Often, when it comes to job loss, it feels as though there is no immediate next step: once your desk is packed up, there's little to do other than to go through the grieving process. Job loss, just like any loss that you will experience, means going through the process of shock and denial, anger, depression, acceptance and - finally - growth. While you don't want to stay and wallow in the shock, denial, frustration or sadness that you'll experience after a job loss, what you will find is that through acceptance and the chance to reflect, you're in a prime position to grow.



As they say, whenever one thing ends, something new begins. When your employment ends with job loss, you'll find that the next step is to really explore what's important to you. After all, if you've lost a job, chances are good that it was not a position that was a good match for you. By taking the time to reflect on the position and on yourself, you'll find that it's a lot easier to move onto the next steps.

After the job loss, you're going to want to look at a number of different things:

1. Your skills. It's important to look at your skills after you have experienced a job loss because you will be in a far better position to find a new job that is better suited to your skill set. Everyone has his or her own strengths and skills, after all, and, just because one job wasn't right for you doesn't mean that there isn't a better job out there.

2. Your interests. When you're getting past a job loss, one of the things that you'll discover is that you have the opportunity to take a closer look at your interests. Even if the job that you lost had little to do with what you're passionate about, you'll find that you have the opportunity to look at those things now and to see what job opportunities are compatible with those interests.

3. Your dreams. If you have always dreamed of owning your own business, one of the options that you will have after a job loss is to use the time to explore your business ideas and to pursue getting the training that you need to turn those dreams into a reality. Likewise, if there is a business field that you have always wanted to be a part of, you'll discover that a job loss helps to open those doors; it's all a matter of believing in yourself and making an effort to make changes.

Ultimately, after a job loss, continuing to believe in yourself is one of the most important things that you can do. Part of taking care of yourself after a job loss is talking over your emotions and sense of things while trying to move beyond the job loss; another part is looking at the big picture and determining what your options are.

After a job loss, you will always have options: that's one of the most important things to remember. Work your way through the grieving process, discover what truly matters to you and, in no time, you'll see for yourself that an end is only a beginning.

Copyright 2008, Cecile Peterkin.