Do you know someone who was let go or fired and is wondering how to regroup? If you are taking risks and pushing your skills, that someone may be you.
How can you bounce back? Here are proven steps to move forward and thrive.
- Acknowledge the reality of the situation.
Don’t try to dodge the facts of what happened or put all the blame on others. In today’s connected world, people will learn about the situation.
- Be clear about what you learned from the setback.
How have you gained insights into the conditions you need to excel, relationships you need to manage, and skills or awareness you need to develop? Anyone who is trying to do something challenging will encounter setbacks. Employers and investors want to know that you’ve learned from your setbacks and are ready to move forward.
- Tap your network.
Telling your own story about a setback can sound like a “shaggy dog” story and get you mired in the details. You need third parties who can comment objectively about what they observed and what they know about your capabilities. Be sure that people in your network know what you have learned so that they can support your strategy for going forward.
- Have an effective pivot story.
Some people will want to probe the details of what happened. This may occur out of curiosity or out of empathy. In any event, you need a quick way to pivot to where you are going. It needs to be something short and effective in redirecting the focus of the conversation. Here’s a quick example, “We accomplished a lot at my last job. Now, I’m excited about turning my skills and abilities to [what you want].”
When you know that there is “life after” a job loss, you can be more adventurous and enjoy stretching to explore new opportunities.