Recovering From a Late-Career Job Loss With 3 Steps

Baby boomers who have to find another job later in their careers may think it's a difficult proposition. Job loss, for whatever reason, along with the resulting loss of income means maintaining your financial stability is more important than in previous years because you unexpectedly have to shift gears after years of stability. Discover three steps to advance your professional life while facing a late-career setback.

1. Reset Your Routine

Yesterday, you awoke and got ready for your job, which was a routine you faced for many years. Today, you get to sleep in because you became unemployed. This means it's time to become comfortable with a new routine.

You may still want to get out of the house so you can reset your thinking. Check email at your favorite coffeehouse or restaurant, and then catch up on what you missed during your previously busy schedule. Starting a different routine in the midst of a job loss helps clear your head so you can think about where to go from here. You might consider volunteering at a local agency or mentoring a younger generation based on your years of experience. This way, you build connections and move forward.

2. Rethink Why You Left

There are myriads of reasons why you suffered a job loss later in life. Rather than see it as totally bad, make a list of the positives and negatives of your previous job. Keep this list handy for several days as you think of the many aspects of your job. When you build a long list of positive aspects, this gives you a focal point for the type of job you want to obtain. Leverage the list of pros of your old job as a way to determine your next opportunity.

3. Cut Ties

It may sound counterintuitive, but you should consider cutting off contact with colleagues at your old place of employment when you suffer from a late-career job loss. As you seek a new position, some of your former co-workers may think you're damaged goods and not hirable due to your age or how you left. Rather than rely on your previous contacts, connect with people who have similar backgrounds as yourself. Reach out to boomers who recently lost their jobs and had to change gears later in life. These people can uplift your spirit as they get to know you, while your former teammates might drag your mentality back to the negative side.

Attend networking events so people keep you fresh in their minds. Even though you're unemployed and looking for work, you need to mitigate that job loss and put yourself out there just as you would if you were seeking a promotion. Just remember that you have an entirely different set of connections, and it's time to find a new corporate culture to fit in with your current job search.

A late-career job loss doesn't have to set you back even though it's a jarring and unexpected occurrence. These three steps can help you re-energize as you think about how to proceed and find your professional bliss later in life.

Photo courtesy of Willinton Claro at Flickr.com