Well, it happened. After years of hard work and loyalty to your firm, there has been a (choose one): downsizing, reorganization, merger, leadership change, budget cut, or (fill in the blank).
And despite your many accomplishments, great reputation, and strong track record of delivery, someone has decided that (choose one): your services are no longer needed, the job is being eliminated, a different skill set is needed, the department’s going in a different direction, they prefer someone else, or (fill in the blank).
It almost doesn’t matter why or how it happened. The fact is, it has. According to a recent LinkedIn study of employment trends, employers increasingly see professionals as “more disposable.” The trend is also speeding up, with people churning through the workforce faster than ever before. The study reports that Millennials are on track to experience more than four job changes by age 32.
On the other side of the equation, older professionals are not immune from downsizing or outsourcing. Even after long careers protected by seniority, tenure or employment contracts, they may not be ready to stop working. A 2014 study by the American Institute for Economic Research (AIER) describes how shifting demographic and economic trends are driving older professionals to postpone retirement plans, work longer and seek late-life careers. The study is just as relevant today, as we deal with the fallout of post-COVID life, runaway inflation, and the shock of AI inserting itself into the workplace.
Whichever scenario is like yours, it’s essential to get back in the game as quickly as possible – but that takes a lot more than just dusting off your resume and reconnecting with your network. I often work with executive job seekers in transition who lack a clear idea of what they want to do next. They find that trying to polish a resume without having first clarified clear objectives is like trying to hit a moving target while blindfolded.
Before you can even begin to define that next career move or devise a plan to get there, you must first look within. It takes a lot of courage to step back and address the big questions of who you are, what you offer, and how you stand out from all the others.
Here’s where partnering with a coach can help you gain clarity by defining your values, priorities and differentiating qualities. These insights will serve as the foundation from which everything else will flow. You’ll be able to refresh your personal brand in a meaningful way and position yourself as relevant and valuable in this competitive, ever-changing job market.
And most importantly, while you’re outside the castle walls, don’t forget to take the time to reflect, be nice to yourself and heal. Reconnect with your friends. Get back to the gym. Take a vacation. Get refreshed. Because being tossed off the turret hurts, and you want to get back in even stronger and mightier than before.