First, don’t panic. Then, get a head start
in the new-job game with our hour-by-hour reboot.
After the emotional thunderbolt of being
told, ‘We’re letting you go’, you might want to wallow. And who’d blame you?
“But there’s no time to waste,” says career specialist Paul MacKenzie-Cummins,
who reckons thinking strategically from the moment you hear the news will help
you on your way to a new job – fast.
Do
resist the temptation to throw a pot plant at your ex-boss
The first hour
“Check for contractual restraints first,
but then get in touch with your top clients, explaining that you’re leaving and
you hope you’ll work with them again,” says MacKenzie-Cummins. “It’s
respectful, and subtly says, ‘I’m on the market.’”
Must
do
When the news hits, so will your emotions –
namely, tears, or the urge to have a bitch, instead, “Go for a walk
immediately. And go somewhere you’ll have other senses stimulated,” says
psychologist Dr Jonathan Passmore. “Perhaps visit a scent-filled garden, or
take your iPod.”
The next 24 hours
“Address your finances so you can judge how
much breathing space you have to consider your options,” adds Dr Passmore.
Then, “Make two honest lists: one with your top ten career achievements and one
with your top ten personal achievements,” advises career coach Sarah Dudney.
Seeing your talents listed on paper gives you a mental big-up, making the job
hunt seem less daunting.
Must
do
“Add ‘seeking new position’ to your
Linkedln status,” says MacKenzie-Cummins. “Within five seconds, you’re visible
on the market.”
The next three days
“Add numbers to your CV,” urges
MacKenzie-Cummins. “Currently, employers want you to quantify everything.
If you improved sales, how much by? If you implemented a system, how many hours
were saved?” Then “list 100 contacts and for each one think, ‘How can I help
them to help me?’” says Dudney. “Apply the principle Praise, Ask, Give:
compliment them, ask for help, offer something in exchange.”
“Apply
the principle Praise, Ask, Give: compliment them, ask for help, offer something
in exchange.”
Must
do
Research shows people are most flexible at
3pm, so try to make any speculative calls around then and you’re more likely to
hear a ‘Yes’.
The next month
“Contact firms you’d like to work with and
arrange a meeting,” says career coach Sarah Jaggers. “One meet-up a week keeps
morale high and allows you to talk about constructive ways you’ve used your
redundancy (‘I was able to re-evaluate my skills’; ‘I met the crisis by doing
XYZ’). Always talk positively about your ex-company.”
Must
do
“Avoid isolation,” adds Dudney. “Organise a
Saturday coffee with friends. Review, share and celebrate progress. No
moaning!”
Be the best candidate, fast
Tick these off now, sat our career experts
- “This is a very visual age. Get a
good-quality photograph and put it on all your online profiles,” says
Sarah Dudney. “Employers like it, and you’ll feel uplifted.”
- “Update your Linkedln status every day –
between 8am and 9am,” says Sarah Jaggers. “If employers only check it once
a day, it’ll be at 9am.”
- Follow the HR managers of your target
companies on Twitter – it’s often the first way to hear about new jobs.
You never know, they might follow you back!
