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A new year's onset is frequently a time for reflection, and for a lot of us, that involves considering our professional paths.

A pair of editors who lost their jobs after corporate restructures initially felt their world had ended.

"I poured everything into the position... I believed in the ethos we championed. Yet, when it came to me, that ethos were absent," a former editor states.

Both individuals decided to employ the word "dismissed" and argue that being honest about what happened can help you handle the experience.

"People rely on so many soft terms for being dismissed. However, the quicker you own it, the quicker you're truthful about it, the quicker you can advance.

"It's the quickest route to what you want to do next," she continues.

Now, they are excelling in different roles, where one running her own media company and another serving as top editor for a high-end journal.

If you've been laid off or are looking for a new career, consider these four methods for guidance.

1. Reflect On Last Year

It's natural to experience a bit low concerning your career post-festive period.

A professional advisor highlights the value of introspection prior to launching the search for a new role.

She encourages individuals to think about what they wish to increase, what to decrease, and the things that inspires or drains them.

Reviewing your past successes to spot common themes is useful too. "Avoid considering only the last month, as people often suffer from to focus on the recent that can obstruct clear thinking," she notes.

She also states it is important to establish the role of work fits in your life.

This means being truthful regarding the hours you devote to work and its effect on your personal life.

Following her job loss, she recommends not allowing yourself be shaped solely by your career.

2. Make Gradual Moves

She states that individuals can make gradual progress for a career transition without a complete leap.

Her own journey took seven years to move from her corporate career to running her own business full-time, developing the venture alongside her job, which enabled financial stability.

"It required more time, however, that was how I did it in a sustainable way," she explains.

She suggests a test-run approach.

This can include volunteering, joining a professional project you find appealing, or accepting a different task at your present job.

"The worst outcome, you find out you don't like, however, it's wiser to know now than after you've switched careers," she remarks.

She also advises looking into short-term "bridging roles". These might not be the perfect role, but they serve as progress towards your goal, like a job with similarities to your desired career, though not in the exact field.

"It involves granting yourself the space to acknowledge this works for now, but that isn't permanent.

"That can be a clever tactic for getting nearer to your career change."

3. Remember Your Successes

For anyone who has recently been made redundant from your role, you are not the only one – job cuts have risen markedly lately.

One professional was editor-in-chief in a magazine, but in 2022 her entire team were made redundant following a decision to discontinued the physical magazine.

Understanding that this situation was not indicative of her performance helped her process the change.

"What you've learned doesn't disappear because you were dismissed.

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

Her colleague was fired after a decade with a finance publication following a regime change in senior ranks and the arrival of a different editor.

She stresses that a lot of the shame associated with being fired is internal.

"With many professionals losing jobs, it's rarely personal. It's likely not about you, so refrain from bearing that feeling unnecessarily."

4. Develop a Professional Checklist

If you're urgently looking for work or are deeply dissatisfied in your current role, you might be tempted to jump at for any job – overlooking personal fulfillment.

However, this represents a significant mistake.

Instead, she suggests a method called "browsing" – focusing your search to only position summaries that sound interesting.

She suggests browsing professional networks and gathering around 10 to 15 that you like.

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