The crisis is unpredictable. And it seemed that just yesterday nothing threatened you at your workplace, but today your bosses announce a layoff and you are fired. It is clear that this is serious stress, but you should not consider yourself an unlucky person, become despondent and curse fate. You need to gather strength and show character in order to get out of the situation, maintaining as much health and self-esteem as possible, and not doing anything stupid in a state of shock, resentment and irritation.

And there will certainly be a shock, even if you intuitively felt the possibility of dismissal. This is due to the fact that you are faced with the need to change your life, because losing your job will definitely require this. That's why it's so important to keep your emotions and your actions under control when you're told you're being fired. If you do not have the opportunity to somehow influence such a decision, then you need to leave calmly and without unnecessary unnecessary words.

If you are suddenly asked to sign a resignation letter or a document that causes you doubts, ask for time to think. By law, the employer must notify you of dismissal at least 2 months in advance, in addition, you are entitled to compensation. It is also impossible to dismiss a pregnant woman from her job due to layoffs, as well as a young mother who has children under three years of age.

You can express your overwhelming emotions at home, among people close to you who will understand you and will not judge you. Surely you will want to complain, quarrel, and accuse of injustice - do it within the walls of your home. This release will help you look at the situation more calmly, analyze it and outline a plan of action.

You will really need the acquired calmness when you begin to take steps in finding a new job, because, keeping resentment, bitterness, and irritation in your soul, it will be difficult for you to concentrate on interviews and even be objective towards yourself. In addition, such feelings are difficult to hide, and employers, first of all, need stress-resistant employees.

If your family or friends offer you help in finding a job, do not refuse. It is very good that there are people next to you who are ready to help and support.

As for the company that is firing you, you need to part ways with it, at least calmly, so you can try to negotiate, for example, a later date for dismissal. This will be quite possible if you are carrying out some long-term work and are able to convincingly explain to your superiors that it is you who must complete it. And you will need the gained time to find a new job.

In addition, you should not forget about compensation: by law, the employer is obliged to pay you a salary for 2 months if you have not found a new job during this period. In addition, do not forget that the company must pay you for unused vacation for the entire period of work. So make sure this is done.

You can talk to your boss about keeping your place, but on a part-time basis - often a company that is forced to make a big reduction has difficulties, and they use the services of previous employees so as not to look for and train new ones.

You can also find out if there is a workplace in another division of the same company. Even if you are offered a lower salary during the transition, you should not immediately refuse indignantly - the important thing is that you will have income until you find a new job.

In addition, if you behave calmly in this situation, you will be able to turn to your former boss with a request for recommendations and characteristics - this will help you with a new job. Moreover, it is possible that your boss will be able to recommend you to his friends and other companies.

What if the day finally comes when you don’t need to rush to work? Organize your life during the period of forced unemployment. First of all, make a budget for the year, in which you take into account all the necessary expenses: utility bills, medical care, food, car, clothing. Now calculate what savings you have and the income that may arrive in the near future.

Now try to cut costs as much as possible. Think about what you can give up. Maybe change your car to a cheaper one or start using public transport? You can change your mobile tariff, find a cheaper Internet provider, or refuse some purchases.

If you have outstanding loans, contact the bank and discuss the situation with a consultant, because any bank is interested in getting at least some money from you, and therefore may agree to concessions, for example, temporarily reducing loan payments or even by some amount. - time to freeze them.

If you have the opportunity to get at least a temporary job, do not neglect it - even if you don’t really like it, you can hold out without losses for some time until you find a permanent place.

And, of course, without wasting time, immediately start looking for a new job. In order not to miss a single opportunity, mark for yourself what you would like to find, that is, what you are good at and love to do. But in the same way, list those items that are impossible for you, for example, business trips, etc. And, of course, determine for yourself the minimum wage that you need to maintain your previous standard of living.

Perhaps fate is giving you a chance to change your profession, so try yourself in something that interests you, but is not your main profession. If the specialty you're interested in requires additional knowledge, consider studying a little. Even a one-day training can become an impetus for major changes.

Just because you don’t have to rush to work every day doesn’t mean you can afford to completely relax and lead a free lifestyle. On the contrary, you need to be even more collected than always, so everyone start by making a plan for the necessary things to do and strictly follow it. Constantly read advertisements about vacancies in the media, on the Internet, send your resume to all addresses that seem at least somewhat relevant to your interests, call potential employers, go to all interviews. When communicating with friends, talk about the fact that you are looking for a job - it is very important to be in the right place at the right time, because “His Majesty chance” can turn up at any moment.

