A new friend of mine was recently let go by his organization as part of a widespread restructuring. We met for coffee to plan out his next move. After a few minutes of discussing potential options, he asked me an excellent and powerful question.
He said, “Kent, what are mistakes that you see recently fired guys make? How can I avoid them?”
I was impressed. That was a great question!
And, he didn’t know this, but he had just asked a bona fide termination expert for his opinion. I have been fired twice in my career, and as I stumbled through the carnage, I learned a handful of valuable lessons.
Also, I have been an active networker over the years, so I have had my fair share of opportunities to watch other people walk through this experience. Some handled it well and it made them better; some fumbled badly and took much longer to regroup.
I ended up sharing five mistakes I see recently terminated men make. If you are currently unemployed or find yourself in that situation in the future, I hope these ideas help you get back in the saddle more quickly (and without nearly as many bruises).
The top five mistakes I see recently fired men make. Note to the fatherhood leader reading this: you should consider sharing this with the dads you serve. Here are the five mistakes:
1) They grieve while standing still.
In the sadness and shock of losing his job – usually unexpectedly – they do nothing for far too long. They lose their confidence and worry that they will never get another base hit. So, they stand at the plate and watch the pitches go by. It’s okay to be sad or discouraged, but grieve in motion. Keep your legs moving until you get traction.
2) They get a referral, but do not follow through.
If you are fortunate enough to connect with some influencers and they give you a referral, follow through immediately. Often, when we’re down, we are either confused or hesitant, and we want to make sure we make the right next step. Don’t sweat accuracy in networking, just make the call and thank the referrer.
3) They bash their prior boss or organization.
It’s natural to feel jilted by a company or a manager, especially if when they let you go they were unkind or disparaging. However, you cannot let your frustration spill over into your next interview. As a hiring manager if I hear someone griping about their former boss, I figure I’m next on the bash list. It’s extremely unappealing.
4) They wait too long for the perfect opportunity.
Being unemployed can take an emotional toll on a man, his spouse and his family. Over time, he can doubt his very existence, and his somber mood becomes a cancer at home. Get back to work as fast as you can. Take any reasonable offer while you keep searching for the perfect job. See point number 1.
5) If they are downsized, they neglect to mention it.
This is a delicate one. If you make a big deal out of this, you will just sound like a loser. But, if you don’t mention it at all, you deprive the new manager of knowing that you weren’t fired for cause. Tactfully find a way to mention that your prior organization shifted course, but only once or twice. Tactfully.
It can be extremely disheartening to lose a job. I was fired twice in a two month timespan! One of those terminations I probably deserved. Both happened when I was a newlywed. And, while my new in-laws never mentioned it (thank you!), I’m sure they had their doubts about this new family member who struggled to hold down a job.
However, by staying in motion (I took a summer job as an electrician’s apprentice) and by the grace of God (while on that job, I met my future boss and mentor), I got back on track. Hang in there! Getting terminated can work to our advantage if we manage it correctly.
Have you ever been fired? What helped you get through it?
