6 Tips to Jump Back into the Workforce After Being Fired

6 Tips to Jump Back into the Workforce After Being Fired6 Tips to Jump Back into the Workforce After Being FiredGetting fired can be an emotional, challenging experience. But it also can be a chance to find an exciting new opportunity, perhaps one that provides a better match between your skills and an employers needs. Rather than letting the exit define you, consider it a bump on your career path and move on with these six strategies for jumping into the workforce after being fired.Here are six tips to get yourself employed after being fired 1. Get emotions in check.Angry, sad, confused, scared, even relieved- people feel a variety of emotions after termination. Take some time to adjust to the situation. You need a clear head and a positive attitude before tackling a job search.Seek support from trusted friends and family, but avoid lashing out publically or on social media. Potential new employers do bedrngnis find bitterness attractive. 2. Evaluate your options.Avoid the temptatio n to apply for anything and everything simply to ease the sting of being fired. Youll waste valuable time if your qualifications dont match the position, and hiring managers will be put off by your neediness.Instead, truly plan your next move. Might this be a good time to go back to school or switch careers? Perhaps the position you lost wasnt a good fit for your personality and talents, which may have led to self-sabotaging behavior such as chronic lateness or subpar work.Whether in your current field or a different one, think about what would really make you passionate to go to work each day. 3. Use your network.When you have a good handle on what kind of job you want, seek assistance from others.Contact people individually in your existing network who you think might have good advice and/or be able to help you, and let them know that you are looking and would like to talk briefly and get their input, says Marcelle Yeager, president ofCareer Valet.Work, too, on expanding your conn ections. If youre not involved in Meetup or other activity-based interest groups already, get involved. Also attend alumni and association events, as well as other formal professional networking events, Yeager says. 4. Put your best self forward.Rather than assigning blame or offering long explanations as to why you were fired, devote your cover letter and resume to convincing employers why youre the correct person for the position.Tailor material to match the qualifications outlined in the job description. Quantify accomplishments, tell engaging stories, and use positive statements from any past performance reviews whenever possible. Create an equally impressive LinkedIn profile that includes a professional photo, industry keywords that attract recruiters, and perhaps a few endorsements from clients or coworkers. 5. Use your time wisely.Worried about an employment gap decreasing your odds of getting hired? Consider freelancing while you job hunt. Youll earn some income, accumulate references from satisfied customers, and demonstrate that youre a go-getter.Likewise, consider volunteer work as a way of forging new connections and developing skills that may increase marketability. 6. Be prepared.Finally, do mora than just hope that the issue of being fired doesnt come up. Be ready to address the matter in interviews. Know what your former employer and any references you list will say about you if contacted. Practice formulating answers about why you left your last job, perhaps talking about it in terms of downsizing, restructuring, or managerial changes, if applicable.You may even choose to talk about what the experience taught you. Then, get back to highlighting what you can do in the present rather than dwelling on the past.Readers, how do you get yourself back into the workforce after being fired? What tips would you offer to others out of work? Share with us below

