7 Things to Do Immediately if You Get Fired

7 Things to Do Immediately if You Get Fired7 Things to Do Immediately if You Get Fired In the moment, getting fired can feel earthshattering. But for such a seemingly catastrophic event, getting fired is actually quite common. Business icons like Steve Jobs, Anna Wintour and Oprah Winfrey were all famously fired at some point in their career. In fact, in 2010 Wintour told a conference audience, I recommend you all get fired. Its a great learning experience.There are also a whole slew of reasons why the firing might not have even been your fault. Setting reasonable boundaries in a chaotic work environment, raising elephant in the room issues that management is afraid to address or even delivering such stellar results that you embarrass your boss can all be hidden reasons for being handed the pink slip. And if getting fired was really your fault? This is an excellent learning opportunity.Once you get the news, you need a gameplan. Youll want to carefully plan your next moves while at the same time ensuring that you have an exit that is seamless for all parties involved. Here are seven steps to take to smoothly propel yourself from your current situation into a cushy new gig.Once you receive notice of your termination, a good first question to start with is W hy was I fired? While it can be painful to have your shortcomings laid out in front of you, ultimately, learning about your flaws will help you grow . That way, youll be less likely to repeat the same mistakes and risk getting fired again in a successive job. Plus, its great fodder for the ever-common interview question about what your greatest weakness is And if you find out that the company is letting you go because of structural changes that have nothing to do with your individual performance, then its a weight off your shoulders.Youll also want to ask questions about whether there are any other positions available internally at the company, whether your employer would be willing to write a recommendation for you, what the final date of your departure is and anything else the company expects from you before you leave.Ideally, youll want to negotiate the maximum severance pay you can muster. As a general note, severance is common in layoffs, but far less common when youre fired for a cause. Except in certain cases, its not required by law for employers to give it. If you rely on the company for health insurance, its also important to put a focus on extending your health benefits for as long as possible. Be sure to negotiate all of these aspects before signing any documents like a non-disclosure agreement. If the company hits you with a pile of documents written in legalese, or all of this seems like an insurmountable task, you might consider retaining an employment attorney to help you with the process. Shelling out a bit for help in the short-term might save you headaches (and money) in the long-term. If you think you were wrongly terminated - for reas ons like discrimination, whistleblowing or if the company breaches their contract with you - then an employment attorney is particularly helpful, as they can help you build your case towards getting the compensation you deserve.If you were terminated for misconduct - such as failing a drug test, stealing or lying - you will likely be frozen out of unemployment benefits for a time, although laws vary from state to state. However, being fired because of reasons like company cutbacks, being a poor fit for the job or a lack of skills likely means that youre eligible for unemployment benefits.Besides finding jobs through job search websites like Glassdoor , your network is also a great distributionspolitik to start scouting for future opportunities. You can start by sending check-in messages to former colleagues, scheduling informational interviews in companies or industries youre interested in working for and building your online professional presence. While you should make it clear to people in your network that youre in the market for a new gig, theres also no need to openly broadcast that you were fired, unless youre asked directly. Especially in the week after you receive the news, take time to consider how youre going to present the story of why you were fired to others. When you are presenting a rocky employment situation to others, Kerry Hannon, career expert and author of Love Your Job The New Rules for Career Happiness , advises Its always reframing it into what you learned from that experience, not why it was a badeanstalt thing. Turning the story into a blame game is often less than professional. Dont blame them, and dont blame yourself - just say it wasnt a good fit, says Hannon.After you receive notice about your termination, its never too early to start prepping for job applications. Start by sprucing up your resume with the details from your most recent job, as well as any skills you obtained during it. And, if its been a while since you la st updated your resume, you might want to consider a complete resume overhaul - these templates are a great place to get inspiration.Although you still might have a few weeks to finish up at your current gig, the job search doesnt need to wait until after you leave. While you might not have time to do an in-depth search while still heading to work every day, using job alerts can save you time in the job search and get a headstart on finding your next gig. Glassdoors job alert tool allows you to receive emails every time a job youre interested in is posted. You can even filter the results based on categories like company rating, location, company size and more.In 2018, a 10-year study of over 2,600 executives published in the book The CEO Next Door revealed that of the executives who got fired during their career, a remarkable 91 percent found a new position that was as good - or better - than their previous one. Getting fired is by no means the end of your career. In fact, i ts an opportunity to do a sober assessment of what your career goals are, and the elements you need to shift to achieve those goals.

