In our workplaces, we have witnessed a person get fired or resign. We are living in times where conglomerates and small enterprises are firing people in their thousands every other day. Oftentimes, it is hard to imagine yourself among the people being shown the door. But with the menacing financial times combined with the now seemingly trigger-happy bosses, one can’t help but imagine what would happen if they got fired. Well, it’s hard to actually put yourself in the shoes of a person who has been fired but you can learn from their experiences. Here are some of the things that you should do whenever you get fired.

Learn to manage your emotions

While getting fired is a tough thing, you nevertheless have to deal with it. Your emotions will be pretty raw and you might even go into panic mode easily and this might lead you to make a bad decision. While you will be wondering how you will tell your family or friends of the current happenings in your life, it is important to know that you now have a chance to make life-changing choices. Manage your emotions by focusing on the many positive things you can do now.

Don’t panic

You may have worked for many years after graduating from college and are unsure what will happen to you once you are out there. Whereas many people will print a grim picture of an unemployed person to you, you will also find many people who have made it in life after they got fired. Stay calm and see the many positive possibilities that are right in front of you. It is also on this note that you should know that it never helps to write scathing emails to friends and colleagues on the many reasons why the company will never be a good employer or why the directors are useless. Staying calm and not panicking will be a big plus in your life after that employer.

Get a reference from your boss

It is never a smiling affair getting fired – at least for most people. In fact, the relations at that particular moment are so taut that you might end up screaming or crying if slightly provoked. Even if you were the wronged party, you should never walk out of that door without a good reference letter. After all, your potential employers will need to know how they will relate with you if they employ you. Though the chances of getting a positive reference letter might seem slight to you, you will be surprised when you tell your boss about the need for you to get a good reference from them. If your manager is hostile to your request, go to another manager that you normally work well with and tell them of your predicament. A majority of them will be happy to do you this once-in-a-lifetime favor.

Resign before you get fired

Getting fired in many circumstances is never a one-minute affair. There will be events and situations that will eventually culminate in your firm deciding to fire you. If you are good at reading the signs of time and are also capable of making independent decisions irrespective of the situation you are in, you should resign before you are fired or whenever you have a chance. You should also sit down and consider the repercussions of resigning vis-à-vis getting fired. Whilst resigning obviously gives you satisfaction and also helps maintain your ego, waiting to get fired could also be good if you are considering getting retirement benefits or gratuity.

File for unemployment benefits

Being employed makes you self-sufficient and gives you a healthy ego. Getting fired is certainly a bad thing for you at the time, but if you want to turn your fortunes around, you must think with your feet on the ground. Consider filing for unemployment benefits which will help you get by until you put your house in order. If you have insurance coverage or your finances are not in tatters then you can just go ahead and start searching for a job at your own pace.

Move on

This is a harsh way to say it, but you seriously need to move on once you get fired. Your boss might have been a jerk but in most cases, you can’t sue the company just because your boss or supervisor was mean to you. Ask for advice from a good lawyer on your next best course of action. Now that you have time to focus on yourself – after you have emotionally settled down – ask yourself whether you were in the right job or career. Consider all of your past achievements and see whether you can rebrand yourself.

Things that you shouldn’t do after you get fired

Many people will only think of the things which they should do after getting fired. However, there are many things also that you should avoid doing also after you have been fired or after you have resigned.

Don’t tell everyone what just happened

Telling your friends that your horrible boss fired you might seem to be the best thing to do after your dismissal. It might even help you get emotions out of your system. However, after everything has settled, you might realize a majority of the people you shared your dismissal story with were not the best people to share with. A lot of people, especially ex-coworkers will try and gain information from you while you are in a weakened state of mind.

Don’t start sending job application immediately

You need a job to help you pay the bills, but you certainly need time to think things through. Chances are that you have been absent from the job market for a long time and you are not well equipped to apply for the job you are thinking of with your current resume. Take time to learn the new resume/job application tricks before applying for one.

Remember that people get fired all the time. There are people who get fired 20 times in their lives while a majority will get fired at least twice. Take a deep breath and tell yourself that you are not the only one who has ever been fired and you will not be the last one. Look for greener pastures. For most being fired turns out to be a positive event in the end.

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