Dealing with "Getting Fired"

It's something everybody hopes will never happen to them; but the truth is that it happens to the best of us. It has happened to me, to be worse, when I am climbing up in my career-ladder. With Business-Process-Re-engineering (BPR) is the mantra of modern day management, downsizing or right-sizing(?) will to be the talk of the town. Whether you're a money hungry young professional or an old-time executive, you just never know when you'll be handed the pink slip.

A company can't fire you at will, given a somewhat valid reason, there are no moral barriers when it comes to discarding an employee. So the best way to cope, if you do get fired, is to be prepared, handle it with grace and make the most of it.

How to prepare?
It is harder to find a new job than to retain the existing one. Hence, be proactive and volunteer yourself for projects and assignments. Not only will this help you remain employed by increasing your importance within the organization, but it also gives you the opportunity to meet people and make contacts, even if it's only within the company.

Even if you don't believe there is the slightest possibility that your employer would kick you out the door, be on the lookout. You don't know if the new superior has it in for you, and is just waiting for the silliest mistake on your part to take you out like the trash.

You can be the best employee two-three years running, never miss a day of work and have a bunch of golden stars in your personal file, but losing your cool with a superior one day might be enough to garner you the pink slip.

Another task on your "getting fired with ease" checklist is sporadically checking the classifieds to see what your industry has to offer, and which new opportunities are out there.

Mingle with new clients, chitchat with executives at parties and be genuinely nice to others. You never know when they could be of use to you (I mean that in a respectful way).

All of this is fine, but how do you react when you actually do get the royal boot?

The moment:
The most toughest moment in one’s life is accepting the pink slip. Still, one who handles this situation gently and overcomes it is a real winner. He will transform into an asset for his future employers. Some tips on behaving at such moments:

Don't Be Angry - The last thing you want to do is go on an insult rampage about your boss's pot-belly and short-height. It's very likely that he might hate letting you go as much as you hate getting fired.

Find Out The Real Reason - There's a big difference between getting fired and being laid-off. Ask whether this is an overall decision because of your attitude in the workplace, one specific event, or a result of downsizing (or right sizing whatever they call it) and cutting costs.

Don't Waste Any Time: The bomb was dropped and now you know why, but there's no use in reminiscing about old memories. Unless you see the possibility of negotiating your job back, make a clean exit.

Stay On Good Terms: You don't want to burn any bridges for the future, especially considering that upcoming employers might be phoning your ex boss for references.

Finalize All Pink Slip-Related Paperwork: Make sure that all official papers concerning your employment contract and the reason for your dismissal are in place. Find out if you're entitled to a severance package or some kind of outro bonus.

Pack Up & Go: Don't roam around telling co-workers you just got fired, but rather inconspicuously gather your personal belongings (and I'm not talking about the stapler, calculator, visiting cards or your data-collection on the job). Simply take the time to call your closest co-workers that evening and no need to go office to office; they'll understand.

At the outset, be careful enough not to allow yourself to get into such a situation. If you think your life is downhill from now on, don't despair. This might be a blessing in disguise.