How to deal with being fired, let go, or terminated

So you were fired (terminated) from your job. It's not the end of the world! This article will help explain why, how you can deal with it, and become successful in the end.

Partly adopted from my upcoming book entitled "Think like an Interviewer: Your job-hunting guide to success!"

Instructions

1. **Not the end of the world**

   There are many people who think that being fired is an extremely terrible thing that will ruin their lives and so it hits them pretty hard. Yes, it's not a good thing, but is it the worst thing in the world? No!

   The simple fact is that lots of successful people have been fired at one point or another during their career. Does this automatically mean you won't find another job, become successful later? No!

   One thing I like to mention is that you are not alone in feeling this way, nor in getting fired. Many people get the boot from their jobs, for a wide variety of reasons. So you've got plenty of company, which should make you feel better because it's not just you!

2. **Being fired won't devastate you in most cases**

   A huge mistake that people will make is to assume the worst: "I got fired and now I'm screwed!" But that's not really the case for most of them. Yes, you messed-up bigtime, but it won't necessarily devastate your chances of regaining employment. True, it will make it harder, but many people get rehired after being fired. It all depends upon the reason(s) for your termination.

3. **Cutbacks, outsourcing, downsizing**

   When I worked in the high-tech sector, I was a victim of downsizing and lost my job. I didn't quit, mess-up, or do badly in terms of job performance. No, it was simply the marketplace took a tumble and I fell victim to it. In other words, the company made the decision to let people go because business wasn't that good!

   So is this a negative or bad reflection on people like me? No! The reason why is because we didn't do anything to get ourselves fired. We were merely victims of forces beyond our control. So something where you didn't have control over your reason(s) for being fired aren't that bad at all! You simply fell victimm to outside forces that were totally beyond your control, nothing more.

   So in cases of a permanent layoff, outsourcing, business taking an extreme turn for the worse, budget cutbacks, etc., your chances of gaining employment afterwards aren't so bad.

   It's more that nobody likes being fired and unemployed, especially the "fired" part! But you weren't fired for anything you did or something negative about you or your performance. That's why it won't devastate your chances of employment success.

4. **It is my fault I got fired**

   Here, you did do something to result in your being terminated. In other word, your reason for being fired wasn't simply market forces or things beyond your control. They were things within your control that you did voluntarily or involuntarily. Will they devastate your chances? Not necessarily! Once again, it all depends on the situation.

   Many successful people have "screwed-up" bigtime at one point or another during their career. And yet, they bounced back later on. Sometimes it's because we're young and immature. In other words, just starting out and making our fair share of mistakes from not really knowing how the working world works. Other times, it because we're angry at somebody or how business is being done. In other words, we get very frustrated and let it out. But these things don't automaatically mean you will never find another job!

   All it means is that it will be harder to do so. Why? Because your record isn't totally "clean." You've got some rough spots along the way, which is why you're considered second instead of first. So what it really means is that you'll find another job, but it may take you a bit longer.

   Just realizing this can help ease the pain. Knowing that it won't prevent you from ever working again. And knowing that in some states, you can collect unemployment if you were fired. This is something that many people who have been terminated didn't realize. They just assumed they couldn't collect it when they could have.

5. **The worst reason for getting fired**

   As I just said, being fired for something you did will simply make your job-hunting harder, but not impossible. It may increase the amount of time it will take to find work. But there is one reason for being fired that will hurt your chances more than any other. And that is insubordination! Being insubordinate means you deliberately refused to "follow orders."

   Now in the military, you don't disobey orders. Basically, the same goes for the workplace. When a boss tells you do something, you do it. But there are legitimate reasons for disobeying and being insubordinate. For instance, you were asked to do something unethical or illegal. In these cases, you had every reason to be insubordinate and so it won't hurt you nearly as much. And may not deny you unemployment in some states.

   But if you were insubordinate for another reason. In other words, it wasn't because you were asked to do something illegal or unethical. It was, you simply chose not to do it, that's another story. This is the worst case scenario! But it still won't end your chances of job-hunting success.

   What it will do is increase the time it takes to find another job. That's because your record is worse-off than those others I've discussed up to now. And it may end your career in that particular field or profession. In other words, "word will spread" and your chances of staying within that field is now basically "nill!" So you may have to change careers.

   So what! Lots of people have switched careers, enjoyed the new one, and became successful in the end. Was that so bad? No! And that's basically why it takes longer to find work. Because you may need to retrain and update some skills before another employer may hire you. Or if you can stay in the same field, you may have to prove yourself a little more than others. But even in this case, you can still find work and gain success in the end!

Tips & Warnings

• Whenever possible, don't be insubordinate! That's the worst thing anybody can do. It won't ruin your chances of finding other work, but will make it more difficult. In other words, it'll take longer!

• Legitimate reasons for being insubordinate include being asked to do something illegal or unethical. In these cases, I suggest you contact Personnel or Human Resources and let them know you feel you were asked to do something that's unethical or illegal. They will take it very seriously because the company could be sued, and they want to avoid that at all costs!

• Being fired isn't the worst thing in the world. You are not alone and can still become successful in the end!