Checklist

If you're urgently looking for employment or are deeply dissatisfied with your present job, you might be tempted to jump at at any opportunity – disregarding personal fulfillment.

But this is a significant mistake.

Alternatively, she proposes an exercise called "scanning" – narrowing your search to only job descriptions that capture your interest.

She advises browsing professional networks and saving several that you like.

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