Why do companies choose Fridays 9 times out of 10 to fire people? It's just not right. Let me enjoy a fun weekend of ignorance before you decide to dump me on Monday. Either way it sucks, but at least it's one less weekend ruined!
P.R.E.E.N. (No skipping ahead to see what this stands for)
Fridays are tough during a recession. Nine out of ten times, it is the day that pink slips are delivered.
In 1990, during a previous recession, I was notified on a Friday that I had been downsized from my position as an event planner at a major corporation. Even though the weeks that followed were full of varied emotions, in hindsight, it was the best things that happened to my career. It was my wake up call.
The old adage of “Today is the first day of the rest of your life.” is never truer than when you have just been fired. If you really haven’t been fired but have been down-sized, right-sized, let go, or any other euphemism for being told that your presence won’t be necessary tomorrow, oh and by the way, you won’t be receiving any more pay checks either, it amounts to the same thing. Getting canned was once thought to be a major embarrassment and cause for shame; it just did not happen to good people. Well times have changed and currently there are over 8,500,000 capable, hard working people who have lost their jobs due to the economic downturn. You can be great at what you did and still be on the outside looking in. So, what do you do now?
First and foremost be adult, be professional and be careful not to burn any bridges with your employer. It could very well be that they agonized over letting you go and would love to bring you back at the first opportunity. If you carry on and let your boss and HR folks know what morons they are and how unfair they are being, you are not doing yourself any favors getting rehired. You are also hurting your chances to receive any favors from them with referrals to other employers.
If you really want to stay with your present organization see if you can explore any options short of termination. Will they consider shorter hours? Will they allow you to transfer to another department? Is there any work they would consider giving you rather than outsourcing to someone else? All of these and other options should be explored if possible.
If there really is nothing you can do to stay with your organization ensure that you receive all that legally is due to you. You may be able to receive a severance package which may include cash, health or other benefits, vacation compensation, job placement services, career training etc. Take advantage of any and all services to which you are entitled.
Next, take a deep breath and decide what it is really is that you want to do. Career counselors sometimes ask “If you could do anything in the world what would it be?” if the answer is the job that you were just let go from do all you can to get back to the same job or something very close to the same job with a similar organization. If the answer is to do something totally different, well now you have the uninterrupted opportunity to do what you really wanted to do anyway. Dawn Penfold, President of Meetingjobs, (actually me) always wanted to be the owner and operator of my own business. It took being let go by ITT to give me the impetus and jolt of panic to do exactly that. Here we are 19 years later and we are still living and breathing the dream of waking up each morning and knowing that any efforts I make today to improve my company and help my clients is time and effort well spent.
If you need to take a day or two, or even a week to get over the shock of being canned take the time you need. Do not take any more time than that as you are only falling further behind any other folks in the same situation as you. One of the first steps you should take, and this may be difficult for some of you, is to file for unemployment. Do not be embarrassed or guilty. You have been paying into the unemployment fund as for as long as you have been working for exactly this moment. The money is yours. No one is giving you anything so feel free to take it. With the advances on-line, you may not even have to go to the unemployment office and stand in line. Unless you will lose your house or be sent to a Charles Dickens debtors prison do not cash in your IRA’s or 401K. This money has been set aside for later on in life and you will lose at least 40% of your nest egg if you have to take it early.
Finally make sure you P.R.E.E.N.
Plan your next steps carefully. Identity your best future and do it.
Rest fully when you can. Sleep well to revitalize yourself.
Eat a healthy diet to give you the energy required to face each day
Exercise is important to stay fit and focused
Network like you never have before to give yourself the most potential avenues for success.
Good luck and here is to hoping that any interruption in your career is both short and relatively painless. Have a great weekend.
Best Regards,
Dawn Penfold, CMP
President
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