A special challenge for women: dealing with the loss of a job

challenge against failure

Losing your job is initially a bummer. What matters is what you do with it. Women, like men, have been building careers for the past few decades, but they often also have to manage their families. Arlie R. Hochschild has called this dilemma “the second shift.” However, it is important for women to maintain stable careers. Therefore, developing the right perspective after a job loss is very important. Framing it as an opportunity to push towards new shores rather than failure is initially hard to do, but it’s not impossible. Ask yourself “What do I want to do now?” instead of “Why did I lose my job?”

emotional challenge

In “The Disposable American,” Louis Uchitelle describes the psychological consequences of being fired from a job and discovers that the transition from employment to unemployment often entails emotional damage. The self-esteem of many people decreases, the willingness to take risks can be affected. Uchitelle also points out that disabling emotional illness as a result of layoff is not well recognized by the public or academics. In other words, it’s perfectly normal to experience negative emotions after a job loss, and acknowledging and accepting that is the first important step to empowerment.

practical challenge

Being fired is an incision in your career that you must overcome. This is especially challenging for women. Sociologists Frank M. Howell and Deborah R. Bronson reported in a study that women tend to have jobs closer to home, often because they also have to handle childcare duties. If you simply can’t accept any job offer because it conflicts with your responsibilities as a mother or caregiver, start activating your network that can support you in many ways. Do you pick up your children from school? Ask him if he would also pick up yours. Asking for help has nothing to do with not being self-sufficient; it’s a smarter way to deal with the complex world we live in.

concrete steps

If you can’t look for work nationwide, contact employers personally. Most importantly, don’t wait for job postings to be posted online or in your local newspaper. Identify potential employers in your area and call to make an appointment with the department manager or a human resources person. Enter to know more about the company. Ask yourself why an employer should want to hire you and create a strong professional profile. That includes expanding your professional network, keeping track of what’s happening in the business, continuing to form and nurture working relationships. Also, be realistic about the possibility of losing your job. Compared with other developed nations, the US workforce is relatively unprotected against layoffs. Receiving the pink note is practically always a possibility. The less you indulge in the feeling that your job is safe and secure, the less you’ll get hit when notified.

be inventive

If the bills line up and can’t wait to be paid but there’s no concrete job opening in the offing, think outside the box. If you can’t do it alone, ask family and friends for help. You’re good at math? Create an online profile with any of the many tutoring agencies and start teaching. Do you have an open and friendly personality? Check Craigslist if people need dog sitters for their vacation. If you find yourself at a dead end and have always wanted to do something else, look into educational opportunities.

To be prepared

Everyone can take steps to be more prepared to deal with job loss, even before it actually happens. Having a job is one thing, keeping it another. It is always beneficial to foster relationships outside of the current workplace. Get in touch with former colleagues and show interest in their work life. Expand your network by joining social networks and finding people who have similar work interests. Don’t let it get to the point where you have to deal with the unexpected loss of a job.