You’ve been sacked – what now?
You probably feel pretty awful, you’ve been sacked, what do you do now. Well the first thing you have to do is give yourself some time to process what has happened, you can’t change anything, but you have to move forward, here are some tips on how you can do this.
Put what has happened into perspective
This takes time but after you’ve had time to process the setback, you will be able to see the bigger picture. You may even come to realise that the job wasn’t for you and maybe that’s why you were not performing. After licking your wounds you can use what has happened as a learning process and will be able to work on your weak points. In a nutshell, feel all the emotions and then use the experience to do better in your next job.
Move on and work at getting a new job
Whatever you do don’t sit at home and mope. Get looking for a new job immediately. A new job is just the thing you need to help you regain your confidence and self worth so get moving. Register with Agencies get searching job portals and get your CV out there. The quicker you are in a new job the better, the longer you leave it the harder it will be and you could find yourself as one of the long term unemployed.
Look at why you were sacked
Okay I know this is maybe the last thing you feel like doing but it can be a massive benefit. If your last employer found your actions, behaviour or attitude niggly enough to sack you then it’s likely the next one will too. So take your faults on board and try to learn from them as best you can. If you were lazy, careless or unorganised make sure you work on ways to be a better employee next time round. Getting the sack once if forgivable, twice could make you unemployable.
Be confident and self-assured
When it comes to an interview you’ve got this! Do not let the last job dull your sparkle or make you feel any less confident because self-belief goes a long way during the recruitment process. If you show up reserved and lacking confidence or conversation then you are not going to get the job. Believe you are the best person for the position and the employer will believe so too.
Know what you want
Getting the sack can be life-changing. You may even realise you do not want to continue your career in that particular field. Maybe it is the time to re-evaluate your position and decide where you are going to be happy moving forward. You are not going to be happy on job seekers allowance for the rest of your life so maybe you need to look at whether now is the right time to change direction. Could it be you need to return to education and change your career direction. Only you know the answer to this.
Telling a prospective employer you were sacked
Believe me this won’t be the first time your prospective employer has heard this and it won’t be the last. Remember people other than you do get sacked. Explain that the setback is only a small part or your story and explain how you have learnt and grown from it. By doing this you will show huge maturity as a person. It’s important not to bad-mouth the Company who sacked you or show you hold ill-feelings towards them. This is casting the blame on them and not accepting the blame yourself which will put an employer off.
What about getting a reference
Don’t assume you won’t be able to get references from your employer if they have sacked you. This is why it is important not to burn bridges. If things did end on bad terms and you feel unable to approach them then it is best to be honest about this in your interview. Give other referees i.e.: a previous employer, someone who knows you well or possibly an ex teacher. You must know someone who will give you a reference!
Coping with rejection
It maybe that you will have to work harder than ever before to get your next job. Getting the sack without doubt is a black mark against your name. It is not unsurmountable but it will take hard work and determination. Expect a lot of “no”s before you get a yes. Employers will be wary of you, they will have experienced it in the past but they will still have reservations. Keep pushing and you will succeed, don’t put in the effort and you will be unemployed for a long time.
You are not a failure
If you fail in one job you have not failed in life. You need to get out of this mindset, dust yourself off and get out there. Whatever you do don’t sink into a depression. Now is the time which you have to believe in yourself, dig deep and get on with it. So you’ve mucked up, as long as you learn from it I promise you it won’t be the end of the world. Believe in yourself, you have not failed, what has happened is a life experience you can learn from.
Be more aware in your next role
Usually there will be signs that your employer is not happy with you, make sure in your next position you lookout for these signals. There are a few red flags that show things are not good as far as the employer is concerned. You are having a lot of time off sick, you are late on many occasions, you are struggling with the workload, you are making mistakes or you are having conflict with your co-workers. All of these things can be resolved as long as you recognise them and work at improving these areas.
No-one wants to be sacked, but it does happen unless you are working for a really, really awful Company who hire and fire people willy-nilly, and believe me there are very few of these around, then it is usually your fault. We all make mistakes in life, it’s how we get over them that is important. You’ve been sacked! Move on, learn from your mistakes and make a wonderful career for yourself.
Good luck.
Angela Burton