Your self confidence inevitably takes a knock when you lose your job – whatever the reason. What I’m going to describe is my version of what I believe you are going through, how it affects you, how it may affect your family or loved ones and what you can do about rebuilding your self-confidence.

Job loss is increasingly common – what with cheaper labour in the developing world, new powerful economies such as China and the vagaries of management teams who reassure you all the way to the exit.

If you lose your job through no fault of your own the stresses are almost as powerful as going through a divorce or going to jail. It is one of the most stressful things any person can go through, yet not everybody will feel the same things or react in the same way.

When other people have not gone through what you have gone through or are going through they CANNOT possibly understand what you are feeling. Incidentally this also applies to people who are close to us; people who you feel should understand and support you, but they are often affected differently by what has happened to you.

Your pain and anguish is real, your sense of loss tangible.

Your position is similar to bereavement, your job was no doubt a large part of you; some would say your job almost becomes your identity and so often we introduce ourselves with
“Hello I’m a finance manager…”

Sadly the reaction of many people who are supposed to be able to help you, including professional advisors is filtered by their lack of understanding or empathy. If they haven’t been there they don’t REALLY know what it looks and feels like.

In my case I’ve been there not once but twice so it’s become more familiar than I would have liked, yet this familiarity is what allows me to offer you some encouragement and advice.

When you are ready – and it will come – take stock of what you’ve got and what you might need to do or learn to get you back into play. If you’re not sure what to do, go to this section of my website: http://www.your-career-change.com/career-options.html where you will get more ideas of how to proceed and what to do.

You will gradually feel more confident and start to be sure of your future; this confidence will feed into your actions and help you to secure the job you want.

This is rarely a short term problem, some people may take weeks to go through the transition and many others will take months. Some will feel as if they have got through and find themselves back at the start again only to repeat it all.

But take my word – you will get through. You may well come out a stronger person and you even think that it was a good thing that happened.

Peter Fisher
http://www.your-career-change.com/self-confidence.html