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I just got fired!  Now what should I do?

Well, you can wake up one morning and say to yourself, I just got fired, now what am I going to do?

You can lie in your bed a little later than usual and let the realization that both you and your better half have no job to go to today.

You can be incredulous at the previous days happenings and wonder if it was indeed, all real.

You can sit across the breakfast counter from your better half and notice the dark circles indicating no sleep, the ashen countenance and bleak, sad eyes looking back at you as you sip that first cup of coffee.

It’s a regular pity party up on in here. What’s the worse that can actually happen?

Get real. Make a list of the absolute worse things that could happen.

Right, now you’re going to make a plan of action. Things take time so get the ball rolling today.

Where do you stand?

When we woke up to this stark realization one January morning in 2016 we owed $88,000 in consumer debt. That might make you throw up a little but mine is a story of triumph and redemption so stay with me.

What did we do first?

We convened a War Party!

First things first – immediate action.

Take immediate action on the following checklist. You will need all of this and then some!

1. What do you have available? In the bank. In savings. In Assets. What can you sell?
2. Who do you owe money to. What’s the minimum payment required? Put away the credit cards NOW.
3. Who is part of your support network? Reach out. Let them know what’s happening. They may have a solution to your problems.
4. How are you feeling? Still angry? Don’t try to rationalize. Validate your right to feel miserable. It’s an emotional and traumatic time. Mourn.

Where do you start?

Don’t panic. Clarity and Focus are your friends. Just take a beat.

Do you have any unemployment insurance policies? What about payment protection on the mortgage?

Call the bank and request a payment holiday.

What recourse do you have?

Contact a lawyer and Human rights.  Before you begin a job search, consider where you stand from a legal perspective

Was your firing legitimate or could it be considered wrongful termination? Can you, or should you, consider suing for wrongful termination? 

What is wrongful termination and do employees who have been fired have redress if they have been wrongfully terminated from employment? Wrongful termination takes place when an employee is let go from their job for illegal reasons or if company policy is violated when the employee is fired.

In addition, if an employee feels he or she was forced to leave a job because the employer made the job unbearable, he or she can file a wrongful termination suit against the former employer for constructive dismissal.

What can an employee who has been wrongfully terminated do? The first step for someone who has been wrongfully terminated is to know your rights. 

Check your severance pay and any accrued vacation owed.

Head to the Unemployment center and Sign on.  Are you eligible for unemployment benefits? If you were fired for misconduct you may not be eligible, but don’t assume that is the case. Check with your local unemployment office (Service Canada), especially if you have a different opinion than your employer does about how you parted ways.

Do not avoid your creditors.

Budget time! Re think your priorities. Ditch the non essential spend. Re work those finances paying the absolute minimums and get rid of everything non-essential. Don’t hide things from the kids. They have to get on board too, especially if they have cell phones and allowances, etc.

Update your resume and get it out there. Connect with your references and appraise them of the situation.

What not to do after being fired.

Even though it’s difficult, you can make a bad situation worse by doing or saying the wrong thing to the wrong people when you have been fired. It’s natural to feel angry, sad, and frustrated; just make sure to restrict negative comment and complaints to your closest friends and family. Be warned – someone is ALWAYS listening. I found that out the hard way whilst recounting some of my story to a friend over coffee!

Do not post on Social Media!

As “cryptic” as you try to make your scathing comments you can rest assured someone will understand the situation and want nothing more than to screenshot the information to go brown nosing to the boss with it. You may regret it later so just don’t do it.  Take the High road and Breathe.

Clean up those profiles. Google yourself. What will a prospective employer find if they do a lil creeping?

The Crystal ball.

You can’t see it now but this could be the greatest thing that ever happened to you (although it doesn’t feel that way right now). It was for me.

I took this as an amazing opportunity to do something I love. A time for self discovery can ensue and you could actually come back much stronger with a renewed passion for how you make your money.

Focus on what you are going to do next and how (or IF) you are going to find another job. Keep in mind that another hurdle – the stigma of being fired – has just been added to your job search. That said, there are ways you can address this issue and put it in at least a neutral, if not a positive, light.

Job Applications After Being Fired

When filling out job applications, don’t be negative, but do be honest and don’t lie, because it will come back to haunt you.

Interviewing for Jobs After Being Fired

Here’s where getting fired is going to matter most. You can be sure you are going to be asked the question “Why did you leave your last job?” The best bet is to keep it brief and to the point and avoid badmouthing your former employer. Sometimes it’s truthful to say “the position wasn’t a good fit, and we parted on good terms” instead of saying “I was fired.” However you address it, don’t lie, because it may come back to haunt you if a potential employer checks references or conducts a background check. Take some time to prepare answers to questions about being fired, so you know exactly what you’ll say, instead of trying to come up with an answer on the spot. The more prepared you are, the less the firing will create a negative impression for an interviewer.

Getting Fired and Moving On

As hard as it may be, you need to get over getting fired and move on. You need to be able to convince employers that, regardless of what happened in the past, you are a strong candidate for a new position and can do the job. Focusing on the skills and experience you have, rather than the firing, will help sell you to the employer and will help you get the job.

I had a new position within two weeks and now I know it was a transitional placement that allowed me to breathe, pay the mortgage and focus on what I really want out of this life.

It’s been three years now and I have never been happier. I blog, I work, I have time with my family. I dictate my own hours and which people I will do work for. I am in control and something like this can NEVER happen to me again.

Interested in reading the full story of my Voyage from Riches to Rags and Back again?

You may also like “Debt Free advice and WHY I’m qualified to give it!” and “Life After Debt”

 

We didn’t get through it alone. If you need help or advice on your debt situation let me know and I will put you in touch with the people who helped me.

No strings attached!

 

XO

Anna