Here Are The Top Things You Can Do If Your Employer Fires You!

Labor lawJune 20, 2021

Losing a job is one of the most devastating news one can ever hear. One needs to take prompt attention to set things right. If this has been your first job, it may impact you in a greater way. However, you can always ask your manager for a letter of reference to make your job-hunting a lot easier. Here are the other things you can do.

Ask for the Exact Reason for Your Termination

As soon as you get the pink slip, ask your former employer they are letting you go. This may prove to be a very difficult conversation, and you have to find out how to do it gracefully. Also, it would help if you channelized your inner calm when you ask it, although you may be feeling far from it.

Breathe normally, keep your legs uncrossed and keep it unclenched. You can positively frame your questions instead of taking on an accusatory tone. It is important to understand why you lost the job. You want to know because you want to avoid a similar mistake in the future and improve your skills in the process.

Explore Other Opportunities With the Same Employer

If you face the brunt because of the budget cuts or company downsizing and love to work in the company, your employer may allow you to work in a different department. You can ask your employer about some of the other opportunities within the same company.

If there are issues related to your job performance or you lack a certain set of skills, you can ask your employer whether you have a chance of coming back to the company if they can hire you back if you improve professionally. However, if they say no, you have to accept it gracefully and move away.

Maintain Good Terms

If you cannot retain your current job within the company, you can still round off your work experience at the company on an amicable note. Your former employer may even give a positive reference to a future employer.

This statement especially holds if you are battling unemployment for no fault of yours. And it’s especially with company downsizing. You can thank the company and complete and formally end your stint, following all the necessary company protocols.

Get Unemployment Benefits

Depending on some of the reasons why you lost your job, you may get certain unemployment benefits. You may be eligible for these benefits, especially if you have got the pink slip because of poor performance, lack of skills, a company undergoing employment cuts, or more. You may not be eligible for unemployment benefits if you get axed.

Termination for a cause can mean several things. For instance, it could be for fraud, theft, or willful misconduct that may cause disrepute to the organization. You need to find more about it in your contract or policies in your contract.

If you are eligible for unemployment benefits, apply for them in a timely manner. The application process and other criteria may differ from state to state. So, research more before applying for the benefits.

Before Jumping into the Job Sector Again, Invest in Self Care

The entire process of losing a job and trying for your next one may take a whole lot of time and can put a lot of pressure on you. So, while the pressure of doing it well and getting the next job fast may be there, take time out to de-stress and reflect on your current state.

You may understand your skills better as you write down your strengths and various weaknesses on the job. Right down the nitty-gritty to your last detail, especially, what you enjoyed about your job, what you did not like, and the other things that you may be looking for in your next job.

Would you like to change the type of job you have been doing or change it? Well, this is the ideal time to find out. Update your resume meanwhile and go for your next set of jobs and go through the interview process. Catch up on your own life in this phase with your loved ones, and do the things you love doing but haven’t been able to fit in.

Follow the steps. And you will get what you are looking for—best of luck with your next phase of job hunting.