Joyce Richman: Job loss means an end, but also a fresh start
Joyce Richman: Job loss means an end, but also a fresh start
You can’t have a beginning unless you have an ending.
To those of you who have had to lay off capable, competent people from your organizations — people who have always done the right thing, the right way and for the right reasons — be sure you let them know how much they have been valued and appreciated. Serve as references for them and assure them that you wish there had been a different way to conclude what had been a positive, productive professional engagement.
Thank them publicly and privately and take the time and care to say it in a way that shows you mean it. They deserve an ending that is as respectful as it is meaningful.
To those of you who have lost trusted, valued co-workers to a down market and an economy not of their making, let them know how much you have appreciated their teamwork, their friendship and their contributions, not just to your workplace but also to the community all of you created while working together.
These outstanding former employees need to be able to move on, repair their self-esteem, restore their confidence and revive their belief that once again they can add value to the places where they work. You can help by telling them when and how to do just that.
To those of you whose companies have left you behind, remember that you did not fail them.
It could be that you may have wanted to leave but chose not to because you didn’t know what “next” looked like or because you didn’t know what you wanted to do or where you wanted to go next. Or, ironically, it could be that you wanted to leave but didn’t because you’re loyal and you put what you perceived to be the company’s needs before your own.
It doesn’t matter now, because after every ending is a new beginning. Let go of the past and get going on the future. Take charge of your life and re-energize your spirit with a health management program that combines daily exercise, sound nutrition, ample sleep and a good laugh.
Get together with friends and family who make you feel good about yourself because they share an optimism rooted in pragmatism and because they know you for who you are, not just for what you have done professionally.
Gather your strengths and wrap them in a package that you can deliver to an organization that’s in need of what you do best and enjoy most. Do it through effective, objective-focused résumés and cover letters, enthusiastic references, lead-generating networking meetings and solid interviews.
Turn your job search into a full-time job by organizing and dedicating 25 percent of your time to following up on want ads and 75 percent of your time networking with people with whom you share something in common. The suggestions they make and the referrals they offer will help connect you with what you want to do and where you want to go next — connect you with a new beginning.
Joyce Richman is a speaker and career coach conducting seminars and workshops throughout the United States, and the author of “Roads, Routes & Ruts: A Guidebook for Career Success.You can reach her at 288-1799 or JERichman@aol.com. Watch Richman’s latest career advice Wednesdays at 6:35 a.m. during “The Good Morning Show” on WFMY News 2.
