Job Loss; Thee Best and Thee Worst

whitneysavageau
Jul 19, 2020
5 min read

losing a job is hard. .. even if you hated it. and when you absolutely adored it .. it REALLY fucking sucks. going through the process of finding something new, starting again, or anything else that comes along with it, is scary. (i know, this is the second time i've had this happen.)

that being said, here i am to help give some insight on what to do (that we don't always think of .. or at least i didn't) before, during (i.e. feeling like you're going to get laid off, or knowing other people did and you were safe "that time around"), and after.

or at least some insight on what i did. what i wish i would have done better. and both routes i took at each time of job loss.

[here's the link to my previous youtube video on my second job loss. and this weeks video as well, here.]

first lets just cover some of the worst things about losing your job .. since i like bad news first, always.

you feel lost. like it was your fault (even if it wasn't).
you question your performance (well, i did at least)
stress. stress. stress.
questioning everything. - will you find a new job, when, do you file for unemployment, do you go back to working a job you hated until you ground yourself, or just end up stuck doing something you hate for awhile?
wondering when things will feel "normal" again
anxieties of starting a new position
stress of a new position

.. honestly there are so many different feelings and emotions that go along with losing a job this list can go on forever.

once you go through the grieving process of losing your job (or i guess as for me, the good and bad things were intertwined with the good)

here's some good things that come along with losing your job. (at least some of my top things.)

grounding yourself again. - taking time to collect your thoughts that are just yours with no outside influences.
making a new schedule. - finding a new set schedule or time for things you wanted to do while working but never seemed to 'find the time for'.
having time to destress. - get more sleep, drink more water, have time to spend with your family or friends that you haven't seen.
reminisce on the relationships that you made. - knowing these are great (hopefully) connections you have made.
getting to choose a new path. - even if it is in the same career that you've had, you get to start over fresh and new. (or if it wasn't your favorite, finding something new that you're passionate about.)
being 'free'. - changing your location, moving somewhere new, having time for almost anything you want at this point.

there are a lot of positives (which sometimes you have to dig deep for to find) with losing your job.

my first job loss -

i had no idea. i walked into work, and then was thrown in a conference room and told i was being let go and that was it. i had no time to process. i had no time to do anything (which is typical for this).

i instantly updated my resume and starting looking for jobs right away. i felt like i needed to have everything together so quickly since it all fell into my hands right when i graduated.

i sat in a coffee shop for almost 2 hours updating everything before i went to the house to tell my bf at the times parents i lost my job.

not that getting right to it, is a bad thing. but not giving myself time to feel or understand what was going on, was not good. i did end up getting my job back, and i was there. .. until a few weeks ago. i did get lucky with having people who actually believed in me, and wanted me to learn and grow- with them. i also had an overlapping internship during this time. i told the company since i already accepted a new position with someone else part time, i couldn't not give that up; they respected it, and hired me on full time once my internship with the other company was complete.

my second job loss - the same company -

we all felt it coming. obviously, no one wanted to believe it.

this time it really, really hurt. the team i had was like no other, and on top of that, the relationships between the entire office, i felt at least, was great. we were able to joke, learn, and understand each other.

being told over a video call (well, COVID-19 and all...) was hard as it is, but since i was in a different state, i had to drive back out to Minneapolis, to make sure i returned all of my things and clean out my desk.

this time i did apply for unemployment (it has been frustrating, and not my favorite experience). and this time, i'm taking time for me. i'm taking time to process and figure out what i want to do next. taking time to understand how it feels and what i need to change and do to better myself.

i honestly wish i did this the first time, took the time to process how i was feeling. took the time to make new choices, a new schedule, and change my life in a different way.

WHAT I LEARNED - WHAT MIGHT HELP YOU - WHAT I WISH I DID

always always keep a list :

of the tasks you were in charge of

of what projects you completed - or helped with

of phone numbers and names people you meet (these can be helpful contacts during and later in your career)

keep your resume up to date :

of your position and how it changes

always stand up for yourself :

if you have new ideas, share them

if you feel you can make a positive impact, say it, and how.

if you feel you're not treated fairly, state it. - nothing will change if you dont speak up.

try to stay positive : (easier said than done)

look back on what you learned

look at how you progressed

look at the relationships you gained

know that there is no right, or wrong way to do this. it is all your choice, it is your life. cope with it in your own ways. i'm just here to share how i got through (am still getting through) and understanding how all of this works, to maybe spark something in you- too.

thanks for hanging out

thee savage