Interview with Sunday Times Newspaper Sunday 27 July 2003

July 27, 2003, Sunday Times, Business, Olive Keogh

Ireland: Survive the trauma of losing your job

Keeping calm when faced with the stress of redundancy can be the key to getting back into work quickly, says Olive Keogh

LOSING your job ranks high on the list of life’s most stressful experiences. It often happens suddenly, which is extremely disorienting. Even when notice has been given, it is a traumatic experience. Familiar routines and supports disappear. You lose your colleagues, your income and a large part of your identity. Self-esteem takes a battering. Not surprisingly, you may feel stunned, frightened and not a little angry.

The key to surviving job loss is attitude. Keep your head and resist any natural inclinations to blow a fuse or burst into tears. Get well away from the office before you give vent to your feelings. When you return, do so with dignity.

By remaining composed, you are more likely to have the presence of mind needed to challenge your redundancy package or to push for better terms. Remaining calm may also be important if you want a reference.

Coping with job loss is not about pretending that nothing has happened. Jobs are being lost at a steady rate and redundancies are a regular feature of the employment landscape.

If the trend continues then more, rather than fewer, people will face a change in their employment status.

How you cope with this change will determine how well you rebuild your career. It will be tough and a long haul but try to view it as a process.

With the black cloud directly above, it is difficult to see that you may, in fact, emerge a stronger person with deeper self-knowledge and a much better idea of what you want from the world of work. The key point to remember is that yours is a career in transition, not at its terminus.

“Losing one’s job is like a bereavement. You have to go through all the stages that go with the grieving process. For some people, losing their job is a terrifying loss of control over their life,” says Mags Corbett, a business coach with Stress Coach Ireland. “Sure, part of the situation is out of your control. But you can control your actions and reactions to it.

“Acknowledge your loss, your fears and your worries. Accept that you are going to have bad days. If you can, talk through how you’re feeling with your partner, a good friend, a counsellor or an outplacement consultant.

“Try to see what has happened as an opportunity. Decide what you’d really like to work at. This could be a good time to make a significant change in direction.”

Not going out to work means losing one’s daily routine. Corbett strongly recommends replacing it with a new pattern. It is a lot easier to cope with the days stretching ahead when you have a structure.

“Look after yourself during transition,” she says. “Make sure you eat well, get enough sleep and take exercise. Stay connected to family and friends. If your children are upset remember to let their teacher know what’s going on.

“Try to see your situation as a period of time to get through. The more upbeat you are, the better you will cope with job hunting, interviews and conveying a positive attitude to potential employers.”

Jim Waters, managing director of Transition Ireland, career and outplacement specialists, says a lot of time and effort must go into finding a new job. “From a mailshot of about 100 letters and CVs to target companies, a realistic response rate (being called for interview) would be about 5%,” he says.

Waters recommends setting about a job search in a methodical fashion. The first step is a self-evaluation focusing on your strengths. This may also provide the opportunity for some soul-searching about what you really want to do with your life.

Before setting off on this journey, Waters suggests sorting out your finances. “If someone is very worried about money, they won’t be able to focus on anything else,” he says. “Assess your outgoings and your income. Are there ways of cutting costs in the short term? See your mortgage company about a payments ‘holiday’ and defer any costs where possible. But if you’ve booked a holiday, take it and build in some cash for treats to give your spirits a lift.”

Most people are pleasantly surprised when they start reviewing their career, he says. “Gains normally far outnumber losses and people discover a deep pool of knowledge and experience,” he says.

The next step is to turn that knowledge, experience and skills into a “me package”. This is what you “market” to potential employers. Ideally you should identify three or four of your core strengths and build your job pitch around them.

Make sure all the basics are in place first. Is your CV up to date and well presented? Do you have copies of any supporting documentation you may require? Do you have a presentation which needs tweaking or updating? Is your cover letter written in a strong and positive style? When these items have been assembled, you can plan your job search strategy. Manage it as you would any work project. Draw up a list of companies you would like to work for. Research them. Send CVs and letters to the appropriate person in each.

Keep detailed notes about who you have contacted to avoid duplication. If called for an interview, research the company thoroughly. If the interview is for a specific job, take a view about the job and how it might best be done.

Match this view to your “me marketing package”. Be proactive in the interview. Develop an agenda of messages about yourself you want to communicate.

Brian Herman, an executive consultant with Right Transition, outplacement specialists, says it takes four months on average to secure a replacement position at executive level. “There is no easy way to get a new job,” he says. “It’s hard work and involves a lot of time and getting out there and knocking on doors.

“However, it is really important to get your focus right before you start knocking. If you spend a bit of time on this in the beginning it can help speed things up in the long term.”

Outplacement companies work on an entirely confidential basis. Their role is to support jobseekers with a full range of career and counselling skills. “My advice is to go to an outplacement company sooner rather than later,” Herman says. “We are trained to help people through the initial trauma and to get them focused on their key issues quickly. We offer empathy rather than sympathy in a non-threatening environment.”

Herman’s current experience of the jobs market is that senior positions are available, although it is taking longer to find jobs. “Traditional industries such as food and healthcare are still hiring as are sectors within financial services. The most difficult segments at the moment are software, telecoms and high-tech,” he says.

SELF-HELP FOR JOBSEEKERS


Keep calm

Push for a better exit package

Defer unnecessary expenses

Secure a mortgage payment holiday

Develop a routine

Stay connected to friends and family

Give yourself time to grieve and feel angry

Make an appointment with an outplacement company

Do a self-evaluation focusing on your strengths

Identify your best selling points

Treat your job search as a project

Draw up and contact a list of potential employers

Polish your CV

Fine-tune your interview technique

Be proactive in interviews oCommunicate your strengths