When you lose your job, life can feel overwhelming and difficult. Suddenly, something you’d relied on for consistency has fallen away from under you, and you’re forced to navigate the slings and arrows of life without any rock on which to rely. When this happens, the best thing you can do is start looking for a new job as quickly as possible. Staying unemployed can feel anxiety-inducing and depressing, so make sure you’re on the hunt. Here are 10 tips to help you get a new job when your circumstances change.
1. Stay financed
If you’ve got some savings, now is the perfect time to dip into them. There’s nothing worse than financial insecurity while you’re not working, so try to make sure that you’re well-financed when you lose your job. This isn’t always possible, of course, and when it isn’t, you may wish to look to alternative funding avenues such as bad credit personal loans, which can help to see you through some tough spots. It might also be a good idea to ask friends and family to help out.
2. Brush up your CV
Whether you call it a CV or a “resume”, you need to keep it updated and current. Employers don’t like to see gaps in your CV, and they certainly don’t like to see a document you clearly haven’t worked on in a long time. One of the first things you should do if you happen to lose your job is immediately update your CV with your current circumstances. That way, employers will have up-to-date information about you when they consider you for a position.
3. Go out and volunteer
Wherever you choose to do it, volunteering can be a great boon if you lose your job and need to find a new one. It helps to show employers that you’re keen to get back out there in the world, and it’s also a good way to brush up your skills and learn some new ones. Try to choose an organisation that’s complementary to the skills you already have; that way, you stand a better chance of being selected for a position, and you can bring your expertise to a good cause.
4. Create a new budget
Losing your job is going to mean some pretty major financial changes, so it’s important to revise your budget and see if there are any areas in which you can make changes. There’s almost always somewhere you can cut back on your spending, and doing so is vital if you want to survive while you look for something new. Examine your finances closely and enlist the help of friends and family to assist you in making difficult choices, because you may not be able to make them by yourself.
5. Build a network
There’s a common statistic that often gets repeated, and it goes thus: 85% of all positions are filled through networking. While this may be a somewhat optimistic or excessive number, the fact is that networking can be a huge help in getting you a new job. That’s why it’s important to look for networking events in your area and try to attend as many as possible. Obviously, you should stick to events that are relevant to you, but think outside the box too; it could help you later.
6. Don’t burn bridges
After losing your job, you may harbour some resentment and bitterness towards former managers or colleagues. The important thing is not to hang on to these feelings. They’re perfectly natural; parting ways with a job, especially if you weren’t the instigator of the decision, can feel pretty horrible. The worst thing you can do, though, is to burn bridges. You may need the connections you’ve built with people at your former job in the future, so don’t make any rash decisions.
7. Keep looking
Try not to get disheartened if you don’t find anything suitable for you in the first few days (or even weeks!) of looking. Job listing websites get updated all the time, and you never know when you might miss the perfect opportunity because you aren’t looking at the right moment. Keep checking back daily, and if you don’t find what you want, try a different site or make a note to check back tomorrow. Perfect opportunities don’t present themselves often, so don’t get discouraged if you don’t find something ideal!
8. Take this opportunity to evaluate your career
Losing your job might actually be a great opportunity to look at whether you’re happy in your chosen career. Were you actually enjoying working at your previous position? Could you have been doing something that was more intellectually or mentally fulfilling? If the answer to either of those questions isn’t what you thought it would be, then it might be time to take a look at changing careers. Research some of the qualifications or steps you might need to take in order to switch things up.
9. Brush up on your interview technique
When you do finally secure an interview – and it’s a matter of when, not if – you’ll need to bring your A game if you want to stand a chance of being hired. If an interview is confirmed, research the company extensively. Don’t burn yourself out – it probably isn’t going to do you any favours if you know the company’s turnover or overheads – but do try to understand how you’d fit into the organisation and where your skills would be best served.
10. Don’t give up
Looking for a new job after losing an old one is one of the most frustrating and disheartening experiences you can have. The important thing is not to give up; it’s going to take a little time to find something new, but unless you are profoundly unlucky, something will fall into your lap sooner or later. Until then, keep looking, brush up on your techniques, and make sure you don’t adopt a despondent attitude; that will have a worse effect than losing your job in the first place.
