Take stock, and think hard before leaping

LOSING a job can see many people reaching for the panic and revenge buttons, but along with spraying graffiti all over your former employer’s foyer, there are many other temptations best resisted:

* Don’t jump at the first thing that comes along. Invest some time and identify what you want, what you can offer and what is out there. Rushing into it can mean you miss a better opportunity, or head off in the wrong direction.

* Don’t go straight back into what you were doing before, if you were unhappy. You run the risk of starting a cycle of dissatisfying, short-term jobs. Although you will feel pressured to get back to work, taking a considered approach to choosing your new job will give you back control of your situation.

* Don’t only look for jobs through the usual channels. There are more jobs out there than you’ll find on websites or newspaper columns. Tap the hidden job market through networking and direct contact opportunities.

* When you decide you are ready to go to job interviews, don’t take the emotional baggage of the redundancy with you. Focus your answers on the job requirements, and what you can offer this new company. Don’t end up telling your interviewers all about the terrible things that have happened to you and nothing about your work skills, dedication and abilities.