LHH's John Morgan told Business Insider that the most important takeaway for job seekers is that Changing jobs is something “completely normal”.
“People are leaving companies, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, and looking for something else,” explained Morgan, who is president of a talent consulting firm responsible for career transformation and mobility, and leadership development and coaching.
Whether you've been retrenched, laid off, or decided to leave, experts say what comes next should be approached essentially the same. The way your last job ended doesn't have to define your career or ruin your chances of finding a new position.
Business Insider talked to three career coaches and an employment lawyer about the best steps to take after being fired:
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Don't act on the spur of the moment
Being fired often comes with strong emotions, and it's not worth letting them take over during the first interview.
Alan Stein, CEO of the career consulting company Kadima Careers, was fired several times and – as he himself admitted – he handled some of these situations incorrectly.
“I was fired many times and said some stupid things,” Stein said.
His general advice is: “leave on good terms, even if you are angry.”
— You don't want to burn bridges. The industry is too small and karma exists, so don't let emotions get the better of you, Stein added.
Natalie Lemons, an executive recruitment and career transition consultant, told Business Insider that it's worth taking the time to review documents and understand the terms of the severance package, especially when you're in a strong emotional state.
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Give yourself time to process your emotions — but not too much
Before you begin your next job search, it is important to work through the loss of employment.
“Often, whether it's a mass layoff or an individual layoff, we almost go through five stages of grief,” said Stacey Perkins, associate principal and career and leadership coach at Korn Ferry.
If you've been fired, Perkins told Business Insider, it's important to reflect on what happened and what you can learn from it. If the reason was behavioral issues, for example, you don't want to carry it over to the next role.
At the same time, Perkins warns against dwelling on the layoff for too long.
— We don't want to get stuck in this — she said, adding that it is important to surround yourself with supportive people or work with a career coach.
Stein emphasized that while time to process emotions is needed, it should be within a “defined framework.”
Otherwise, he said, “you will suffer endlessly until you start making progress.”
He suggested giving yourself about 30 days to process what happened. In his opinion, a month is better than six — or 45 minutes, which, as he admitted, he once gave himself before starting to look for a new job.
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Create a job search plan
After giving yourself time to grieve the loss of your job, it's a good idea to create a plan – similar to what you would make after a typical downsizing. It includes searching for new opportunities, updating your LinkedIn profile and polishing your CV.
It's also worth contacting your network of contacts. In an increasingly competitive market flooded with AI-generated applications, networking has become a key element of the job search process.
Since artificial intelligence is already changing the job market, you may also consider this a good opportunity to change your career direction. In this case, it is worth using this time to take courses or certificates needed to make such a change.
Be prepared to talk about what happened
Getting laid off doesn't mean you have to treat it as a taboo topic in future interviews – but you should practice how you talk about the reasons for leaving your previous position.
The good news is that in most cases your former employer won't reveal much information. Amy Epstein Gluck, founding partner and head of labor, employment and benefits law at Pierson Ferdinand LLP, said HR may be asked to confirm dates of employment and position, and in some cases, whether the company would rehire the employee.
She added that many companies strictly limit themselves to providing dates and job titles because providing negative information may expose them to defamation claims.
“You never know what a disgruntled former employee will do,” Epstein Gluck said, adding that she advises her clients not to answer such questions.
Even if it's unlikely that an employer will reveal whether they would hire you again, you should still have a plan for how to talk about your last job in job interviews. There's no point in lying, but there's also no need to explain in detail why you were fired.
LHH's Morgan said candidates should look to the future when talking about why they left their last job.
— It's usually a great idea to say, “I was just looking for something different, something more in line with my aspirations.” Morgan said.
Perkins added that job seekers should refrain from criticizing their previous employer and avoid going into too much detail about why they left their previous position.
— The more details you provide, the more it sounds like you are trying to hide something Perkins said.
The above text is a translation from American edition of Business Insider
