6 Ways to Pick Yourself up After Losing Your Job

Losing your job can be a deeply jarring experience, particularly when it happens completely out of the blue. Depending on your circumstances, you might find yourself catapulted into the uneasy realm of financial insecurity, wondering how you will continue to support yourself and your family in the coming months.

You may also realize that your job was closely linked to a sense of purpose and identity. Unwillingly saying goodbye to the structure and security of full-time work is an enormous shock to the system. Not to mention you may miss all the close relationships you’ve nurtured with colleagues over the years.

In 2020, the pain of a job loss is all the more tangible and stressful. As of the end of June, more than 20 million Americans found themselves unemployed as a direct result of COVID-19. Entire industries face disruption and may never fully recover, while social distancing and various other safety measures mean many job-seekers won’t have the option to re-enter the workforce as they once knew it. 

If you’re struggling to pick yourself up and move on following the loss of a job, here are some simple steps you can take.

1. Take Some Time

In the wake of losing your job, you may be feeling emotions ranging from stress and frustration to anger and embarrassment. No one can be expected to hit the job hunt hard immediately following such a huge setback. It’s ok to give in to your emotions and mourn what you’ve lost. If that means a few days on the sofa eating junk food and watching re-runs of your favorite TV shows, that’s totally fine.

2. Take Care of Yourself Physically and Mentally

Try to imagine this process as a little like coping with a break-up. After some time spent wallowing or panicking, you should be ready to enter into phase two, which is the point at which you get out of your pajamas and start taking care of yourself.

Talk to supportive people in your life, practice mindfulness or yoga — if that is your thing — sleep and eat well, and make a conscious effort to be active. 

3. Take Some Practical Steps to Manage the Coming Months

Now it’s time to take control of the things you can control. There’s no way you can halt a global pandemic, and you can’t fix the job market. But the following steps are very much within your grasp:

• Register for unemployment benefits
• Enquire about health insurance with your former employer: The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) provides some employees the ability to maintain their health insurance coverage after becoming unemployed. Contact your former employer’s HR department to find out if you are eligible.
• Make a budget plan: While you are between jobs, you’ll likely need to be very careful about how you spend your money. Draw up a detailed budget plan, which will help you to identify areas where you can cut back.
• Refresh your resume and online presence: Make sure your online profiles and resume are up to date and showcasing the best of your employment history.
• Nurture your personal life: Make the effort to look after your mental health by spending quality time with your loved ones.

4. Kickstart the Job Hunt

Finding a new job will take time, and there will likely be setbacks along the way. The sooner you start, the more proactive and positive you’ll feel.

Consider whether you want to find a similar job to what you did previously, or pursue an exciting, new direction. Take the time to collect the best possible references from former employers, pore over job listings, and write tailored and thoughtful cover letters.

5. Invest in Personal Development

Once you’ve carried out some job market research, you may discover that you have skill gaps or knowledge gaps that make you less employable. Look into online training, which can range from free content — such as YouTube videos and MOOCs — to expensive courses with certifications. 

6. Ask for Help

If you feel like you’re struggling to stay afloat at any point during this process, be sure to ask for help from your family and friends.

For those with a history of mental illness, such as depression, it might be necessary to seek professional medical help.

Image Credit: glegorly, Getty Images/iStockphoto