How To Survive Getting Fired

MOST PEOPLE who would admit to
getting fired will tell you in hindsight
that the warning signs were
very visible. If you did not see the signs,
then you were probably just not self-aware
but if you did see the signs then you should
have been more proactive about the
change in the wind that was soon to occur.
The red flags that normally come with the
firing squad are:

• A
change in the relationship between you
and the other party. If your boss no longer
sees you as an asset but now treats you like
an irritant that’s a big red flag you should
not ignore.

• If your team is freezing you out and dis-
tancing themselves from you, that’s
another red flag that spells that a separation
is in progress.

• If everyone around you sees you as a
negative force who only sees the glass as
half full that’s another sign you need to
work on.

• If you’ve lost the will to perform and
just can’t find the motivation to carry on,
that’s another loud sign that you are disconnecting
from your current role

• If you are now being micro managed at
work and put on a performance improvement
plan you should not see this as just
anything but the motions of getting
fired being put in place.

• If your entire team but you get a raise,
it’s time to sit down and think about
your exit plan from your current role.
Sometimes a red flag is simply a warning
to you to sit up and find a way to rebrand
yourself within your current role. Decide
on whether you can change the negative
perceptions you have allowed others to
make of you and analyse whether you
have enough time to control any damage
and turn things around in your favour.
The red flag stage is a time for serious reflection.

OKAY SO… time ran out before you
could actually turn the firing squad
around… that’s fine too! Just
remember we only part to meet again, so
with this in mind you must make sure
that you go against every instinct in your
entire being and remain dignified during
the firing phase. As strange as this may
sound not matter how long you worked
in place the one thing you will always be
remembered by is how you managed the
separation phase for indeed the end of a
thing is more remarkable than the beginning.
So…

• Don’t freak out when you get fired. Now
is the time to be dignified and graceful.
• Whatever you do don’t be rash and
always think of your reputation before
you act.

• If you can negotiate your departure to
favour you, do so quickly.

• Immediately consider what getting
fired means for your financial wellbeing

• Don’t be a sore loser; keep in touch with
your co-workers, agencies and clients.
Hopefully you treated them nicely when
you were in employment. Karma could
work for or against you now.

• Stay objective and try and learn from
the lesson of getting fired. Do not to play
the victim.

• If you feel you have been unfairly dismissed
and wish to dispute the terms of
your disengagement don’t manage this
IT’S THE MORNING after the day you
got fired. Roll out of bed, slip on some
flip flops and walk outside. Look up
into the sky… did the sun come out
today? Look down … is the grass on your
lawn still growing? Listen carefully, can
you hear your neighbour’s generators
blaring?

If the answer is yes especially to
the last question, then it’s good news.
You are alive! You still live in Nigeria!!
The land of the strong! The land of survivors!
The land of the fruitful hustler!!
Go back inside your house make yourself
the biggest breakfast ever and watch
some TV!! You only lost your job you did
not lose your life!

R-E-J-O-I-C-E! R-E-L-A-X!! R-E-F-L-E-C-T!!!
Do this for as long as you can afford to
and then take the next steps towards
your new future

1. Take stock of where you are financially.
How long do you have before you NEED a
new job

2. Review what happened.
How can you become an asset in your
next job

3. Realise you are the product.
You only lost your job you did not lose
your experience, skills or contact list. You
are the product, you still have value and
you are sellable. The sooner you realise
this the sooner you realise that you have
the potential to become a walking ATM
machine full of cash rich ideas!

4. Focus your effort toward your next
most profitable position

5. Network! Network!! Network!!!
People are connectors. Get plugged in!

6. Keep good records.
Build your portfolio and keep a good
record of next appointments, interviews
and referrals.

7. NO only means
NOT YET.
Don’t get discouraged
if you don’t get
hired straight away.
You need to get
through what’s not right
for you to find what’s just
right for you.

8. Keep a positive attitude.
Be hopeful!

9. Celebrate the yes!
You will eventually find your
place in the work force.
Don’t forget to celebrate
when you do.