Careers can be fickle things. One minute you’re riding high, earning accolades in your industry and the next you’ve been made redundant because your boss made a bad decision. It’s not fair. But it doesn’t mean that your life is over. Bouncing back from a career setback is easier than you think. Here’s what to do.
See Your “Setback” As An Opportunity
Many people never achieve their career potential because they get accustomed to the comfort of their current role. Eventually, it becomes easy money, and they no longer see the need to branch out and do something different. They stagnate in their roles, riding through life without the challenges that make it worth living.
A setback, therefore, is an opportunity. It’s a chance to get out of your old job and find something better and more meaningful. If employers aren’t offering you what you want, then do your own thing. Nobody is stopping you.
Seek Restitution
Some career setbacks can’t be helped. Governments shutting down businesses because of coronavirus, for instance, isn’t something that you can do much about. You have to take it on the chin and accept the official compensation coming through from the public coffers.
Getting an attorney for personal injury accident, however, is a different ball game. If you were injured at work, you have the right to take your employer to court and win compensation, especially if you can show that it set you back in your career.
Employers must take care of the people they hire to work for them. When they don’t, it can lead to injury and a dramatic reduction in earning potential. And that’s a problem.
Listen To Your Gut
We tend to make decisions about our careers based on our thinking minds – the neocortex part of the brain. But our “gut instincts” are often the product of far greater information processing at the unconscious level. It pays to listen to this aspect of yourself whenever you get the opportunity to do so.
But what does “listening to your gut” actually look like when it comes to bouncing back from a career setback?
Mainly, it means removing yourself from an unproductive or dysfunctional situation before it gets out of control. Furthermore, it means listening to your values and asking whether an employer or career direction fulfills them. If it doesn’t, then you’ll always feel awkward and miserable about your position.
Where possible, take time to consider the situation fully. If you find yourself compromising on your values, then it is probably the wrong direction to take. Be patient, and eventually, better opportunities will pop up.
Don’t Focus On The Past
Everyone goes through life, making mistakes. It is essential, however, not to dwell on the past as it can affect how you feel in the present. Thinking about all the times you messed up in your job is a great way to crush your confidence.
Be positive, focus on what you can do, and think about which successes you can take forward with you in the future.