🔗 Share this article

The start of a new year is frequently a period for contemplation, and for a lot of us, that includes considering our work lives.

Two editors who lost their positions due to organizational changes originally thought their world had ended.

"I poured all my energy into the position... I trusted in the principles we stood for. However, regarding my situation, those principles didn't apply," a former editor remarks.

The two decided to employ the word "fired" and believe that being honest about the situation can help you deal with it.

"People rely on so many alternative phrases for being dismissed. However, the quicker you own it, the quicker you're truthful about it, the faster you can move on.

"That is the quickest route to whatever you want next," she notes.

Today, they are excelling in new positions, with one leading her own firm and another working as top editor for a luxury magazine.

Whether you've been made redundant or are just considering a shift, consider these four approaches for guidance.

1. Reflect On Last Year

It's common to feel some unease regarding your job after a holiday break.

A career expert emphasizes the value of looking back before embarking on the search for a new role.

She suggests people to consider what they wish to increase, what they want less of, and the things that motivates or depletes their energy.

Examining your past successes to spot underlying threads is useful too. "Try not to just looking at the recent past, as people often suffer from for recent-event bias that can hinder the process," she states.

A former editor notes it is vital to establish where your work fits in your life.

This means being truthful about how much time you spend working and the influence on your personal and social life.

After her own experience, she suggests preventing yourself be shaped solely by your career.

2. Implement Incremental Actions

She states that individuals can take small steps towards a career shift without a complete leap.

She herself took seven years to make the jump from her corporate career to operating her own company entirely, developing her idea alongside her job, which enabled financial stability.

"It required more time, but that was the method I used without risk," she says.

She advocates for a test-run approach.

This can include volunteer work, getting involved in a work project that interests you, or saying yes to something different at your present job.

"Worst case scenario, you learn you don't like, however, it's wiser to know now rather than after you've made the move," she remarks.

She also advises considering short-term "bridging roles". They are perhaps not the perfect role, but they serve as a move forward, for example a position with parallels to your desired career, though not in the exact field.

"It means giving yourself the space to say this is good for now, but that does not mean permanent.

"This is an intelligent approach for moving much closer to your new career."

3. Recall Your Accomplishments

Should you have recently lost your role, you aren't alone – job cuts have risen markedly recently.

A former editor was editor-in-chief for a fashion publication, but in 2022 her entire team lost their jobs following a decision to discontinued the physical magazine.

Recognizing that this event did not reflect of her skills allowed her to handle the transition.

"The skills you've gained remains with you simply due to were dismissed.

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

Her colleague was let go after a decade in a business journal due to leadership changes in senior ranks and the arrival of a new editor.

She notes that much of the embarrassment of job loss is internal.

"Given that hundreds of thousands of people being laid off, it's not personal. Chances are not your fault, so don't carry that feeling around with you."

4. Develop a Job Search List

When you're desperately seeking work or are utterly miserable in your current role, you might be tempted to apply hastily at any opportunity – ignoring your own happiness.

However, this represents a major error.

Alternatively, she proposes a technique known as "scanning" – narrowing your search to only role profiles that seem appealing.

She advises browsing sites like LinkedIn and gathering a selection of that you like.

"Identify {the words|the