Fired and fuming
Here’s what not to do after you’ve been sacked
When you lose your job, the results can be devastating. Whether you were fired because of misbehavior on your part or stupidity on the company’s part, it feels awful. If you’re laid off, you at least have the comfort of knowing it wasn’t your fault. But that doesn’t change the fact that you had a job yesterday, and today you don’t. Lots of successful people have been fired or laid off — myself included. Most people bounce back and often end up better off (I know I did). Here are five things you should not do in the wake of a job loss. These actions will only make the situation worse:
1. Bashing your former employer on social media
Sure, you’ve read about someone getting fired and taking to social media, and the employer caves and everyone lives happily ever after. That gets reported precisely because it is unusual. Most likely, if you lash out on social media it will make things worse for you. Why? First of all, future employers are going to Google you and if what comes back is post after post bashing your former employer, they aren’t going to want to hire you. They have every reason to believe that if you publicly bash one company, you’ll publicly bash theirs if things go south. Who wants to bring that person on board? And what if you feel you were legally wronged? Employment attorney Donna Ballman cautions: “You aren’t doing yourself any favors by trying your case in social media. You aren’t a lawyer, so you don’t know what will or will not hurt your case. There are too many ways even the most savvy person can screw themselves up. Plus, the more you tick off and embarrass your former employer publicly, the less likely it will be that the case will settle.”
2. Being embarrassed and remaining quiet
It can be devastating when you lose your job, and the desire to not admit that to friends and family can be strong. But your best chance of finding a new job is letting people know you’re looking. So go ahead and post on Facebook that you’re looking for a new job. What’s the difference between this and the previous advice warning you to stay away from social media? The difference is the attitude. This is a good post: “Hey guys, I’m in the job market again. I’ve got 5 years of experience as a consumer affairs specialist, and I’d love to find something in the same area. If you have any leads, please let me know!” This is a bad post: “I can’t believe it! (Company name) just fired me for no good reason! I’m gonna sue the pants off those people! Can you recommend a lawyer? Also, I need a new job. Anyone know anything in consumer affairs?” Positive wins every time. Let everyone know you are looking and follow up on any leads. They can come from anywhere.
3. Not applying for unemployment benefits
You’re not eligible for unemployment if you’re fired for cause. Some unscrupulous bosses will claim you were fired for cause even if you were really laid off. If your boss or HR person says, “you aren’t eligible for unemployment,” apply anyway. It’s not their decision. Sure, your former employer can object, but it’s a state decision, not a business decision. Apply, and if you are denied, appeal. Your company will have to produce proof that you were fired for cause, and most unemployment boards heavily favor the former employee. Always appeal. It’s not a ton of money, but it is money.
4. Taking a break before job hunting
Take a few days to get your bearings, sure, but then get right back out there. Why is taking a break a bad idea? Because days turn into weeks, and weeks turn into months, and it becomes more and more difficult to find a job. Remember, the longer you are unemployed, the less likely companies will be to even interview you. You need to jump right back in and start networking and applying. Long breaks are hard to overcome. And, no matter how much money you have in savings, it doesn’t last forever.
5. Blaming your former company in interviews
Most of the time, managers hate firing and only do it as a last resort. That doesn’t mean you were unfairly terminated. If you feel your termination violated a law, go ahead and hire an employment attorney, but then let your attorney handle it. You need to forgive and move on, however. When you start spouting off about blame in job interviews, it turns you negative and you will lose many opportunities because people don’t like negativity. In addition, you need to figure out your role in all of this. In a layoff you can be completely blameless, but in all other situations, there’s undoubtedly a change you can make. Take ownership of your own errors and be prepared to talk about them in a job interview. If you focus too much on what they did wrong, you’ll never get a chance to prove yourself again.