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The start of a new year is often a moment for introspection, and for many, that includes thinking about our work lives.

A pair of editors who left their roles following company reorganizations originally thought it was a disaster.

"I poured everything into the job... I trusted in the ethos we championed. However, regarding my situation, that ethos weren't there," a former editor says.

The two opted to say "dismissed" and suggest that being transparent about it can help you handle the experience.

"People rely on countless euphemisms for job loss. However, the quicker you own it, the sooner you're honest about it, the quicker you can move on.

"It's the fast track to anything you desire to pursue next," she notes.

Now, they are succeeding in different roles, where one owning her own firm and another serving as editor-in-chief for a high-end journal.

If you've been laid off or are contemplating a change, consider these four methods to assist you.

1. Consider The Past Year

It's typical to have some unease about work post-festive period.

A careers coach highlights the importance of reflection before embarking on a new job search.

She suggests individuals to think about what they desire to do more of, what to reduce, and which factors energizes or exhausts their drive.

Examining your accomplishments to spot underlying threads can also help. "Try to avoid just looking at the last month, since everyone suffer from for recent-event bias that can obstruct clear thinking," she notes.

She also says it is crucial to determine the role of work fits in your life.

This requires being candid about how much time you spend working and its impact on your social life.

Following her job loss, she advises not allowing your identity be defined by your career.

2. Make Gradual Moves

She states that individuals can implement small steps towards changing careers without a complete leap.

She herself took several years to make the jump from a traditional job to operating her own business full-time, working on the venture while still employed, which enabled she could pay herself.

"It took additional time, however, that was my approach in a sustainable way," she comments.

She recommends a "try before you buy" strategy.

This could be volunteer work, joining a work project that interests you, or saying yes to a new challenge within your current team.

"The worst outcome, you discover it's not a fit, but it's better to find out now rather than after you've committed fully," she adds.

She also encourages considering short-term "bridging roles". These may not be the perfect role, but they serve as a step in the right direction, like a job that shares traits to your desired career, though not in the exact area.

"It's about giving yourself the space to acknowledge this is good for now, but that does not mean permanent.

"This is a clever strategy for getting closer to your new career."

3. Acknowledge Your Achievements

Should you have just left your job, you aren't alone – redundancy rates have surged to high levels lately.

A former editor was editor-in-chief in a magazine, but in 2022 she and her team were made redundant following a decision to discontinued the physical magazine.

Recognizing that this did not reflect of her ability allowed her to cope with the situation.

"What you've learned doesn't disappear just because you were let go.

"Don't give up your self-worth, it's important for all individuals to remember their intrinsic value."

Another professional was fired after a decade with a finance publication after a change at the top and the hiring of a different editor.

She stresses that much of the embarrassment of job loss is in your head.

"Given that hundreds of thousands of professionals losing jobs, it's usually not about you. It's probably very much not you, so don't carry that ball of shame forward."

4. Develop a Job Search List

If you're urgently looking for work or are utterly miserable at work, you might be tempted to apply hastily for any job – overlooking personal fulfillment.

However, this represents a major error.

Rather, she recommends a technique known as "browsing" – filtering opportunities to only position summaries that capture your interest.

She recommends searching job platforms and collecting a selection of that you like.

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