🔗 Share this article

A new year's onset is often a period for contemplation, and for a lot of us, that involves thinking about our professional paths.

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

"I invested my heart into the position... I trusted in the ethos we stood for. However, regarding my situation, those values were absent," she says.

Both individuals decided to use the term "dismissed" and suggest that being honest about what happened can assist you process the experience.

"There are so many euphemisms for job loss. But the faster you acknowledge it, the sooner you're truthful regarding it, the quicker you can move on.

"That is the fast track to whatever you want to pursue next," she notes.

Today, they are excelling in new positions, with one owning her own media company and the other working as lead editor for a high-end journal.

For those who have been laid off or are contemplating a change, here are four strategies to assist you.

1. Contemplate Last Year

It's common to have some unease about work post-festive period.

A career expert highlights the necessity of looking back prior to launching a new job search.

She advises people to consider what they want to pursue more, what to decrease, and the things that inspires or drains their drive.

Reviewing your accomplishments to identify recurring patterns is also beneficial. "Try not to considering only the last month, as people often have a tendency for recent-event bias that can obstruct clear thinking," she notes.

A former editor states it is important to decide what place your job fits in your life.

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

Following her job loss, she recommends against letting yourself be shaped solely by your career.

2. Implement Gradual Moves

The expert notes that professionals can implement gradual progress for a career transition without diving in headfirst.

She required a long period to move from a traditional job to operating her own business full-time, working on the venture concurrently with her role, which allowed she could pay herself.

"It required a bit longer, but that represented my approach without risk," she explains.

She recommends an experimental approach.

This could be volunteering, participating in a work project that captures your interest, or accepting something different at your present job.

"If it fails, you discover it's not a fit, but it's preferable to learn now than after you've switched careers," she states.

She also advises considering interim roles. These may not be the ideal job, but they serve as progress towards your goal, for example a position that shares traits to the career you want, though not in the exact field.

"It means allowing yourself the permission to accept this is suitable temporarily, but that does not mean the same as forever.

"That represents an intelligent tactic for getting nearer to your career change."

3. Acknowledge Your Successes

If you've recently been made redundant from your position, you aren't alone – layoff figures have increased markedly recently.

She was the top editor at a style magazine, previously she and her team lost their jobs after the company ceased print operations.

Recognizing that this event was not a reflection of her ability helped her cope with the situation.

"The skills you've gained doesn't disappear just because you were let go.

"Don't relinquish your confidence, it's vital for everybody to recall their own worth."

Another professional was fired after ten years at a financial magazine following a regime change in management and the appointment of a different editor.

She emphasizes that so much of the embarrassment of job loss is in your head.

"With many professionals losing jobs, it's rarely personal. Chances are not about you, so avoid carrying that feeling around with you."

4. Create a Professional Checklist

When you're urgently looking for a new job or feel profoundly unhappy at work, it can be tempting to dive straight into applying for any vacancy – ignoring what suits you.

But this is a significant mistake.

Instead, she suggests an exercise called "reviewing" – filtering opportunities down to role profiles that capture your interest.

She suggests exploring job platforms and saving several that seem promising.

"Identify {the words|the