Life After Job Loss Video

Welcome to Mind Tools' Video Learning Series.

Losing your job can be one of the toughest things you have to go through in life. It can make you feel emotionally upset, overwhelmed, and frightened at the prospect of an uncertain future.

In a famous piece of research, Elisabeth Kubler-Ross identified five stages of grief people go through when mourning a loved one. They are Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance. [1]

Although losing a job is very different, many of us go through a similar process after being let go.

Let's look at each stage in more detail:

If you can't believe you've lost your job or you think that it's all some silly mistake that can be fixed, then you're in denial.

But bad, unjust or even wrong things do unfortunately happen. And we have to face up to them in order to move on.

Once the initial shock of losing your job has worn off, you might begin to feel angry – at yourself, your boss, or your company.

But taking things out on those around you may only push them further away, and will only serve to make you feel worse.

Try to express your emotions in a healthy way. Talk to family and friends, use anger management techniques, or seek out counseling, to help you cope.

When your anger subsides, you might try to get the decision reversed, perhaps by offering to work for less money or for fewer benefits.

But bargaining is almost always futile.

Think clearly about what you're doing. And put your energy into something more positive – like looking for a new job, or signing up to a new training course.

Once you realize that anger and bargaining aren't working, you may slip into depression. You might grieve for what you've lost. But however difficult this feels, it is also the beginning of acceptance.

Show yourself forgiveness and compassion. Put it down to a learning experience and allow yourself to move on. It might feel overwhelming not knowing what will happen next – but this pause could also be an opportunity to explore new career options.

The final stage is acceptance. Whatever the reason for the layoff was, you've moved past and learned from it. And, importantly, you feel stronger because of it. Now, it's time to focus on your many talents, strengths and qualities, and what you're going to do with them next!

These stages have no time limits. You might skip some, or go through all five: everyone is different.

If you're stuck in one particular stage and can't move past it, then don't be afraid to reach out to someone you trust and ask for help so that you can get to where you want to be.

If you want to learn more about Life After Job Loss, see the article that accompanies this video.