Navigating the Rough Waters of Job Loss and Transition

By Sarah Menninger and Rozan Christian

Do you feel as if you have been hurled into unfamiliar waters as a result of experiencing a recent layoff or termination of employment? Are you caught in a whirlpool, not knowing how to get out, or are you bouncing along, out of control, through white water rapids?

The current economic climate has meant downsizing and reorganization or even closure for many organizations. Like it or not, many people are now in the midst of job transitions and are finding the waters turbulent and unpredictable. Here are some suggestions to help you find your way back to calmer waters while staying your course.

• Be gentle with yourself. Acknowledge that feelings of anxiety and depression are normal responses to job loss. If either of these responses is significantly interfering with your daily functioning or if you are feeling totally overwhelmed, consult a qualified counselor or health care professional.
• Seek out support from people in your life that can help during this transition. Identify those who encourage you and those who discourage you. At this point in your life, you may want to place boundaries between you and those who have a negative outlook on life. Receiving positive feedback can make a tremendous difference in how you frame your current situation.
• Take care of yourself physically and emotionally. Try to maintain your routines around bedtime and develop healthy eating patterns if you don't currently have them. Exercise regularly and try yoga or meditative relaxation techniques.
• Explore and identify your "self talk" and replace any negatives with positives. Watch out for hooks such as "never, always, can't and won't." For example, if you are making statements to yourself like the following:

"I'll never find a job having the same salary and benefits as my previous job." or "With this economy, I'll never be able to find a job that suits me."

instead substitute statements such as the following:

"This is my opportunity to find a job that capitalizes on my strengths and suits my lifestyle." or "This is my opportunity to do something different that capitalizes on my strengths and I can find an organization in which I will be valued for my contribution."

• Do your homework. Take the time to find out what it is that you truly want in a work environment and then identify organizations that are likely targets in your job search. Also take the time to make a checklist of your own values and strengths (skills and attributes) and identify jobs that match your qualities.
• Act as if your job search is your full-time job. Search want ads, job banks, Internet resources, and network, network, network. Remember, doing something will move you further along in your journey and will head you toward calmer waters.
• Think outside of the box. Explore opportunities that match your interests and strengths. Although you might experience this exploration as being outside of your comfort zone, you might just uncover an opportunity that is perfectly suited for you.
• Make a plan of action. Set realistic goals for yourself. For example, how many new contacts do you want to make each week? How many networking meetings do you want to attend each week? How many telephone calls will you make each week? Determine those activities that will put you in motion, keeping you from being frozen in your current situation.

Keep paddling and you can navigate through the rough waters. If you get stuck, paddle in the other direction, but keep paddling and keep your goal in sight.

Sarah is Assistant Professor of Northeastern State University in Oklahoma and is a National Certified Counselor. Rozan has a private practice in Dallas and is completing her doctorate in counseling education and supervision at the University of North Texas.