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A new year's onset can be a moment for introspection, and for numerous people, that includes thinking about our career trajectories.

A pair of editors who left their positions due to organizational changes at first believed their world had ended.

"I dedicated all my energy into that role... I believed in the ethos we stood for. Yet, when it came to me, that ethos weren't there," she says.

Both individuals decided to employ the word "let go" and believe that being open about it can assist you handle it.

"We use countless alternative phrases for job loss. Yet, the sooner you accept it, the faster you're candid about it, the faster you can advance.

"That's the fast track to whatever you wish to do next," she notes.

Now, they are succeeding in new positions, where one owning her own media company and another holding the position of editor-in-chief at a prestigious publication.

Whether you've lost your job or are simply contemplating a change, these are four approaches for guidance.

1. Contemplate Last Year

It's common to feel some unease about work post-festive period.

A careers coach emphasizes the value of reflection prior to launching a new job search.

She advises people to consider what they want to increase, what to decrease, and which factors energizes or exhausts them.

Reviewing your achievements to find recurring patterns is also beneficial. "Try not to considering only the recent past, because we all suffer from to focus on the recent that can obstruct your judgment," she notes.

A former editor notes it is important to determine what place your job fits in your life.

This involves being candid regarding the hours you devote to work and the influence on your social and social life.

After being let go, she recommends preventing yourself be defined by your job.

2. Implement Gradual Moves

The expert states that individuals can implement gradual progress towards changing careers without a complete leap.

She herself took seven years to transition from her corporate career to running a company full-time, building her idea while still employed, which enabled self-funding from the start.

"It needed a bit longer, but that was how I did it in a sustainable way," she says.

She recommends an experimental approach.

This could be volunteering, participating in a work project you find appealing, or agreeing to a different task within your current team.

"If it fails, you find out it's not a fit, but it's better to find out now than after you've committed fully," she states.

Additionally, she suggests looking into short-term "bridging roles". These may not be the dream position, but they serve as progress towards your goal, like a job that shares traits to the career you want, though not in the exact area.

"It involves allowing yourself the permission to acknowledge this is good for now, however, that is not for all time.

"This is a very smart approach for getting much closer to your career change."

3. Acknowledge Your Successes

If you've recently lost your role, you aren't alone – redundancy rates have surged markedly recently.

One professional held a senior role in a magazine, but in 2022 her entire team lost their jobs following a decision to discontinued the physical magazine.

Recognizing that this situation did not reflect of her skills helped her process the change.

"Your experience doesn't go away just because you were dismissed.

"Do not surrender your self-worth, it's vital for everybody to remember their intrinsic value."

The other editor lost her job after a decade at a financial magazine following a regime change at the top and the hiring of a new editor.

She stresses that much of the stigma of dismissal is internal.

"With many professionals losing jobs, it's usually not about you. Chances are not about you, so refrain from bearing that feeling unnecessarily."

4. Build a Professional Checklist

For those who are urgently looking for work or are utterly miserable at work, it can be tempting to apply hastily for any vacancy – overlooking personal fulfillment.

But this is a big misstep.

Rather, she recommends a technique known as "reviewing" – narrowing your search down to role profiles that capture your interest.

She suggests browsing professional networks and saving several that seem promising.

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