Be sure to maintain relationships with friends and relatives, lead a healthy lifestyle, that is, get some fresh air, eat normally, and under no circumstances turn your life into a tragedy. Moreover, use your job search time to relax, improve your health and gain strength for further activities.

Pay great attention to preparing for interviews: rehearse answers to the most common questions. During the interview, try not to be nervous, and do not consider each interview as your last chance - this is just another opportunity, of which you will have plenty in the future. Answer questions openly about why you were fired from your previous job, and try to focus on what you can and want to do for the company so that the employer chooses you.

And, of course, don’t stop believing in luck. It is self-confidence and calmness that will be the very qualities that, when choosing a candidate for an open vacancy, all other things being equal, will give an advantage in your favor.

Getting laid off is one of the most difficult experiences you can face in your career. As a current coach, I have personally witnessed the shock, grief and anxiety that comes with this. Getting laid off can cause helplessness and self-doubt in the form of a frightening loss of control and the voice of a merciless inner critic - especially if your colleagues have kept their jobs.

Your perception determines how successfully you will move into the next phase of your career and life. Although getting fired is a temporary blow, it won't ruin your career if you understand how to control how you feel about it.

In my work with executives who have been laid off, I have seen some of them pick themselves up, move forward, and finally succeed, while others get stuck in a cycle of anger and self-blame. Destructive thinking patterns keep them in the swamp of failures, making them unable to regain their footing and decide on their future. Below, I offer three ways to quiet your inner critic, increase your resilience to stress, and stay productive after you quit.

Keep a positive attitude. To recover from failure, stop endlessly repeating the same things in your head. This adds to problems rather than helps solve them. Mindset influences recovery after layoffs. Let me give you an example of the stories of two 50-year-old men with whom I worked. Let's call them Owen and Bob.

Owen took the news of his dismissal hard, even though it was the result of a merger and was not based on his performance. He continued to blame himself, wondering, “How could I not see where this was going? I’m not fit for science and I’ll never have another job in my fifties.” Instead of thinking about his future plans, Owen spent his time torturing himself and randomly browsing through job openings, becoming more and more frustrated. When Owen came to see me a few months after his dismissal, he was already struggling to get out of bed in the morning. He could not get rid of self-criticism, constantly blamed himself for losing his job, while some colleagues kept it, and as a result he slipped into depression.

Bob also experienced being fired, but he acted differently. After the initial shock of the news, he updated his resume and LinkedIn page to show that he was looking for a job and began to systematically connect with his audience. Despite the stress of being temporarily unemployed, he constantly reminded himself, “I have skills in marketing, and now is the right opportunity to take advantage of it to explore my career opportunities.” Within a few weeks, Bob had identified potential job opportunities. More than thirty of his friends agreed to help him find a job.

The key difference between Owen's and Bob's stories is not that one is doing better than the other after being fired. Initially, both were equally upset about losing their jobs. But, unlike Owen, Bob focused on controlling the situation and did not engage in constant self-criticism.

Don't let negative thoughts take over. After being fired, it's completely normal to find yourself in the grip of anger and self-deprecation, and these feelings can live in your head for a long time. Being aware of the feelings that accompany a layoff is important, but it's also important to pay attention to what you tell yourself and determine whether your feelings are helping or hindering your goals. By questioning your inner critic, you can stop the harmful cycle of self-blame that is holding you back from moving forward.

Here are some examples of common negative thoughts paired with questions you can ask yourself to help you face the future.

Thought:“I could have done more and prevented the layoff.”

Question:“What reason do you have to believe that I could have prevented the dismissal?”

Thought:“Firing will result in loss of skills or some other disadvantage.”

Question:“Why am I sure that this will lead to a deterioration in my abilities?”

Thought:“I was unlucky enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

Question:“What could make my job unclaimed?”

Thought:“This is a misfortune from which I will never be able to recover.”

Question:“What career opportunities am I currently available to explore?”

Shift your attention from disadvantages to advantages. Typically, after losing your job, you try to figure out what you did wrong and reflect on all sorts of miscalculations. By focusing on your weaknesses, you are more likely to forget or minimize your strengths.

