It can get tricky if you have legal precautions to take, especially if you’ve fallen victim to workplace harassment and the aftermath is interfering with your personal life.
If you’ve got a load of employment baggage to carry and you’re not sure how to take the weight off, here’s some tips on what to do moving forward to make a firm comeback into the workforce, without jeopardising your status.
Reflection is Key
Initial reactions to involuntary job loss can be overwhelming, so it is important that you can clear your head and assess what your next moves are. You have to put your ego aside and think rationally about what your mistakes were to ensure you learn how to avoid making them again. Without over-correcting, how can you go about it differently next time? What skills did you end up learning on the job that could’ve helped avoid the problem?
Are You a Loyal Worker?
The biggest obstacle you will face once you’ve been fired is figuring out how to work your way around new interviews. If you’ve been in a job for quite some time, this can save you when it comes to giving your new employer a reason for your departure from your old job. Creating a reputable status for yourself in your previous job shows that you’re credible and that a change of pace was simply needed for professional and personal progression. Remember that you don’t need to tell employers your life story. Keep the details to a minimum and maintain professionalism. Show you have actually learnt something from the experience.
Don’t Bag Your Employer
This is a follow-up tip and it applies to both the moment you receive news of your dismissal, and after during interactions. Be aware of who you disclose information to as you never know the connections a friend of a friend may have, and most importantly, you may be breaching protocol if you mention details that are confidential about your incident. Fun fact; even with background checks, HR departments are unable to access your performance records or reasons for dismissal, so word of mouth is your only set back.
Don’t Stop till You Get… A New Job
As much as it will feel like a massive mental and physical hurdle, it is important to keep your eyes peeled for a new job as soon as possible. While time off is needed, especially depending on the severity of how you were let go, landing that next job will always take longer than you think. Taking a long break off work will not only look bad on your resume, but will postpone your momentum as a worker.
Seek Advice
Depending on the circumstance of your redundancy, you may just be able to seek compensation and even the playing ground. It may seem like additional work when you’re in a state of doubt, but there are free services available that will assist you in ensuring you have not been unfairly dismissed. Potential advantages include getting your official status changed from dismissed to a resignation, and potential financial compensation may apply under economic hardship situations. A simple call to Fair Work can go a long way.
P.S: While you should put your employment history on your resume, don’t put your old employer as a reference. Choose someone wisely who will speak highly of you.
Involuntarily job loss can be a major stress, potentially even traumatic, but there are proactive ways to go about dealing with your situation that will help you move on!