Looking to keep your present job?
What would you do if you were fired today?
How would you feel?
How would you react?
Where would you go?
What would you do?
Relax – all those answers and MORE are in Harvey Mackay’s new book, “We Got Fired! And It’s The Best Thing That Ever Happened To Us. It proves that getting fired is a great thing, if you have the right attitude, fortitude and gratitude. AND by exclusive arrangement with Harvey, if you buy the book today at www.amazon.com he will give you his ROLODEX Network Builder – loaded with Harvey Mackay GOLD. Just forward your Amazon.com order confirmation to fired@gitomer.com and we’ll send you the free stuff!
While you wait for his book, here is my 12.5 step formula to get you from FIRED to ON FIRE. 1. Let your emotions out for 48 hours – not one minute more. Do all your whining, crying, pitying and door slamming until it’s completely out of your system. (Continued negatives will block, even prevent, positive recovery.)
2. Don’t blame others. It’s unproductive and probably not accurate.
3. Analyze exactly what happened and why. Get several perspectives from your boss, co-workers, customers, competitors (may be a source for a lead to a new opportunity), spouse, friends, etc.
4. Put the negatives out of your mind. Try substituting humor (go to a live comedy show, rent funny videos, laugh as often as possible.) If you can’t — seek professional help.
5. Buy yourself a present. Buy something nice, something you’ve always wanted. Buy something to make you feel good.
6. Find a mentor. Find someone who will give you unprejudiced advice.
7. Get the support of others. Now is the time to ask for help.
8. Make a detailed plan for what you really want to do and put a time frame to it.
9. Go away for two or three days. Take your plan with you and revise it.
10. On the way up and back — listen to positive attitude tapes alternated with your favorite music. Sing along.
11. Stay on a diet of only positive things and positive people for 6 months. No news, no violence, no arguments.
12. Change something in your life. New hair, new friends, new exercise program, new diet, new hobby. Divert your mind to think along new paths in order to get out of the old ruts. (The only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth.)
12.5 Commit yourself to a sane recovery. Commit yourself to success. Discipline yourself to do whatever it takes to get back on the road to success. Make a daily plan and execute it.
Get back into the market slowly. Don’t jump back in until you figure out what you need to change. Make the next step a better step than the last one.
Here’s some ideas that will put you on a better path:
- Get happy. — Find new ways to smile and look at the bright side. The wrong attitude will prevent you from success.
- Begin to execute your plan. — Something small at first. But do something toward your new success every day.
- Revise your resume. — Make it better than ever. Your resume is the only evidence you were there after the interview. It will be reviewed. Make it memorable.
- Print personal business cards. — Have them with you wherever you go.
- Get to a support group. — Find people in the same boat as you until you get that new job. Then return to the group as a leader who will help and support others.
- Target ten companies you’d like to work for. — Find out everything about the companies and their markets before you make the first job search contact. Be prepared to get what you want.
- Network for opportunities every day (the best jobs are never in the paper). — Don’t sit around waiting for something to show up. Go out and find it.
- Show up at events where your targets are likely to be. — Look professional. Don’t be too eager. Just make an appointment for a one-on-one interview.
- Don’t gripe or complain about your situation. — No matter what. Talk about tomorrow — yesterday is a waste of time and emotion. (No one wants to hear it anyway.)
- Keep things in perspective. — It’s a job, not a life threatening condition. Maintain your focus. Work your plan. Work at it every day until you win.
Something better will always happen — if you’re prepared to make it happen. The classic line that’s attributed to Zig Ziglar is most applicable: Anyone can stop you temporarily — Only you can stop yourself permanently.
Don’t give up no matter what. You only fail when you stop trying.
FREE GitBit: BUY “We Got Fired!… And It’s The Best Thing That Happened To Us” AND GET MORE MACKAY. By exclusive arrangement with Harvey, if you buy the book today at www.amazon.com he will give you his ROLODEX Network Builder – loaded with Harvey Mackay GOLD. Just forward your Amazon.com order confirmation to fired@gitomer.com and we’ll send you the free stuff!
Jeffrey Gitomer, author of The Sales Bible, and Customer Satisfaction is Worthless, Customer Loyalty is Priceless. President of Charlotte-based Buy Gitomer, he gives seminars, runs annual sales meetings, and conducts internet training programs on selling and customer service at www.trainone.com. He can be reached at 704/333-1112 or e-mail to salesman@gitomer.com