Why I prioritize hiring good writers, regardless of the role - and 7 ways to improve your writing skills

Why I prioritize hiring good writers, regardless of the role - and 7 ways to improve your writing skillsWhy I prioritize hiring good writers, regardless of the role - and 7 ways to improve your writing skillsIve found that one of the most interesting predictors of success is being a good writer- even if the job itself doesnt require much writing. For this reason, I emphasize hiring good writers and encourage team members to prioritize writing skills. Almost every time Ive broken the hire good writers rule, Ive regretted it.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreFor the past 25 years, Ive asked for a writing sample from job candidates. I dont request they create something new (because I think its important that job candidates not have to complete anything resembling free work). Any piece of writing is useful, as long as you wrote itentirelyyourself.Why care so much about this?Because ev ery company benefits from good writing- both internally and externallyHere are three reasons why being a good writer is important, and why writing is a skill worth focusing on, no matter your job description1. Good writing correlates with crisp thinking.Writing provides excellent insight into the way someones mind works. Good writers have well-structured thoughts and an orderly outlook. Who doesnt want great thinkers on their team?2. Clear, persuasive communication is the underpinning of a successful professional.Other skills matter a great deal, of course, but youll go further if you can express yourself well in writing. Whether youre communicating with partners, customers, or coworkers, the way you write influences how people view both you and your company. Clear communication builds confidence and creates more productive relationships.3. If youre a good writer, there will always beworkfor you to do.And if youre not a good writer, there will sometimes be more work for your boss to do, because if they care about how you or the company is coming across, theyll have to fix your written work.Here are seven tips for becoming a better writer1. Read a lot, ideally from as early an age as possible.In my experience, the best way to become a great writer is toread. A lot. Reading expands your vocabulary, solidifies your grammar, enables you to draw inspiration from great writers, and more. So read before bed. Read on your commute if you take public transportation. Read whenever you have time, all the time.2. Review everything you write.Im not perfect, but I review everything, including emails. This helps ensure my writing is free of mistakes. Take the extra few seconds to give your writing one more read. Its worth it3. Use as few words as possible to communicate your meaning.Less is almost always more. Nobody wants to read a 200-word message that could have easily been 50.4. If theres a simpler word, use it.Good communication is about getting your point across in the easiest way possible for the reader to digest it. Quite simply, simple words work best. Theres no need to say you disseminated information when yousentit.5. Make sure your points are parallel.Now were getting into the weeds a bit, but I certainly notice this one. Failing to use a parallel structure can degrade otherwise good writing. For example, if five of the six qualifications on your resume begin with verbs but one doesnt, that single outlier will feel off and make you look less qualified.6. Use anecdotes and examples wherever you can.A story is worth 1,000 words. Adding one whenever possible helps you connect with the reader so they remember your message.7. When it matters, have someone edit your work.We all miss mistakes in our own writing. AtNakedPoppy, the clean beauty startup I co-founded, we have our resident grammarian comb through every single social media and blog post before it goes live.Writing is an outlet for your intelligence to shine through. Thats why, regardless of your field, improving as a writer will help you succeed.Its never too late to learn what makes great writing. If your writing chops need work, heres my advice pick up a copy ofThe Elements of StyleorRevising Proseand take a workshop or an ansprechbar class.But remember that nothing is more important than reading often. When you read great books and articles, youre learning at the feet of the masters.This article first appeared on Minutes.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

