Asking The Tough Questions

Though you may feel like a victim after being laid off or fired, it’s important to realize that you have control over your destiny. This problem can be turned into an opportunity.

One important step in moving forward and making the right choice is to do some self-examination regarding your job loss. According to Bradley Richardson, managing partner with recruiting firm Kaye/Bassman International and author of Career Comeback: Eight Steps to Getting Back on Your Feet When You’re Fired, Laid Off, or Your Business Venture Has Failed—and Finding More Job Satisfaction Then Ever Before, the first 30 days are about being yourself and asking yourself hard questions about your old job.

“Be completely authentic,” Richardson advises. “I really believe that being yourself revolves around looking at yourself in the mirror and asking, ‘Was this my fault? Was there something I could have done to prevent this? Did I work hard enough and smart enough? Did I play the game? Was I not thorough enough? Did bad habits from the past plague me?’ Saying, ‘Was this something I could have corrected, and if so, how can I correct that in the future?’ ”

Write down your answers to these questions in your notebook or journal and keep them in mind for your career search. You may determine that your last job was not the right one for you. If that’s the case, don’t get discouraged—there’s an even better fit out there for you. Remember, you’re a successful person and a great employee. If you work on yourself and figure out what you need to do, as well as what you need to succeed in a job, you’re more likely to find the right fit for you.