I lost my job, what now?

5 min | Travis O'Rourke | Article | Job search

A man wearing a blue shirt holds his head and looks into his laptop with a troubled look.

Join this reading with good advice on what to do if you have lost your job and how to regain your place in the market in the shortest possible time.

How to survive after losing a job?

Many times we have a feeling of fear for maybe being fired, so we end up finding ourselves without many outlets, taken by the dislocation of going through this moment.

How to survive in the scenario of being unprepared?

There are several strategies that can help you at this time. It takes awareness and discipline. Here are some tips that can help you through this delicate time:

1. Organize your finances

Prioritize your payments, focusing on essential bills. Remember that this is a temporary situation, and this organization will help you get through this time in the best possible way. 

2. The importance of letting go

Adopting minimalist thinking can be something that goes beyond lifestyle, it can be a real necessity. Stop and reflect, making a list of the things you really need in your daily life. If your routines can continue without some kind of product or service, step away for a while. 

3. Renegotiate your debts

If you have debts, it is very important that you inform your creditors about the moment you are living. Consult the possibilities and reach the best possible agreement, after all, unforeseen events happen and, one of the most annoying, is losing your job. 

Preparing your resume? Check this: 4 steps to an error free resume | Hays Canada

Mental health after losing your job:

We are human and simply talking about doing A or B to keep up with the bills is not going to do us any good mentally. We need to take special care of ourselves, not just in terms of health, but in terms of expectations and the whole emotional side.

1. Accept the phase

Thinking about negative things will only make the situation worse, so understand that it's a phase and it will pass. Talk to friends, open up to your family, try to relate and reconnect with people.

2. Reconnect with what matters to you

Do good things for you. Walk around town, visit people you haven't seen in a long time, distract yourself with their hobbies. Mental health is extremely important at this stage, so don't get discouraged, improve your qualities and don't let your skills rust. Remember, it's temporary.

3. Put health in your routine

With the hustle and bustle of everyday life, sometimes we don't have much time to take care of our health. At this point, remember that being healthy is essential! Create an exercise routine, organize your free time and establish leisure activities. 

Read more: How to explain resume gaps in an interview

Returning to the labour market after a job loss

Losing a job is something that usually affects all professionals. Still, it is important to stay motivated and return to the job market in a new career opportunity. To achieve the dream replacement, here are some valuable tips:

Use your free time to your advantage

Take advantage of the fact that you have a little more free time and use it to your advantage. Update your resume, use clever methods, look to innovate and prove your importance. There are several lifestyle tricks that increase your concentration, productivity, energy and joy.

Register your resume on major websites

An important tip is to register your CV on our site. This tip really helps a lot when it comes to finding a new job.

Focus on the right vacancies

Don't waste time sending CVs for jobs that don't fit your profile - this kind of attitude diverts your attention from the next dream job you're about to conquer! While focusing on vacancies with your profile, remember to study the tips to havea successful technical interview.

Update your LinkedIn profile

Nowadays, LinkedIn is an increasingly important tool when it comes to finding a new job opportunity. For this reason, we have prepared a complete guide with the best tips to have a successful profile.

You can download the resume template here: Download and edit our free resume template | Hays Canada


About this author

Travis O'Rourke
President of Hays Canada & CCO, Hays Americas

Travis is a Marketing graduate from Fanshawe College and was the 2023 recipient of their Distinguished Alumni Award. He joined Hays after holding various leadership roles elsewhere in the Canadian staffing industry. Travis setup and established Hays' outsourced talent solutions business and played an integral role in building Hays’ temporary and contract divisions throughout Canada. Initially joining Hays with a deep background in Technology, he holds extensive cross functional knowledge to provide clients with talent solutions in Financial Services, Energy, Mining, Manufacturing, Retail, and the Public Sector.

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