Career & job searchDismissal!

No reason to bury your head in the sand

Being dismissed - for whatever reason - is unpleasant and can have serious consequences for the person concerned. Despite that, or rather because of that, you should not feel sorry for yourself.

Being dismissed by your employer is always a stressful situation. A mixture of anger, shame and fear for the future controls the emotions of the person concerned. Why me and not the colleague I cannot stand? What will my colleagues think about me now? Unemployed - what's next? These are just a few worries that you have to deal with when you have been dismissed.

Here are some tips that, if followed, can help you deal with the situation.

The first question to be clarified should always be the grounds for the dismissal. Were you dismissed because of the company's financial situation? Did you not perform or did you do something wrong?

If the former is the case, the dismissal has basically nothing to do with you. It is logical that it often hits newer employees who might not yet be fully integrated, rather than long-established employees who have already spent half their lives with the company.

If you have been dismissed for other reasons, ask yourself how this could have happened. Was the boss not happy with my performance, might this have been a sign that I'm not fit for the job? Did I make a serious mistake, am I unable to cope and therefore unhappy, is there a positive side to my losing the job? So, after the initial rage, you might even admit to yourself that the job did not interest you anymore and you were secretly thinking about changing your job already.

One thing, however, is clear: new doors will gradually open. Even if it is difficult at first, you should take action immediately after having been dismissed and switch to "job search" mode. Anyone who takes a vacation and wants to enjoy their "newly gained free time" often finds it difficult to find their way back into everyday working life.

When looking for a new job, it is definitely advisable to ask your former employer for a letter of reference that contains an assessment of your services provided. The experience you have gained in your old job and your duties there will help you find a new job. Use your "free time" for further education or retraining, which is something that can and should be included in your CV. This makes a good impression and shows commitment and willingness to develop further.