As vice president of operations for a national company managing group homes for developmentally disabled adults, Daniel faced an unimaginable convergence of professional and personal catastrophes. Just four months into his role, a resident murdered an employee during the night shift. In the ensuing political firestorm, which involved statewide media coverage and government investigations, Daniel […]

For four years, Marcie flourished as marketing director at a prominent nonprofit religious organization. She had cultivated deep relationships with her boss, colleagues, and an impressive network of influential donors. When the beloved CEO retired, Marcie felt secure in her position, perhaps dangerously so. That security evaporated in seven brutal days. The new CEO summoned […]

Hindsight is a brutal teacher. Looking back at my Round the Clock disaster with clear eyes, I can now identify at least a dozen warning signs I chose to overlook before I took the job and throughout the short duration of my tenure there. The truth is that most toxic jobs don’t blindside us completely. […]

Career books and self-help experts love to talk about reinvention. They talk about networking, polishing your résumé, personal branding, and “turning setbacks into opportunities.” What they rarely talk about is grief. Because getting fired is grief. Literally. Bruce Feiler, author of Life is In the Transitions uses the term “lifequate” to describe a pivotal event […]

When you’re searching for a new job, it’s easy to believe you have to figure everything out on your own. You spend hours updating your resume, networking online, preparing for interviews, and trying to stay optimistic through uncertainty. But one of the smartest things a business professional can do during a career transition is find […]

Losing a job can feel like the ground has shifted beneath your feet. One moment, there’s structure, identity, and a sense of direction. The next, there’s uncertainty, disruption, and an undercurrent of fear that can be difficult to shake. While fear is often viewed as something to avoid or suppress, it can become one of […]

You’ve survived the shock, moved through the uncertainty and you’ve taken the time to reflect, to listen, and to rediscover what matters most. Now it’s time to build. This phase of the journey after job loss is about creation. You are no longer just reacting to what happened. You are stepping into a position of […]

All too often when someone is fired, there are recurrent noise that sounds like  “I should have said this,” “why didn’t I do that,” and “if only I had not done” plays on repeat. At the same time, your mind races ahead, trying to control a future no  one can predict. The mind toxic internal […]

Before you update your résumé, scroll job boards, or say yes to the next opportunity that comes your way, there’s one step that matters more than all the rest: defining your non-negotiables. These are the standards you refuse to compromise on no matter how uncertain, uncomfortable, or urgent your situation may feel. Because when you’ve experienced job […]

Even if you sensed it coming, the moment you are fired becomes often brings a rush of emotions—shock, fear, anger, embarrassment, and uncertainty. The first 30 days after being fired are about stabilization for you and your family. This is your survival phase. Your primary goal now is to regain your footing, protect your well-being, […]