How to Handle an Unexpected Job Loss

Last updated August 12, 2021

Losing a job is often stressful, frustrating, and scary. When you lose it unexpectedly though, those feelings are more likely to triple. If it's happened to you, know that it is normal to start panicking. Here’s what you should do next.

Freak out (for a bit)

If you experience a fight-or-flight response, start learning and practising techniques that will help you calm your busy mind. Here’s a starter for 10 - a technique on managing overwhelm.

Allowing this situation to get you down won’t land you your dream job. Read on to learn why an unexpected job loss can be a blessing in disguise and how it can help you finally start your dream career.

Take your time

When you lose a relationship or a family member, a grieving process helps to realize the loss and recover faster. Whether you’ve been fired or you quit your job voluntarily, don’t run away from the feelings arising inside. Just like other losses in life, job loss can cause the stages of grief; denial, anger, depression, and acceptance.

Jumping into a new job just to have one can only worsen your grieving process. Not to mention that you might end up finding a job where you would feel unhappy and desperate. Any types of avoidance, including social media, won’t help you here, either. Distraction doesn’t work!

Take your time to find out what you need to do next. Is it time for a career change? Or, moving to a bigger city for greater opportunities? Even if you don’t want to switch your field, give yourself enough time to find your dream job.

Create a plan

Be honest with yourself. How long will your financial resources last? How can you cut your expenses to avoid debts? Did you enjoy doing your previous job? When a grieving process is over, it’s time to create a plan – or a few of them. 

First of all, you should figure out what you want to do and how much you want to earn. You may consider a career pivot. If you want another kind of job, research a new field and see how you can upgrade your skills and knowledge. If you’re on a tight budget, consider accepting a transitional job to make ends meet. Just make sure you don’t give up on finding your dream job. 

Set goals to look for a job a certain length of time daily and apply to a certain number weekly. If you have an outdated CV, make sure you update it based on the latest CV requirements. Get yourself ready to answer some basic questions via phone or email and rehearse for a potential interview.

Review your job application process

The anxious feelings and financial problems that come after an unexpected job loss might make you send out your standard CV to literally any openings you see. Recruiters are more likely to reject your standard resume. If you strive to land a dream job, you have to change your job application process. Start by thinking like a recruiter.

Read each job listing carefully, ensuring you would be a good fit or you really want the position. Try to tailor your CV to each job position and write a separate custom cover letter for every job position, too. The worst mistake you can commit when applying one and the same cover letter or CV is not applying yourself to the process. My number one piece of advice to job seekers is to approach the process with razor-sharp precision. 

The current job market is brutal so you have to be extra attentive, open-minded, and flexible enough to consider all possible alternatives and consequences.

Spruce up your skills

I can’t stress it enough. We live in a highly competitive world and that’s why it’s critically important to spruce up your skills whether you have a job or you’re in search. There are some free or low-cost online tutorials to take or you can read some information online. Reevaluating your skills and enhancing them regularly will definitely make you stand out from other candidates for your dream job position.

Prioritize your health

Losing your job might leave you with sleepless nights, skipped meals, and various health issues. Besides improving your career skills, your employment gap provides you with an opportunity to improve your health. Now you have time for exercise and having your meals on time. Moreover, you can cook healthy meals at home. Most importantly, you have time to finally get a lot of sleep. 

Enjoy this time! When you’re healthy – both mentally and physically – you’re more likely to make the right decisions and successfully reach your goals.

The final word

Losing a job – be it unexpectedly or voluntarily – is one of the most stressful events you can go through in your life. You might experience anger, fear, resentment, anxiety, as well as some moments of relief and joy. It’s totally okay to experience all those feelings. Don’t pretend that you’re fine when you’re depressed. Take your time to process what happened. 

Also, remember that it's not the end of the world and lots of new career opportunities are waiting for you down the road. Use your free time wisely to deeply think over your next move. Consider what you would like to do, which changes you would like to see in your life, what your chances of landing a dream job, and what you can do to improve those chances. You deserve to have a job that will fulfil you and make your wallet happy, at the same time.

Additional resources for job seekers

As a career coach, I've helped hundreds find and secure new job opportunities. I've summarised the process I've developed over 10 years in my digital guides available here. 

If you'd like to chat more through the job loss process, book a free 30 minute online consultation with me.

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