I Just Got Laid Off Now What?

Losing a job almost never makes a person feel good about themselves. Unfortunately, it has happened to most of us. As human beings, we're built to bounce back from hardships, though, and most of us can agree that negative experiences and events often lead to positive changes that wouldn't have been possible otherwise. If you've just been let go from your job, that probably doesn't ease your pain, however, which is why you might be asking yourself, “I just got laid off now what?”

Whether your job loss was unexpected or you could see it coming for some time, there's no easy way to prepare yourself for the feelings that usually accompany such a loss. Rejection is difficult to handle for anyone, but it's especially tough to deal with if you've been working hard and performing well. The fact of the matter is that people are laid off from their jobs every day, and most of them are let go for reasons having nothing to do with performance, competence or an ability to drive results.

Here are some of the more common reasons for companies to lay-off employees:

• General staff reductions

• Mergers and acquisitions involving other organizations

• New corporate directions

• Office politics

• Personality conflicts that have nothing to do with performance

These reasons for getting laid off are nothing to be ashamed of. What's more, you should ask yourself whether you really wanted a future with a company that would let you go for any of the above reasons anyway. Let's face it – unless you were a problem employee with a poor attendance record and a proven inability to make good things happen, getting laid off will probably be a blessing in disguise for you and the future of your career.

Limitless Possibilities

Assuming that you've set aside some resources for a rainy day, there's quite an upside to losing your job. You now have time to search for the perfect career without letting work get in the way. You also have time to work on your resume. Best of all, you have an opportunity to explore the possibilities of what the ideal career will look like for you. This means different things to different people, of course, but many people find that consulting offers the perfect venue for leveraging the skills, talents, knowledge and experienced that they've accumulated throughout their careers.

Obviously, consulting isn't the perfect career choice for everyone who's been laid off, but I believe that it is ideal for many of them. Here are some of the reasons why:

• Consulting Puts You Back in Charge
  You've got great ideas and you know how to make things happen. Unfortunately, you've had to suppress your ideas and talents in the corporate world. Now that you've been laid off, you can turn the tables and put yourself in charge of what you do and how you do it.

• Consulting Gives You a Solid, Diversified Income
  One job equals one income. When you lose that job, you lose your income. That's one of the toughest aspects of getting laid-off. As a consultant, if you lose a client, you still have many more to fall back on, and you can always seek out new clients if you require a greater income flow.

• Consultants Are in High Demand
  We live in a different world than we did a few years ago. These days, companies are changing the way they look at hiring, and an increasing number of them are turning to consultants to help them tackle tough issues and drive results. There's nothing like the feeling of being in demand, which is why consulting is becoming more and more attractive as time goes by.

Now What?

“I just got laid off now what?” – If this is the thought that's been running circles around your head lately, you should know that you're not alone. You should also know that it's important to be proactive if you want to take advantage of the possibilities that lie in front of you. Whether you're interested in consulting or not at this point, Ex3 Matters has resources available to help you pull the vision of the next chapter of your professional life into focus. Your life is now full of possibilities; let us help you take advantage of them.

Have you been laid off recently? Learn about your possible future as a independent consultant by checking out the resources we have available here on Ex3matters.com. Our free consulting guides are packed with information designed to help consultants get started, and Buddy Hobart's eBook, “Experience Matters,” can help you move forward with the considerable assets that you've accumulated throughout your life.