A pink slip need not spell doom for your career. Here's how you can heal from it

One fine day, you wake up to be greeted with a “Today is your last working at the company…”

If the above lines might read like a bad joke, be assured it isn’t. That was the ‘regret letter’ sent by Twitter. inc to several employees on the day they were laid off. The social media company was recently taken over by Elon Musk. Musk who is also known as the richest man in the world went on a ‘’house cleaning’’ spree. This spelled doom for many employees as they were laid off en masse. The microblogging site sacked almost 50 per cent of its employees on November 4.

Musk reportedly is on a mission to downsize the staff and cut costs so as to make the $44 billion acquisition viable. Twitter has also scaled the entire marketing and communications department in India. Right after taking over Twitter, Elon Musk fired the CEO Parag Agrawal as well as the CFO and some other top executives. The firing of the top executives was followed by an exodus of the top management.


No one, not even the CEO is safe from being handed the much-dreaded pink slip. Any day, any moment you can be told to leave. Even if you have had glowing performance reviews, enjoyed a great equation with your team and your subordinates have genuine goodwill towards you, tomorrow can be your last day at the office. Don’t let the teambuilding meetings fool you, every employee is expendable.

Being laid off is kind of like an emotional gut punch. After receiving the news many would be reeling from a sense of loss and unbearable grief. There would also be a sense of betrayal. Although it is rather easy to assume that only the non-performing team members are sacked, incidents like the Twitter lay-offs have proved that even the creme of the crop is not exempt from being sacked. Many high-quality, dedicated employees who were in the upper echelons of the management were unceremoniously laid off just to cut down costs.

It can be devastating to find out you were terminated without so much by your leave. However, it need not be the end of the world. Here’s how you can heal :

Take Time To Grieve

Give in to the tears. (You need not cry in front of your coworkers if you feel awkward though). Most of us get attached to our jobs and feel we are a part of our organisations' success story. If you have worked at a firm for a long time, and many of your professional milestones were acquired during your tenure, it’s completely okay to have a private emotional breakdown. Take some time off to grieve the loss - of the sense of purpose and pride, your job gave you, about parting from the co-workers you have come to cherish and the sense of routine and familiarity you had. But don’t take too long to grieve. The world is waiting.

Prioritise Yourself

Getting fired can sometimes unravel new perspectives. Were you so immersed in your job that you forgot to focus on yourself? This is the time to make that much-needed trip, to go on a spa session. Getting sacked need not be followed by a job-hunting spree immediately. Dedicate some time to becoming a more positive and confident version of yourself.

Don’t Compare

It may be extremely tempting to search Linkedin profiles to see who is happily employed, or has been promoted at their workplace. You might even be itching to know who has replaced you. We suggest, don’t. Doing so, won’t really benefit you in any way, you will just end up spiraling further into the self-hatred cycle.

Ask For A Job On Linkedin

Believe it or not, being laid off is not as stigmatised as it was before. Many former employees are now sharing the news of being let go and asking for an open position on the job portal. Reach out to your mutuals and connections on LinkedIn and ask for an open position. Set a job application goal for each day. Thoroughly research the companies and the job roles you are interested in. Don’t be afraid of hustling. This can keep you busy and take your time off from the pain of getting fired.

Determine What Your New Job Will Look Like

You might get a job but it won’t necessarily be the one you are aiming for. You might not get a job role and salary that matches your experience and qualifications. You would do well to write down what things you are willing to negotiate for a new job, and what you simply won’t.

Focus On The Positives

Were you often getting bored on the job? Did you often find yourself struggling at the workplace? Were you getting exhausted from the toxic work environment? If so being laid off can be a boon instead of a bane. Now you can find a job that matches your work experience and temperament better!