While the stress of losing a job can seem overwhelming, there are many things you can do to take control of the situation, maintain a positive outlook, and find a renewed sense of purpose. Here are eight (8) tips to help you during this career transition and ensure success:
Take a Breath & Process: It’s natural to feel shock, anger, and sadness. Give yourself time to process the emotions that come with job loss. Avoid panic—this is a setback, not the end of your career.
Assess Your Finances: Review your savings and expenses to create a short-term budget. Check for unemployment benefits or a severance package.
Take Care of Yourself: Start a new routine to create stability for each day. This includes exercise, meditation, or hobbies. It’s important to focus on your physical, spiritual, and mental well-being. Lean on your family, friends, or professional counselors for emotional support.
Reframe the Situation: Instead of seeing job loss as failure, view it as a transition to new opportunities. Reflect on your strengths, achievements, and what you want in your next role. Ask yourself: Do I want to stay in the same field, or is this a chance to pivot?
Update Your Resume & LinkedIn: Review your resume or CV as you may need to trim your resume down especially if you’ve worked for the federal government. Review and revise your resume to highlight your accomplishments and transferable skills. Use quantifiable metrics to showcase the return on investment (ROI) that you achieved in your roles (e.g. “increased sales revenue by 20%”). Use bullet points with strong action verbs (e.g. “Developed”, “Led”, “Created”). Update your LinkedIn profile and let your network know you’re looking for a new job by including the #opentowork tag on your profile.
Explore Different Job Search Strategies: Work with recruiters or career coaches for guidance. Research and target companies or organizations that align with your values and career aspirations. Apply to jobs strategically and keep track of your applications/resumes that you sent out to employers. Follow-up 1-2 weeks after applying if you haven’t heard back. Use job search platforms to find job openings such as LinkedIn, Indeed, and Glassdoor. Research industry-specific job boards. For example, if you’ve worked in Life Sciences & Research, review:
Science Careers (AAAS) – Jobs for scientists and researchers.
Biospace – Focused on biotech, pharma, and life sciences.
Nature Careers – Academic and industry roles in scientific fields.
Stay Positive & Persistent: View this job search as a temporary phase – it’s not a reflection of your worth. Focus on what you can control – your mindset and setting daily goals in the job search process. Job searching can take time—don’t get discouraged. Practice gratitude by acknowledging small wins (e.g. submitting your resume, networking).
Consider Alternative Work Options: Identify transferable skills from your previous role. Perhaps there were tasks you really enjoyed that can transfer to other roles. Explore different career paths and look at adjacent roles in your industry. Look into freelancing, consulting, or contract work for income. Explore side projects or entrepreneurial ideas of starting your own business.
By focusing on these tips, job loss can become a steppingstone to a better and more fulfilling career. The Bradley Partnerships (TBP) works with individuals who have lost their jobs, companies that are downsizing and require outplacement for affected employees, or those who want to rebrand their professional or executive resume and profile. Our team of highly certified ICF career coaches can work with you to customize the right approach to meet your needs. You can contact our office at (724) 799-8170 or by emailing us at info@bradleypartnerships.com. Visit our website at www.bradleypartnerships.com for more information.