What to do if You Get Fired: 5 Immediate Steps

In one of my previous articles on career mentors, I alluded to a career coach mentor whom I met in a chance encounter at my local Barnes & Noble. That career coach’s name is Jay Lang, and he has helped hundreds of people in the Hudson Valley break through the mental prison created by unemployment. He does this through a weekly job club that is sponsored by the New York State Department of Labor. Who better to ask about what to do if you get fired than someone who helps the unemployed become employed?

1. Don’t make it personal

“To a company, letting you go is a business transaction. Think of yourself as a business and treat getting let go as a business decision, not a personal decision,” says Jay Lang.

This especially important for millennials. Often times we are the lowest employee on the totem pole when it comes to years with the company, so we are the first ones let go when cuts are necessary.

Develop your CEO mindset to get into the habit of thinking of yourself as a business.

2. Take a week to regroup

“Take a week off. Just as a company wouldn’t create marketing materials during a crisis, neither should you,” advises Jay. One of Jay’s concepts is to perceive your resume and cover letter as marketing materials for “Me Inc.” You can’t market yourself effectively when the sting of getting fired is still fresh. After you’ve achieved some distance, get back in the mindset of a job marketer.

One of the ways to do this is to add some productive new habits to fill up your newfound free time. Check out our list of 16 daily habits from successful people for some inspiration.

3. Take Back Your Mojo

Mojo.Swag.Moxie.Confidence. Whatever you want to call it, getting fired can make it disappear.

Jay calls it our professional identity. “ In the blink of an eye, our professional identity, all our years of education, training, and experience gets forgotten.”

His advice? “ Don’t put companies on a pedestal.”

We tend to think that the employee is to blame when he or she gets fired, but the truth is sometimes it’s the fault of the company. Don’t let a company’s failure to see your talents make you fail to see your talents.

4. Gather your marketing materials and prepare for the job hunt

“This isn’t the time to send out your same old tired resume and hope for the best. Use this time to rethink your resume. Make it powerful.”, says Jay.

This is where a career coach like Jay can really come in handy. The objective perception of your skills that a career coach provides helps you craft a resume that sells. After all, if it’s a job market, doesn’t that make us all marketers?

Here is some handy advice for powering up your resume.

5. Head to the bookstore or Library

One of the most productive uses of your time spent unemployed is to read books.

Do you have skills or hobbies you love that aren’t related to your work experience? Hone those skills through reading books and applying what you have read. Getting fired can be the perfect opportunity to explore a career change.

Did you find Jay’s advice on what to do if you get fired helpful? If so, you can check out his book Breakthrough! How to Get Hired in Today’s Tough Job Market for tips regarding:

• Reclaiming your professional identity
• Crafting a resume, cover letter, and professional profile designed to increase your interviews
• Selling yourself once you get the interview
• Hitting the ground running at your new job
• And much more!

Coming soon to Amazon.com.