Losing your job can be an extremely traumatic experience. For many, it’s the same as losing a person close to them; the change in routine and the sudden uncertainty can be extremely hard to bear. If you’re going through this, then don’t worry; you’re not alone. Many other people report experiencing feelings of depression or anxiety after losing their job, and this is totally normal. However, there are positive steps that you can take to help yourself and try to get things back on track if this unfortunate change of circumstances does occur. Here’s what you should do if you lose your job in 2022.
Make sure you’ve got enough money to survive
The first thing you need to do if you lose your job is make sure that you’ve got enough money to weather a few months of not having a consistent income. It can be jarring to adjust to having little to no money coming into your account after being accustomed to seeing the balance jump every month, but it’s sadly a necessary adjustment you’ll have to make. In certain circumstances, options like a £2500 loan to tide you over might help, but be aware that this isn’t always a good solution depending on how easy it will be for you to make repayments.
Update your CV
Whether you call it a CV or a resumé, the document that contains your employment history and your education needs to be updated as soon as you lose your job. It needs to reflect your change in circumstances, because employers might start asking questions if they notice gaps on your CV. You can also take this opportunity to comb the document for any potential errors or inconsistencies that need to be rectified; after all, it’s probably been quite a long time since you last looked at your CV, and updating it regularly is a good idea whether or not you lose your job.
Talk to your friends and family
During a traumatic and difficult time like a job loss, it’s important to keep up your regular lines of communication. Talk to your friends and family and make sure they know what you’re going through. They might also be able to help with your finances, so keep them in the loop and tell them if you’re having trouble getting by. If nothing else, they can provide emotional support, and you never know where a potential job opportunity might come from, either, so there’s no downside to making sure your friends and family are always on your side.
Start looking for new jobs immediately
The longer you delay looking for a new job, the more time it’s going to take you to get back on your feet. Obviously, it’s painful to move on so quickly from your past life, but delaying isn’t going to help you get your job back, so it’s important to start looking for new opportunities as soon as you can. Set aside some time each day to look for a new job, combing the listings and postings available online. Eventually, you’re bound to find something that you can apply for, and if you don’t find anything one day, then you might well find something the next.
Start learning new skills
A job loss could be just the opportunity you’ve been waiting for to learn a new skill. If you’re not seeing any potential employment opportunities out there for you, then it might be time to either retrain or to refocus your current approach. Why not learn a new skill adjacent to your job so that you can expand your repertoire? If you’ve got some money squirrelled away, then now could be a good time to take up a course, perhaps in an area you’ve always wanted to be involved in. If you’re not doing so well financially, then consider online tutorials or learning from friends if you have any willing to teach you.
Do some volunteer work
If you’ve got time and the inclination, it’s a good idea to pursue some volunteer work while you’re looking for a regular job. Volunteer work can be a massive boost to your CV, and it’s also a good way to reintegrate yourself into the community after a seismic change like a job loss. Be sure to pick positions that feed into your skills; that way, you can further your experience, and you can also be much more useful to the volunteer organisation you’re working with. You never know what kind of networking opportunities you might encounter as a volunteer, either!
Claim benefits
Many countries around the world offer unemployment benefits or some kind of similar financial aid for anyone who has lost their job. As soon as you receive the news that you won’t be working at your current position anymore, it’s a good idea to start looking into what kind of benefits you could be entitled to. You never know what you might be able to claim, especially if you have a family or dependents that you’re looking after. Even a small amount each month can help you if you’re having trouble getting back on your feet, so don’t neglect this part of the job search!
Brush up on your interview technique
As well as rebuilding your CV, you should also make sure that your interview technique is up to par. Again, it’s probably been quite a long time since you had to sit through a job interview, so you might be a little rusty. Practise interviewing with a friend or family member. Try thinking of some of the most common questions you might be asked during a job interview, and come up with some answers for those questions. You can’t anticipate every question, of course, but the more armed with great answers you are, the better a chance you’ll stand at your next interview!