How to Choose Among Multiple Job Offers

How to Choose Among Multiple Job OffersHow to Choose Among Multiple Job OffersMany in-demand job candidates face a tricky problem today how to weigh multiple job offers. Employers are having difficulty staffing open positions. There simply arent enough skilled candidates active in the job market right now.Job seekers with desirable skills are quick to surface on a hiring managers radar, and its not unusual for them to be targeted by more than one employer. In fact, staffing and recruiting experts have seen an uptick in the number of candidates receiving multiple job offers. A new Robert Half survey finds nearly six in 10 job seekers have received two or more offers at the same time.What do you do if you find yourself in this enviable position? Here are five tips that can help you choose the right jobTip 1 Remember your primary goalsGet introspective. What are you really looking for in a new role? Even if circumstances beyond your control, such as a layoff due to a merger or acquisiti on, helped set you on your current career path, stop to consider what you specifically want to achieve with your next position - beyond just getting a new job, of course. For example, are you looking forA higher salary?More professional development opportunities?Better benefits?The ability to work remotely?The opportunity to work for a certain type of company or in a particular industry?All of the above?Keep unterstellung initial goals in mind when reviewing multiple job offers, and use them as a checklist to guide your decision making.When youre under preskoranvers to choose an employer, the details of eachs employment package can be so different that they dont compare well to each other. Referring back to factors you previously identified as most important can help you better rank the offers.GET OUR SALARY GUIDESTip 2 Take a long-term viewAs you work to decide which of your multiple job offers most closely matches your primary objectives, dont be blinded by an immediate payoff. T hink about the future and which job will most benefit your career over the long run.Heres what I mean If your main goal in securing a new job is to earn a higher salary, your initial inclination could be to choose Offer A, which pays the most. Simple enough, right? But say Offer B has a lower salary and presents greater opportunity to move up within the organization. Even though Offer A pays more now, you could eventually make much more money by choosing Offer B if you rise through the ranks as expected.Its not always clear which among the multiple job offers you receive provides the best long-term benefit. After all, trying to predict the future isnt easy. But be sure your vision of the years ahead plays some part in your decision.Tip 3 Consider which company culture is better for youIf you dont like your work environment, no amount of salary, benefits or perks is likely to keep you happy, especially over time. So when evaluating multiple job offers, identify the employer you think provides the most appealing corporate culture, and factor that strongly into your decision.Think about these questionsWere you able to establish rapport with the hiring manager? Could you see yourself working for them each day?What was the energy in the office like? Does it match your preferred work style?Did the workers you interacted with or passed in the hallway seem happy and engaged?Do you know anyone who has worked for the company? If so, what feedback does your contact have?If work-life balance is important to you, ask hiring managers about programs and policies designed to help workers find that balance. If youre hoping to find a very social work environment, look into how the company encourages employees to relax and have fun together.Tip 4 Take the drivers seatIts your decision whether to let potenzial employers know that you have multiple job offers. Keep in mind, though, that being up front about this can be a powerful negotiation tool.For instance, maybe youre close t o saying yes to a company, but that firm gives less vacation time than another. You could ask your preferred employer if theyd be willing to match the competition.Having multiple job offers could also prove beneficial if an employer has expressed serious interest in hiring you - by inviting you back for several rounds of interviews, for example - but has yet to extend an offer. Mentioning that you have other offers in hand could compel the company to speed things up.But be careful. Its easy to overplay your hand. Only you know how much room you have to negotiate and how comfortable you are doing so.Tip 5 Be thoughtful but act fastThe most important part about weighing multiple job offers is ensuring that you give yourself time to carefully think through your choices. However, you dont want to drag your feet so that you leave an employer hanging - and, perhaps, lose out on a great opportunity. Its not unreasonable to request a few days to contemplate your options.When you arrive at your decision, be gracious to the employers whose job offers you decline, and politely explain why the offer did not meet your needs. You never know when you might be searching for another job and cross paths with these individuals again. Paul McDonald Paul McDonald is senior executive director at Robert Half. He writes and speaks frequently on hiring, workplace and career management topics. Over the course of more than 30 years in the recruiting field, McDonald has advised thousands of company leaders and job seekers on how to hire and get hired.McDonald joined Robert Half in 1984 as a recruiter for financial and accounting professionals in Boston, following a public accounting career with Price Waterhouse. In the 1990s, he became president of the Western United States o verseeing all of the companys operations in the region. McDonald become senior executive director of Robert Half Management Resources in 2000, and assumed his current role in 2012. He earned a bachelors degree in business administration with a concentration in accounting from St. Bonaventure University in New York.

What to Do When Youre Running Out of Energy

What to Do When Youre Running Out of EnergyWhat to Do When Youre Running Out of EnergyYou are exhausted, but there is work to be done.Your mind is overwhelmed with thoughts of the things on your to-do list, but your body is screaming for rest.Youre torn between stopping and going, between listening to your body or your mind. If you work, youll continue to hear your body demanding rest. And if you rest, your mind will haunt you with tasks you arent completing. Here are five ways to revive your personal energy so that your mind feels accomplished and your body gets the break it deserves. Become Aware of Your Personal Energy Level Becoming aware of how much energy you have is empowering.This involves paying attention to how your body feels and how much activity it has had.It involves looking back and realizing what emotions youve experienced. Emotions affect your personal energy.Were you stressed, worried, or extremely excited?Emotional intelligence is a huge player in personal ener gy management.If you feel lousy, maybe its because youre tired or tense about something. When you get good at recognizing your personal energy level, you can share that information with others.It helps clue them in on why you are acting the way you are.Being honest is powerful, plus it shows those around you that you are aware of your actions. When you are aware of the amount of energy you have, it actually gives you a little boost of energy.Its like giving yourself a break.Why am I tired?Oh yeah, the baby woke up three times last night, and I also got to bed late.When you realize your energy is a bit low, you tend to ease up a bit on how much work youll take on. Give Yourself an buchen to Take a Timeout Sometimes when your body simply cant take anymore- when your energy level is at zero- you absolutely must rest. When youre in that state, dont just allow yourself a timeout order yourself to take one. Tell your family you need to rest and give them an idea of how long you have t o be on your break. Once its over, youll be better able to tackle whatever comes next. Take Some Deep Breaths Something as small as a few deep breaths can be powerful and beneficial.Its funny that we have to remind ourselves to breathe deeply.But when youre in a stressful moment, like when requests are coming at you rapid fire, its easy to forget how good a deep breath feels. When you feel your energy dipping, close your eyes (if you can), shut out the world, take some deep breaths, and get your bearings. Remember Your Priorities At that moment when youre down and out, remember what is most important to you.Make a mental list of your current priorities and think about which ones best support your values and goals. Do those things first and leave the other things for another day. You have limited personal energy at the moment, but because you have this list, your feeling of being overwhelmed will decrease. Find Some Love If your kids are around, get a hug from them for an awesome energy boost.If the kids arent around, stare at a picture or watch a video of them. Getting some love centers you and makes you aware of what truly matters, and thats love.