4 Ways to Handle Your Termination
“How did you get fired, on your day off?”
A lot of us are familiar with the way Craig was fired on the movie, “Friday”, but in reality, termination can be a jarring experience. In October of 2019, the Job Openings and Town Labor Survey reported that there were 1.8 million layoffs and discharges for that month. Surprisingly, the number of quits exceeded that amount at 3.5 million.
The fiery hot labor market has increased the likeliness of an employee quitting versus being terminated, but for those that have to walk the dreaded green mile to the HR department, how should it be handled?
1. Always be grateful for the opportunity
The company didn’t have to hire you. They didn’t have to give you a chance to show what you could do. You may not be able to find room for gratitude at that moment, but in retrospect, you will. What did you learn? Did you pick up skills that you didn’t have before you were hired? Did you learn how to handle yourself in a business setting? Did you pick up some tricks of the trade when it comes to office politics?
Remember, it is only a loss if you didn’t learn anything from it. You may want to wallow in your failure, but look at what you gained from your experience. Experience? Is that one of the most sought-out requirements for current positions? Absolutely. No matter if you worked in your position for three months, three years or three decades, you have real-work experience that you can put on your resume.
It is not the end of the road. Life goes on. Just remember the tidbits you picked up along the way and use it to your advantage. At a time when skills-based hiring is on the rise, that experience can possibly unlock your next position.
2. Don’t burn bridges
Resist the urge to curse out your manager. Ignore the little devil on your shoulder telling you to make a scene before you leave. Not only will this make you look like a child throwing a tantrum, but it would be hard to find a recommendation when you just cursed out every executive and mid-level manager you worked for.
Indeed, termination can bring a range of emotions that may be hard to control. I get it. But, if you let your fiery rage get the best of you, those burnt bridges could make it difficult to the other side of the corporate world. Keep a cool head. At least, until you get to the car. Then, you can let it all out. Tell everyone how you really feel — just so long as you are alone.
It is not the end of the world. Go grab a friend, have a drink and exhale. After the smoke clears, sort out your feelings and come up with a plan. If you go out humbly and performed your job to your best ability, you can expect a glowing recommendation from your supervisor in the long run. Remember, it is all about how you handle the exit.
3. Don’t become bitter
When you hold grudges, the only person it hurts — is you. Things happen. People come up short all the time, but “success is going from failure to failure without the loss of enthusiasm”. A wise quote from Winston Churchill that can go a long way. Bitterness will rot your soul in the end. More importantly, it never affects those you intend it to.
Your former boss, supervisor, and co-workers will go on living their lives while you hold onto anger and allow it to control what you do. That’s not the way to live. Let it go and live your life. Apply for another job. Showcase your skills. Here, try this. Pick something up with both hands. Did you do it? Now, try to pick up something else. How hard it is to get a hold of something new when you are still holding onto past hurt? Let it go so you can make room for a new experience.
4. Look inside
“An un-ripened fruit clings to the vine” — African proverb
When a piece of fruit has ripened, what happens? It falls. Sometimes, when you are ready to go off on your own and start your business, you have to be cut from a source of income. How many ideas do you have floating around in your head? How often have you dreamt of starting your own business? Now may be the best time to launch a company.
Today’s hot labor market has given opportunities for entrepreneurs to strike while the iron is hot. Maybe your time is now and, since you weren’t going to leave the company on your own, you needed a little nudge. I know, you need money, right? How are you going to come up with it on your own? I can already hear you talking yourself out of it. But, there are options.
Google is your friend. Micro-loans. Crowdsourcing. Grants specifically for minority business owners. The government has money set aside just for hustlers and go-getters like you. Take advantage of what is out there. This JUST might be the time for you to create your own legacy. Look inside yourself. Your future could’ve been waiting on your termination.
True, nobody wants to get fired. The humiliation of emptying out your desk in front of your peers or being handed a box and being told to hit the road. It is tough, but I don’t know of any person that has died because they were fired. Life goes on and it can happen to anyone.
Also, it would help to start setting money aside just in case you end up in the hot seat. Having at least six months of salary set aside will help for times like this. If you don’t have that money saved up, check out some government agencies that offer rent-assistance and help to pay utilities. It can get tough, but it is not the end of the road.
*Cue the Boyz 2 Men song*