They are the words no one ever wants to hear –“We have to let you go.”
You’ve been fired. It is one of the most distressing experiences you probably have ever had. The next question is, what do you do now?
Although you may well be in shock after receiving such news, it is important, first of all, to stay calm, to maintain your composure. It probably feels as if the world has fallen in, but life goes on, and you need to go with it.
Staying calm will also help prevent you from doing or saying anything you will regret later. Don’t do anything foolish. You don’t want to do anything that will tarnish your reputation, especially now.
Then, talk to your former supervisor about how your termination will be reported to possible employers in the future. You may be able to get them to agree to say only that you left the company or just to give your dates of employment.
You may be asked to sign a severance agreement. If you are, don’t do it right away. Take some time to look it over, possibly even give it to an attorney. You may be able to negotiate a higher severance pay.
Examine your financial situation. It’s best to assume at this point that you probably won’t have any income coming in during the next several months. Look at your expenses, and cut out whatever you can.
Even if you have been fired, you can still file for unemployment, as long as your termination wasn’t for intentional misconduct.
If you need to see a doctor, dentist or any other healthcare professional, do it as soon as possible, while you still have your health insurance. It will probably stay in effect until the end of the month.
Consider who you want to keep ties with from your job. This could include not just co-workers but clients as well.
Then, once a little time has passed, and you have a little distance from the event, reexamine your termination in a more objective light and what you might be able to learn from it. Was there good reason for your termination? What could you have done differently?
If you are looking for temporary, temporary-to-hire or direct-hire work in the Anchorage area, send a message to the Opti Staffing Group, one of the best in the area. We would love to discuss how we can help you find the job you want.