Losing your job can be a difficult thing to recover from. It is natural to feel defeated after you’ve lost something you’ve depended on. However, in this crucial time in-between jobs, it is important to not lose hope and to keep a positive outlook. In order to make that ever-important rebound happen, there are a few things you need to consider before and during your next job search.

Assess What Went Wrong

Losing a job can mean different things for different people.

If you were fired, this is a good opportunity to reflect on what went wrong at the old job. Perhaps you and your boss butted heads on too many occasions. Maybe you and your co-workers didn’t work together very well. Your quality of work might have been suffering. Regardless of what the reason is, figuring it out is the first step towards improving for the future.

If you were laid off due to downsizing, it might be a good idea to figure out whether or not it was just a localized event or if it is an industry-wide trend. This will show you whether or not your industry or field is suffering economically or headed towards a decline. With this information, you will be able to determine if you should stay or try something new.

Think About What Needs to Change

If losing your job was due to something you did, you need to change in order to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Whether by mistake or due to an unhealthy habit or behavior, what you did cost you your job. If you don’t learn from your mistakes and change, it will continue to happen with future jobs. Even if it bruises your pride or goes against old habits, change is the best way to approach this problem, not resistance.

Get Focused

You might feel tempted to jump into any opportunity that presents itself, but sometimes that isn’t always the best idea. Indeed, if you are desperate, if you need to pay bills and get food on the table, any job that will help with that is better than nothing. However, you shouldn’t settle. To rebound from losing your job, you have to focus in on what is most important to you. Discover who you are, what you want and need, and make sure your next job opportunity fits into that perspective.

Update Your Resume

If you’d been working at the same company for a while, you may have left your resume to collect dust for a number of years. This time is a great time to revisit your resume and kick your rebound into high gear. Add relevant skills you’ve learned over the last several years. Polish up the appearance. Update your information. Insert specific keywords into your relevant experience. Taking the time to make your resume as polished as it can be will go a long way towards getting that new job.

Network

Now that you’ve updated your resume, you might be tempted to start flooding the internet with job applications. However, you might miss potential opportunities by not tapping into your network. Your network, meaning, your friends or old co-workers who may be able to hook you up with your next job. Word of mouth is still the number one way people find a job; don’t miss out on it.

Work With a Staffing Agency

Don’t discount a staffing agency, especially if you’ve never used one before. If you’ve gone through the five steps above, you will ahead of the curve when it comes time to contact a staffing coordinator. At OFFICEforce, we are committed to helping you rebound and find your next career. Contact us today to see how we can help!