To replace a demotivating approach with a more positive one, look at your entire career. If you're just starting out, think back to your educational experiences so far. The purpose of this exercise is to find out what professional and personal failures you have already experienced and what problems you have overcome on the way to your current position. Remember how you suffered through another difficult situation that you eventually overcame.

With this in mind, ask yourself the following questions.

• What strengths have you used to solve your problems?
• What have you learned about yourself in the process of overcoming challenges?
• How can you leverage your strengths at this transitional stage in your career?

In stress resistance training, developed by psychologists at the University of Pennsylvania for the US Army, participants teamed up and carried out difficult combat missions using developed team skills. After you quit, you can use the same approach by looking back at situations in which you persevered in the past.

With the right mindset and proactive questioning, getting fired is more likely to be an opportunity to succeed than to end in failure. The ability to set your course in life, choose the angle from which you view a situation, and develop a mindful attitude toward your strengths are just a few of the unexpected benefits that await you after you deal with the baggage of anger and frustration. As a former client of mine said when starting a new job: “If only I had known if I was unemployed, I would be so happy a year later.”

In this article we will talk about how to survive being fired from your job. Almost every person has encountered this problem at least once in their life. And coping with this is not always easy, especially if you liked the work and put a lot of effort into it. The approaching retirement age may complicate matters. So, what to do and how not to allow yourself to give up?

Reasons for leaving work

We list those specialists who may be at risk:

• Workers who stop there, who do not improve their qualifications, do not improve their skills.
• The results of the employee’s activities are not noticed by anyone.
• People who believe that they do not depend on anyone.
• Employees who surround themselves with henchmen and ignore constructive criticism.
• People who don't get along well with coworkers.
• Those who refuse to mention their career achievements.

Consequences of dismissal

What can you expect if you are fired from your job? The first thing you will experience is shock and stress. The familiar world around a person collapses, acquaintances remain in the past, and self-esteem plummets. Often, a large number of layoffs occur in crisis situations, at a time when management seeks to retain only the most valuable and promising employees. And this leads to the fact that a person who finds himself in such a situation begins to get into his head the thoughts that he is worse than everyone, that he is unable to achieve anything in life, etc.

You can’t get hung up on this, you need to distract yourself from gloomy thoughts. Think about the fact that everything is relative, because some are better at one thing, and others at another. Don't forget that this failure can be the beginning of something new.

Now let’s take a closer look at two great ways to cope with depression and start looking for a new job.

First way

How to cope with the stress of being fired? Psychologists have long proven that the emotional state of a fired person is comparable to the feelings that people experience after betrayal or divorce. Therefore, the consequences, especially for those with a weak psyche, can be very severe, ranging from depression and insomnia to nervous breakdowns. To survive a layoff and stay healthy, you need to follow the tips we present below.

Where to start? Step one

How to survive being fired from your job? First you need to go through the main stages of stress, of which there are four:

• Denial phase. A state of shock when it is very difficult to comprehend what is happening around.
• Anger phase. The first emotion appears - aggression. A person is constantly in a state of irritation, angry at loved ones and relatives, himself, fate, life.
• Bargaining phase. Trying to get back to work by doing something meaningful. For example, bring a new client or prepare a report.
• Depression phase. The person realizes that all attempts to return are futile.

Step two

We continue to describe the algorithm for how to survive being fired from your job. So, we stopped at the stage of depression. You can’t push your negative emotions inside yourself, you need to learn to throw them out. To do this you need to choose a suitable method. A gym is a good choice for this purpose. Practice with a punching bag, imagining a boss or an ill-wisher in its place, organize a marathon race, splashing out aggression in movement.

Under no circumstances should you isolate yourself from your loved ones. Tell your friends about your experience. Once you speak out, it will become much easier. Gradually, the circumstances of the dismissal will begin to be remembered less and less clearly, and emotions will dull.

Step three

Remember, if you were fired from your job, it’s not the end of the world, because life goes on. However, the negative stages of stress can last for several weeks. Don't let them stay with you for long. You can use a special psychological technique called “Alarm Clock”. Mentally you need to “wind up” your internal clock for a certain day. When the alarm clock goes off, start taking action.

If you managed to survive the phase of negative emotions, then get ready for the acceptance stage. During this period, you will be able to analyze your behavior and understand what caused the dismissal. This will allow you to comprehend what is happening and help you begin to act further.

