Coping With a Job Transition
By Keith Zimcosky

Coping with a job transition can be tough for some, especially if you are unemployed during this transition. It is a time when you begin to question yourself and the career decisions you made. Many people beat themselves up and because of this fall into even a deeper rut. Don’t let this happen to you! This time is a critical time to not fall into the negativity trap.

We have all made mistakes about the companies we have chosen to work for. The best thing you can do at this point is look back at what happened and put a positive spin on it. If you sit and fester about all the negative happenings that came out of working for your previous employer you will be in deep trouble. Being negative at this time is the absolute worst thing you can possibly do.

During this transition, keep doing what you enjoy, including your hobbies. Surround yourself with positive people and start networking with everyone you come in contact with, friends, family, old acquaintances, and people you used to work with who you confided in. They may have an opportunity for you or know of someone else who does. The old adage it’s not what you know but who you know may come in handy here.

Don’t talk about the doom and gloom of your previous role. Be upbeat and positive when you are speaking to others about what is going on now in your life. Talk about the positive impact you had and the successes you had with your previous position. It’s their loss that you are no longer there. Now you can take your talents to another organization and have successes there.

Obviously, some people may have to be frugal with there spending. This isn’t a time to go treat yourself to something new and expensive or go blow hundreds of dollars in a bar. Be smart with your finances. Don’t run yourself into debt over this situation. This will just create additional stress you do not need at this time. Don’t sleep in late and never allow yourself to get lazy.

You need to ask yourself:

What did I learn from this experience?

How much stronger has this made me as a person?

Who did I meet through this (people who will have a positive influence on you)?

Where is this going to take me in my career path?

Most importantly, list all the positives that came from this experience and focus on those.
You will be doing a lot of self-reflection during this time and you will be challenging yourself throughout this entire process. Going on interview after interview is not a fun process. It can be very tiring and even overwhelming. Stay positive and focused, good results will come out of it.

Finding the position you desire may even take longer than expected but remember things happen for a reason. You are at this stage in your life for a reason, and how you handle yourself during this stage will impact you for years to come.

By this point you should have learned from your mistakes so when meeting with potential employers keep those mistakes in the back of your head. If your potential new employer shows signs of your previous employer than you should be recognizing those red flags.

You may even find yourself going in a different direction with your career than you originally thought. This may give you an idea to open your own business or switch directions in your career and work in an industry you enjoy and can apply your hobbies to. This is a time to be happy with yourself! You may realize that a title, and the high income of your previous position wasn’t all it was cracked up to be but doing what you enjoy will make you happy.

This time is going to be tough, there is no question about that, but you will be a stronger person when this is all said and done. You will learn your strengths and weaknesses during this time. This will allow you to focus on what you know and do best. Even if you don’t realize this now, in the years to come you will be able to look back and realize how much stronger this has made you as a person. Approach every interview opportunity with confidence, even if you have already been rejected a few times. Displaying confidence to a potential employer during this time is very critical to your success of landing a new job.

Just remember; stay focused on the positives, don’t get lazy, keep your confidence level high, keep doing what you enjoy and you will come out of this situation a winner! Plus you will be a lot stronger of a person as well!

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