Life is too short to worry over losing a job. If it has happened to you, consider applying the following 3 steps to move on to the next chapter of your career.
1. Get your story straight in your Resume and Cover Letter
After you have been let go of by your former company, reflect on the reasons why it happened. The goal of this exercise is to determine the message that you will deliver (explaining why your employment relationship was terminated) in your Resume, Cover Letter and eventually, interviews with prospective employers.
If the reason for the end of your employment was positive (for example a lay-off or elimination of your role due to restructuring), factor this info your Cover Letter by making a very quick and subtle reference to this effect. For instance, you could drop this phrase within the letter: "My recent term of employment with company XYZ allowed me to accrue valuable experience in ABC... Although my position was eliminated as a result of corporate restructuring, I am eager to apply these skills to the XYZ department of your organization". You don't necessarily need to go into detail in your Resume - simply state the start and end dates of the experience, and list the accomplishments made during this period.
If the reason for the end of your employment relationship was negative (for example, if it had to do with poor work performance or the commitment of an offence), the first step is to assess the message that your former superior(s) and HR personnel will be going by - on occasion, due to the gray area of your termination, HR may advise you that if called upon for a reference, they would coin your departure as a "termination without cause" (meaning it was not due to poor work performance or you doing something wrong) and that the separation is deemed "amicable". Use this to your advantage - I would not make any reference to the reason in the Cover Letter or Resume. Instead, you can provide an explanation in person during the interview and state that it was a "termination without cause" and that your former employer can verify the same. If you faced a "termination with cause", reflect on the reason(s) for being let go of, don't explain any details in the Cover Letter or Resume, and be upfront and transparent about it in the interview while expressing genuine intent to improve.
2. Reach out to your Network
After you have completed the above step and determined the message to be delivered to future potential employers on why you were let go of, make a list of individuals who could potentially be your references. Do your best to get 2 confirmed references from your former employer, ideally with 1 of them being your supervisor. Don't worry if. You are unable to get your supervisor down as a reference - as long as you get 2 fellow colleagues down to provide positive references of your character and work ethic, that's more than enough.
The next step to take in networking is to reach out to former colleagues, former employers and employers in your industry with general applications - submit customized Resumes and Cover Letters to each prospective employer, explaining that you are seeking career opportunities - you don't need to go into details on why you were let go of; leave that for an in-person discussion during the interview.
Finally, ensure that your LinkedIn profile is updated to reflect the end of your employment relationship with your former employer. While most people have their position title and employer's name references in their profile header, this may be changed to a generic statement specifying your specialty. For instance, you may change "Senior Graphic Designer, XYZ Productions" to "Senior Graphic Design Professional".
3. Stay in the game
The final step to take in bouncing back after being terminated by a former employer is to stay as busy and productive as you were when employed. Never underestimate the power of adopting and sticking to a routine of waking up on time, dedicating each morning to reviewing job postings, preparing and submitting applications, and responding to emails.
After you have covered your daily run of reaching out to prospective employers, look into professional development opportunities which could come in the form of supplementary online courses, diplomas or examinations requiring self-study, depending on your field of expertise. Not only does this help to keep you in a positive sate of mind in being motivated to continue your professional development in the industry, it will reflect well in your Resume, Cover Letter and when brought up in interviews.
If you have time to pursue volunteer opportunities that make sense for your personal and professional development, do so. If money is tight, take up odd jobs (lawn mowing, snow clearing) or other temporary gigs where possible.
Conclusion
I have been in such positions before, and have also helped individuals climb out of them on numerous occasions. Therefore, I can assure you that although it’s going to be hard, patience and persistence will pay off. Contact me if you need help getting a job after being fired.
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