Losing a job is not in anyone’s plans, and it can destabilize a person’s life. It’s a situation that involves financial and emotional difficulties and many people don’t know how to deal with being fired.
It is common that, when going through this, many professionals feel inadequate, without the necessary skills to work in the profession, dissatisfied and insecure with their abilities. Furthermore, there is the financial factor that causes fear and insecurity, especially when the income helps to provide for the family, which is the reality in many cases.
For all these reasons, facing dismissal generates countless questions and affects the professional’s psychology. As a result, it may seem difficult to see something positive or even start over and pursue other opportunities.
The biggest challenge in this process is evaluating these feelings in order to try to overcome them and draw up career plans. And you can do this by evaluating these feelings without letting them take over, and focusing on the future.
How to deal with dismissal
There is no rule that points out the correct way to deal with this moment, but some steps can help avoid despair and anxiety. Some are practical, and others will require self-knowledge to work on mental health. Check out our tips:
Know your rights
The first practical question is knowing what your rights are in a dismissal. Upon dismissal, an employee who works under the CLT regime has several rights provided for by law.
This may include salary proportional to the days worked, holidays and 13th salary also proportional, in addition to the termination fine and the possibility of redeeming the FGTS (Guarantee Fund for Length of Service).
Furthermore, another expected benefit is Unemployment Insurance, offered by Social Security, which guarantees payment of an amount based on the last salary for up to five months. Although it has a series of rules, including length of service, it allows the professional to count on temporary financial support to maintain their expenses until relocation.
Understand the reasons for dismissal
One factor that must be clarified is the reason for dismissal. Although negative feelings occur, there are many reasons for a layoff, including financial cuts or internal team rearrangement. And even if it is an issue involving the professional’s skills, it is important to understand why.
This will help you realize what needs to change in terms of technical and behavioral skills and help ease the burden of feeling incapable.
Understand your emotions
When being fired, it is possible to go through the entire spectrum of emotions: anger, sadness, relief, fear, etc. Don’t fight the feelings, but try to understand them and name them so you can do something about them.
The most common thing is to blame yourself or think you’re not good enough, or to place all your frustration on someone in the company. Regardless of the feeling, allow yourself to feel it before sending out resumes or posting warm opinions on social media.
Chat with colleagues
Other people in the field or on the team can help put reality into perspective. Whether pointing out the difficulties in the sector in which it operates, or the problems the company faces, or even consoling and offering support.
Talk to your peers and take the opportunity to expand your contact network and establish new professional connections.
I was fired, what now?
To begin with, take care of your mental health so that these feelings are not paralyzing, preventing you from starting the search for a new opportunity. Consult a professional if necessary, but make sure this does not stop you from proceeding. So, see our tips for starting over:
Plan your finances
Money is always a concern and, without an unstable income, financial problems can arise. Therefore, carry out financial planning taking into account essential expenses during the month, as well as expenses related to the search for work, such as transportation to interviews, for example.
Having more control over your disposable income, this no longer becomes a problem and it becomes easier to focus on finding a new job.
Make a career plan
Before sending out CVs and applying for jobs, take advantage of this period to rethink your goals and draw up a career strategy. You may be completely satisfied with the direction of the profession, but it is also an opportunity to explore new areas, understand what paths are available and even change areas.
Research the salaries and sectors with the best opportunities, see what types of specializations and skills are most requested and work on the issues that you believe you should improve in your skills.
Improve your knowledge
This can also be a good time to complement your education, looking for free language courses or even specialization courses such as post distance learning, which will help to increase your CV, delve deeper into specific topics and become a more qualified professional.
To discover how to deal with dismissal, you need to not despair, know how to recognize your own qualities and continue looking for new opportunities. Good luck!