You need to make a list of the positive aspects that being fired brought into your life. For example, you got rid of your boss’s nagging or co-workers’ nagging.

Step four

You were fired from your job. What to do? Abstract from emotions and analyze the recorded reasons for dismissal point by point. Do not take seriously such aspects as the crisis, staff reduction, harmful boss, etc. Be honest with yourself, and perhaps you will understand that you have long unconsciously wanted to quit this job.

Then think about what profession is closest to you and what you would really like to do. On a piece of paper, write down the knowledge and skills that are required for the chosen job. Mark the skills you don't have and start filling in the gaps in your education.

Step five

There are many ways to survive being fired. The psychologist's advice convinces us of one thing - as soon as the stress has passed and it becomes clear what you want next, you need to start looking for a new job. And here you cannot limit yourself to one way. You need to use everything possible - advertisements, websites, friends, employment services, etc.

During your search, try to maintain the daily routine that was before your dismissal - stay awake, have breakfast and dinner, do things at the same time. This will help keep yourself in good shape and not relax. Treat your search for a new job as an exam.

Second way: do not forget about formalities

Let's consider another option on how to survive being fired from your job. Depression is possible in any case. However, you can shift your attention a little to the formal side of the matter.

After the first emotional shock, thoughts will begin to appear that being fired will ruin your work record and put an end to your career. We need to immediately drive away these ideas. Do not try on the role of a supplicant and do not tremble in front of the director. You still have nothing more to lose, so try to figure it out. Be sure to find out the reason for dismissal. Don't forget about your rights and labor laws. You cannot be thrown out of the door without a means of subsistence. Don't let your employer profit from this either.

Be sure to control your emotions. Don't let self-pity take over, try to remain calm. During conversations with management, do not make threats or get personal. The discussion should be conducted in strictly business language. Study the Labor Code in advance (dismissal and everything connected with it, in particular) and select the paragraphs of the law to which you will refer. Behave with dignity. A bad relationship with a former employer can complicate the search for a new job, as management may be reluctant to provide references.

Don't look at being fired as a failure of your entire life. Try to see this as an opportunity to start over. In addition, in your old place you acquired certain skills and experience that will be useful in later life.

Dismissal of a pensioner

How can a pensioner survive dismissal? After all, people of this age are more vulnerable in such a situation. Often retirees devote a lot of effort to the enterprise and are attached to it with all their hearts. For them, work has long become an integral and very important part of life. Therefore, it is much more difficult for them to cope with depression.

Were you fired from your job after retirement? What to do? Typically, retirees still have many friends from their service. Don't forget about them and shut yourself off. Support from loved ones can help. Remember that retirement is an excellent opportunity to live for your own pleasure. You have a lot of time that you can spend on yourself and your hobbies - take walks more often, find yourself a hobby.

Advice from a psychologist for pensioners and people of pre-retirement age

The worst thing to lose a job is for those who have very little time left before retirement. The reasons for leaving a job may vary, but you need to make sure that they are legal.

By this time, a person has accumulated vast experience, perfected his skills and is well versed in his field, but employers prefer to hire young people. This situation is especially difficult for women.

At an older age, they no longer think about what field they want to work in, since everything has already been decided long ago and it is too late to change anything. You need to analyze your skills and knowledge, and then determine the industry where they may be most in demand. You can find a suitable vacancy with the help of neighbors, acquaintances and even former colleagues. The latter are especially valuable in this regard, as they continue to move in the right professional circles.

You also need to pay attention to your appearance. During the interview, you should be friendly and confident. At the same time, you need to be prepared for refusal. You can hear “no” many times, so there is no need to despair and fall into the blues. Try not to lose your fighting spirit and remember the power of persuasion.

Today, the main requirement for a potential employee is the ability to work on a computer. Therefore, you will have to master this skill if you are applying for a good position.

TK: dismissal. Legislative framework

Any dismissal must be based on Article 80 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation. Be sure to familiarize yourself with this law and read all the amendments that have been made to it.

If the case is complex, then it would be useful to contact a lawyer. You must make sure that everything is happening according to the law and the boss is not trying to deceive you by not paying the required compensation. In a stressful situation, people rarely think about the legal side of the matter, as they are in a phase of denial or anger. And when emotions become dull, it is too late to demand something. If you yourself cannot understand the legal intricacies, turn to your loved ones for help.