The Disadvantages of Freelancing

The Disadvantages of FreelancingThe Disadvantages of FreelancingThe benefits of freelancing are many better work-life balance, the ability to choose your work hours and clients and unlimited income potential. However, launching a freelance or virtual geschftlicher umgang requires careful planning and preparation. Before you make the transition from full-time employee to freelancer, you should be aware of the pitfalls of self-employment. Isolation Working from home can be isolating. As a freelancer without employees, you have no interaction with management, staff or other employees. Networking, involvement in professional associations and social media can help relieve the isolation. Social media networks such as Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook are great tools to connect with other professionals. Lack of Benefits As an independent contractor, you do elend receive employer-provided benefits such as vacation pay, health insurance, 401K, and other common perks. Sick time is non-exi stent and malpractice or professional liability insurance can be costly. If you are self-employed, paid sick time or vacation time is non-existent. You must develop a backup plan for times when you are unavailable to serve your clients or meet deadlines due to sickness, personal emergencies or vacations. Health insurance can be costly for self-employed workers since they canleid benefit from the volume-based discounts offered to large companies. Preexisting medical conditions can make finding coverage difficult. Variable Workloads and Income As a freelancer, you will encounter busy times and lean times. You must learn to manage variable workloads and balance multiple competing priorities and deadlines. Your workload and income may vary from month to month and can be difficult to predict, particularly in the early stages of your business. Large swings in income can makebudgetingdifficult. Additionally, as a freelancer, you do not receive bonuses, awards or employer recognition. F eedback from clients is excellent but does not usually entail extra financial remuneration. Unique Ethical Considerations Freelancing in the legal industry carries different practical and ethical implications. Common ethical considerations include an unauthorized practice of law, client disclosure and consent, confidentiality and data security issues and the need to perform thorough conflict checks. Round the Clock Coverage Todays clients expect 24/7 service. You may receive client calls late at night, on weekends and while you are on vacation. As a freelancer, you must ensure that you can provide round-to-clock coverage, especially if you serve clients in other time zones. Also, consider the cost of entertaining clients. Entertaining clients from home presents a new set of challenges includingliability insuranceand potential parking issues. As a new business owner, you may initially work more hours than you worked in a traditional office setting. In addition to performing y our core legal work, you will need to handle other tasks such as marketing andbilling. Accountability As an independent contractor, you are the bottom line, and the success or failure of the business rests on your shoulders. You must be highly self-motivated and disciplined to survive without a manager or other employees to keep you on track. Working from home can pose many distractions from personal telephone calls to children, family, andvisitors to the lure of the refrigerator, television, household chores, and personal errands. You must be focused, motivated and disciplined. anfangsbuchstabe Cash Investment Most new businesses require an initial cash investment to purchase computer software, office equipment, office supplies, insurance, and other business staples. Marketing expenses, web expenses, and other start-up costs can require thousands in upfront cash. Lack of Job Security Statistics show that most new businesses fail within the first two years. Moreover, you will not qualify for unemployment if your business does not succeed. For job security in the early stages of freelancing, you may want to keep your regular job and launch your freelance business part-time on the side until you develop an established client base. Administrative Responsibilities In addition to your legal work, you must also manage the duties of operating a business. Marketing, client development, office administration, billing, and other tasks can eat up significant time and finances. You need to become familiar with tax regulations, business licensing requirements, accounting and bookkeeping, contract law and office technology. The resources you previously had access to may also change. Law firms and legal employers have libraries and databases of forms, treatises, rule books, flat-fee computer research, and other legal resources. As a virtual worker, you will need to build your library of resources and forms for your practice area. Some of these resources may r equire costly purchases or subscriptions. You also will no longer have access to support personnel, such as help desk staffers and network administrators. Client Development One of the most significant challenges of launching a new business is gaining clients. You must constantly promote yourself and your business to keep and develop new clients. Marketing your talents can represent another part-time job in addition to your legal work. Tax Consequences As an independent contractor, you are subject to an extra self-employment tax. Since an independent contractor does not have taxes deducted from client checks, you must pay estimated taxes on a quarterly basis if your tax liability for the year will exceed $1,000. You must also keep careful records of all your expenditures.