Arleen Bradley Career Coaching

This weekend our nation will be remembering the events of 9/11.  That is the day the United States no longer took safety for granted.  However there are many such dates in the lives of the unemployed.  For them the date is the one they no longer took the safety of their job for granted.  They lost the financial security that employment brought.

Just like the families and friends of the victims of 9/11, they are suffering from grief.  However the families and friends have the sympathy of the nation.  They are aware of the grief they feel because they know grief goes hand in hand with loss of life.  Losing a job is just as traumatic as losing a loved one but it isn’t acknowledged as such.  People who have lost their jobs also suffer from grief but they don’t realize it because they are repressing any negative feeling they have in order to find a job.  But by repressing these feelings, they are not only jeopardizing their health but their job search as well.

Repressed feelings and anxiety are often  the cause of frequent headaches, high blood pressure, illnesses, and many other assorted health issues. The part of the body that suffers is usually  the site of an existing weakness.  This weakness is usually genetic.  This is to be expected.  But many people don’t expect their job loss grief to show up in the job search.  It takes the form of poor interview performance for one.  People with unresolved grief issues may come across as having a chip on their shoulder or showing ambivalence.  The job loss will also lower self-esteem and self-confidence-two traits necessary to promote oneself in a job search.

Thinking of all the possibilities

The sooner you recognize you are suffering from job loss grief, the sooner you can start recovering.  Knowing you have it is half the battle.  Ask trusted family and friends to talk to you honestly about your emotions.  Have them tell you specifically what their observations of you are.  Then, along with your own self-knowledge and their input, determine if you are suffering from job loss grief.

As I mentioned in last week’s blog, The Job Loss Recovery Program by Lynn Joseph, Ph.D.  is an excellent way to put job loss grief behind you and to prepare you for a wonderful new job.  In only a few short sessions, you release the heavy baggage you carry and you are brought to a place where all possibilities are attainable.  While I will go into more detail next week about the Job Loss Recovery Program, you can learn more about it at www.drlynnjoseph.com or contact me at [email protected].

This is post does not replace professional medical advice.  If you have any questions about your mental or physical health, you should see your healthcare professional as soon as possible.

Arleen Bradley is a certified career coach and job loss recovery specialist coaching beyond job loss grief to land dream jobs.  www.arleenbradley.com.