Getting fired from your job is hard, but there are certain steps you should take in the days and weeks following, just like you would after a layoff.
Getting fired can feel isolating, but it’s actually a fairly common experience.
In an era of near-constant layoffs and companies raising the bar for efficiency and performance, it can feel easy to fall short.
LHH’s John Morgan told Business Insider that the biggest takeaway for job seekers is that changing jobs is « pretty normal. »
« People are leaving companies, whether it’s voluntarily or involuntarily, and are looking to do something different », said Morgan, who is the talent firm’s president of career transition and mobility, and leadership development and coaching.
Whether you were laid off, fired, or chose to quit, you should approach the aftermath in pretty much the same way, experts say. The way your last job ended doesn’t have to define your career — or derail your chances of landing a new role.
Business Insider spoke with three job coaches and a labor attorney about the best steps to take after being fired:
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Don’t act in the moment
Being fired often comes with strong emotions, and you don’t want to let them get the best of you in your initial conversation.
Alan Stein, the CEO of the career service Kadima Careers, has been let go a handful of times, some of which he said he handled poorly.
« I’ve been fired a lot, and I’ve said some stupid things », Stein said.
Stein said that his general advice is to « leave on good terms, as pissed as you might be. »
« You don’t want to burn the bridges », Stein said.
