40licious Money: What to Do After You Get Fired

I've been fired a bunch of times. There was the waitress gig when I'd taken New Year's Eve off months in advance to attend a friend's wedding, then was given the choice to work it or get fired. And then there was the "misunderstanding" about my after-hours responsibilities in Vegas when I accompanied my boss to a convention. And even in those crappy situations where the firing was actually a blessing (hello, unemployment check!) I was completely demoralized and I thought I'd never get my mojo back. Today's post comes from guest author John P. Strelecky, author of The Why Cafe, a book about finding your purpose in life. He writes today about how to relaunch your career after getting fired. Which is never, ever fun. Especially if you are 40licious.

You might have seen it coming or it might have been a big surprise, but the truth remains - losing your job wasn’t your choice. What happens next, is.

Author John P. Strelecky finds the blessing in the disappointment.

Finding your dream job is possible at any age. If you’re forty or older, you actually have a major advantage. With all you've learned and the experiences you've had, you are ready more than ever to make your mark in the world.

Why It’s Not So Bad
A recent study found that only 45 percent of Americans are satisfied with their current job. That was the lowest level ever recorded by the Conference Board research group in more than 22 years of studying the issue. It might explain why so many people are collecting unemployment. It’s not that the jobs aren’t out there; it’s that some people would rather get paid for doing nothing, than do something they hate.

What Now?
Regardless of your age, you can get back in the game and make being fired the best thing that ever happened to you. Here’s how:

• Do something you love. Most people don’t realize they can get paid to be immersed in what they like doing. And that is the case whether you want to work in sales, customer service, accounting, marketing or any other position.
• Find ways to give samples of the value you can bring to the place or industry in which you want to work. Volunteer, write articles on the topic, or blog about it. If you give enough value, someone will give back to you in the form of a job offer.
• Filling out an application or sending a resume isn’t enough anymore. If you’re applying for a $60,000 per year job, you have to be bringing at least $60,001 in great ideas and results to the table. Obviously, it should be a whole bunch more than just that one dollar.
• If you weren’t satisfied with the type of work you were doing previously, taking a job in the same field isn’t going to fulfill you now - or in the future! Use this down time to volunteer, backpack around the world, read books on topics that interest you. Do whatever you can so that when you choose your next job, you are fired up to be there every day.

Only You Can Make It Happen
Until now, you didn't have the life experience to fulfill your destiny, and fill your heart in a way that you've always known was possible.

Right now you have a choice. If you are in the nine percent of people who are not working, it’s time to figure out what you want to do, find a way to do it, and bring tons of value to the table. If you’re in your forties, take everything you’ve learned and leverage it. Nobody is coming to the rescue, so you must take control of your life. This is the moment when you look in the mirror and say, "This is my time."

Laying you off was their choice. What you do after that is yours. If you do it right, becoming unemployed can be the best thing that ever happened to you. They chose, now you choose.

COMMENTS: Did you ever get fired? What was that like for you?