Blog: 5 ways to make Getting Fired work for you

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5 ways to make Getting Fired work for you

Getting fired is not the end of the world. Here are a few guidelines to help you make the most of getting fired and moving on to your next gig.
5 ways to make Getting Fired work for you

“You’re fired!”

These words can change your world in an instance. For your own sake - relax. Things may have changed, but it’s not the end of the world. It was just a job. Take a deep breath, and just start over again to get your next job. 

The biggest concern one has after getting fired is the process of job-hunting afterwards. The good thing is that things and people are changing. Getting fired used to be a big deal long time ago. Now, it’s just a matter of your employer telling you to look for another means of livelihood before you got to tell them that you’re out.

Here are a few guidelines to help you make the most of getting fired and moving on to your next gig.

Be polite and ask for a reference

Depending  on the reasons of your dismissal, try and get a reference from your company. If the reasons were beyond anyone’s control, they are likely to give you a good reference, provided you are polite and own up to those reasons provided to you, even if you don’t agree with them. Let them know that you are thankful for your tenure with them, and that you learnt valuable business and life lessons in their employment. If you leave on a positive note, your former employers are less likely to speak negatively for you to anyone.

Ask a friendly manager for a reference

Try to get a reference from a supervisor, a manager from another department you worked with, or a well-established and respected veteran of your field if your former company isn’t keen on giving you a reference. Even if the person is willing to speak good about you on telephone, that would be fine. Just don’t push them to give you a formal letter of reference.

Stay focused

Taking a break from work to travel or do something else might seem tempting, but it’s important to stay focused and not allow a gap creep into your employment record. Evaluate yourself to see if you need to update your technical or academic skills and enroll immediately. If you have the contacts to help you, try your hand at a consulting gig for a while until you land your next job.

Be honest with yourself and quit

If you are dissatisfied with your job, it will show in your performance and your supervisors will notice that change. So before they take action and fire you, it’s better to honestly assess your motivations or lack thereof to continue with your present job. But don’t be hasty about it. Plan it out, look for a new position and talk to your boss about it. No one’s going to fire you for wanting to quit because you know your performance has dipped.

Be very careful with your words

Never speak negatively of your previous organization or supervisors. You may have had a difference of opinion with them, but the words you choose to describe it will make a lot of difference in your future job prospects. Instead of saying that you ‘didn’t get along’ or ‘creative differences’, try saying, “It was an unfortunate situation and they made a decision about it  before I did. I had some concerns and I should have expressed them better, but I got to learn something from the experience nonetheless.”

Getting fired is not so much of a taboo if you take the right steps. Every closed door sends a new window of opportunity in your direction. Yes, getting fired can be a grueling experience, but it rests on you to make it work in your favour.

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