ATD Blog
How the Emotional Impact of Job Loss Can Affect Your Job Search
Tue Feb 14 2023
Content
Though it’s incredibly impacting, we rarely discuss the emotional effects of job loss and job searching. It’s important to process these emotions so that you can adopt a positive mindset for your next opportunity.
Though it’s incredibly impacting, we rarely discuss the emotional effects of job loss and job searching. It’s important to process these emotions so that you can adopt a positive mindset for your next opportunity.
Content
Have you ever lost your job? What emotions did you feel? Having experienced layoffs three times in my career, I’ve experienced fear, loss, sadness, anger, and disappointment.
Have you ever lost your job? What emotions did you feel? Having experienced layoffs three times in my career, I’ve experienced fear, loss, sadness, anger, and disappointment.
Content
When you’ve conducted a job search, how did you feel as you went through that process? Rejection, disappointment, frustration, and fatigue are all common.
When you’ve conducted a job search, how did you feel as you went through that process? Rejection, disappointment, frustration, and fatigue are all common.
Content
What happens if we fail to deal with these emotions when we experience career tumult? Usually they will surface unintentionally—at the wrong time or with the wrong people—and can affect how people view you. You may come off as negative or bitter about your former employer. Regardless of what happened and how it happened, you want to be as positive and upbeat as you can when pursuing new career opportunities.
What happens if we fail to deal with these emotions when we experience career tumult? Usually they will surface unintentionally—at the wrong time or with the wrong people—and can affect how people view you. You may come off as negative or bitter about your former employer. Regardless of what happened and how it happened, you want to be as positive and upbeat as you can when pursuing new career opportunities.
Content
How can you realistically deal with these emotions?
How can you realistically deal with these emotions?
Content
Identify the emotions you are feeling.
Identify the emotions you are feeling.
Content
If you’re feeling angry, dig deeper to determine the emotion that’s fueling the anger.
If you’re feeling angry, dig deeper to determine the emotion that’s fueling the anger.
Content
Give yourself permission to feel, and know that it’s normal to experience these emotions.
Give yourself permission to feel, and know that it’s normal to experience these emotions.
Content
Work through the emotions so you can move to a productive place.
Work through the emotions so you can move to a productive place.
Content
How you work through emotions will be different from how others do so. For example, I’m a talker, so I used dialogue to process my emotions with family and friends. During one of my job losses, I spoke with a counselor to gain perspective. Choose the best way for you to process so you can move toward neutral or positive emotions.
How you work through emotions will be different from how others do so. For example, I’m a talker, so I used dialogue to process my emotions with family and friends. During one of my job losses, I spoke with a counselor to gain perspective. Choose the best way for you to process so you can move toward neutral or positive emotions.
Content
When we lose a job, we experience a variety of losses:
When we lose a job, we experience a variety of losses:
Content
Professional identity
Professional identity
Content
Self-esteem
Self-esteem
Content
Self-confidence
Self-confidence
Content
Daily routine
Daily routine
Content
Motivation
Motivation
Content
Purposeful activity
Purposeful activity
Content
Work-based social network
Work-based social network
Content
Sense of security
Sense of security
Content
That’s a great deal to work through and may take some time for you to understand and accept. One way to rebuild self-confidence is to write down your work accomplishments, and then prepare to share these examples in interviews. You can also document your strengths for future employers. Looking for a job is a job, so maintain a schedule to help you stay organized and make progress. All this helps you focus on the positive and move past the initial job loss.
That’s a great deal to work through and may take some time for you to understand and accept. One way to rebuild self-confidence is to write down your work accomplishments, and then prepare to share these examples in interviews. You can also document your strengths for future employers. Looking for a job is a job, so maintain a schedule to help you stay organized and make progress. All this helps you focus on the positive and move past the initial job loss.
Content
When job searching, here are a few helpful tactics:
When job searching, here are a few helpful tactics:
Content
Remember that a job search is a journey and a process.
Remember that a job search is a journey and a process.
Content
Maintain balance. Dedicate time for your job search as well as for breaks.
Maintain balance. Dedicate time for your job search as well as for breaks.
Content
Keep a gratitude journal.
Keep a gratitude journal.
Content
Network, network, network to meet people that can connect you with your next position or company.
Network, network, network to meet people that can connect you with your next position or company.
Content
Talk to a career coach or others who are job searching.
Talk to a career coach or others who are job searching.
Content
So what can we take away from these experiences—from losing a job and searching for a new one?
So what can we take away from these experiences—from losing a job and searching for a new one?
Content
Your job is not your life.
Your job is not your life.
Content
All endings create opportunities for new beginnings.
All endings create opportunities for new beginnings.
Content
You don’t have to lose connection with colleagues from former jobs.
You don’t have to lose connection with colleagues from former jobs.
Content
Leaving well is what others will remember.
Leaving well is what others will remember.
Content
Focus on what you learn through the experience and implement it going forward.
Focus on what you learn through the experience and implement it going forward.
Content
Take time to reflect on what you’ve done well and what you can do differently for the future.
Take time to reflect on what you’ve done well and what you can do differently for the future.
Content
The key is to allow yourself to process the feelings related to your job loss so you can present yourself in the best possible way to potential employers and broader networks. We are humans. We have emotions that we need to acknowledge, process, and then determine how to move past toward a positive future.
The key is to allow yourself to process the feelings related to your job loss so you can present yourself in the best possible way to potential employers and broader networks. We are humans. We have emotions that we need to acknowledge, process, and then determine how to move past toward a positive future.