Let’s face it: Career setbacks are challenging. Whether you lost your job or didn’t get the promotion you were working towards, these hurdles often bring difficult emotions. By understanding the potential impacts of career setbacks, you can begin crafting a recovery plan that helps you navigate your way forward and may lead you to an even better career opportunity.
From staying motivated to leveraging your network to gaining expert insights from a career coach (and much more), here’s what you need to know to navigate career setbacks and disappointments effectively.
Understanding Career Setbacks
It’s important to recognize the psychological impact that career setbacks may cause. They’re emotionally draining and are often accompanied by emotions like shock, denial, and self-doubt. Understanding the effects of career setbacks is the first step in navigating your way forward.
Common Types of Setbacks
Career setbacks look different for everyone. Common setbacks may include losing your job or failing to get a sought-after promotion. However, setbacks can also look like project failures or receiving a job offer with less compensation than you were promised.
Regardless of the type of setback, it is likely to impact both your emotional and professional life. Emotionally, you may find yourself feeling sad or frustrated. Your motivation and attitude at work may have changed since the setback occurred. Difficult as it may be, this is a common aspect of career growth. Career challenges can sometimes feel like hurdles that can’t be overcome, but they may ultimately be what pushes you to find an even better career path. It simply comes down to identifying your needs and goals and leveraging your network and resources.
The Psychological Impact of Setbacks
As we’ve discussed, career setbacks are emotional experiences! Feelings of disappointment, inadequacy, imposter syndrome, self-doubt, anger, resentment, hopelessness, and many other emotions are entirely normal.
When it comes to psychologically managing career setbacks, it’s important to grieve the job loss or missed opportunities. Start by recognizing your disappointment or sadness, and give yourself time to feel that emotion. Perhaps tell yourself that you’re allowed to be disappointed for one week. Then, after that week, set out a game plan for moving forward.
When it comes to this grieving period, practice self-care. This may look like:
- Setting aside time for an exercise class you love
- Having a long cry
- Talking to a mental health professional
- Journaling
- Spending time with and seeking support from your friends and family
Do what you have to do to process the career setback. Self-care and grieving the loss are essential steps in moving forward without feelings of sadness or resentment getting in the way.
Learning from Setbacks
Career setbacks aren’t fun, but they can be fantastic learning opportunities. Once you’ve fully grieved the setback, it’s time to reflect on what you learned from it. Rather than dwelling on what you did wrong, focus on reframing the experience as a learning moment.
Every difficult experience comes with a valuable lesson. Try looking at the experience from a different perspective. It’s important to remember that career setbacks may be caused by forces or obstacles outside of your control. If your promotion didn’t work out or the compensation package didn’t offer what you were hoping for, this may not be due to your failure.
Whenever possible, reflect on feedback from colleagues and managers. What suggestions have you received, and how have you been implementing them in your work? Reflecting on these suggestions may help you see the career setback from your manager’s point of view. Past feedback may also help you form an effective plan of action for transforming current career challenges into valuable stepping stones for future success.
Strategies for Overcoming Setbacks
There are a range of expert tips for overcoming career hurdles. Here are some to remember as you prepare to move forward from a disappointing setback.
Develop a Resilient Mindset
One of the most important strategies for overcoming setbacks is developing resilience. This doesn’t mean not feeling disappointed; the emotions that come with a setback are important! Instead, resilience allows you to see ways forward and not become paralyzed by feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or resentment. Be kind to yourself and understand that this is integral to discovering your career path.
Here are some expert tips for building mental and emotional resilience:
- Practice self-care: Go for a walk or move your body, eat nourishing meals, prioritize sleep, and spend time with loved ones.
- Establish a support network: Connect with family and friends you can lean on for advice. Seek support from peers, colleagues, and mental health professionals.
- Adopt a positive outlook: A positive outlook can be pivotal in helping you overcome the challenges you experience in your career.
- Show yourself compassion: Don’t beat yourself up. Remind yourself that you’re learning, and everyone else is too!
Create a Recovery Plan
When thinking about how to move on from a setback, developing an actionable and reasonable plan for moving forward is crucial.
When creating your recovery plan, start by identifying your goals. Ensure the goals are realistic. Use what you learned from the setback to help anticipate what challenges you may face in the future. Think about what’s worked and what hasn’t, then go from there.
This is also where your mindset comes into play. As you create your recovery plan, it’s important to remember that it may change. Stay adaptable and flexible, and don’t tie yourself to the first plan you make. Adaptability and flexibility are vital when navigating career hurdles.
Seek Support and Resources
Career setbacks can feel incredibly lonely. Seek out an external support network to help you feel less alone. Whether it’s a professional mentor, career coach, or career group, these support sources can help you nourish your resilience mindset and find new ways of navigating a challenge. Other resources, such as books, blogs, and social media, can also be helpful, though make sure to verify the legitimacy of your sources.
Rebuilding Your Career Path
A career setback may make you reconsider your career path. Here’s how to rebuild it after experiencing a major hurdle.
Explore New Opportunities
The career setback you experienced has nudged you to explore new opportunities. Perhaps you’re feeling ready to leave your current role or company. Or maybe you’re considering a total career change. This may seem overwhelming, but it’s definitely doable!
Leverage your network to explore new career opportunities and paths. Speak to mentors, peers, former co-workers, and current colleagues (if you feel comfortable doing so). If you attended a college or university, seek out the alumni network to get in touch with professionals in your industry. Ultimately, this will help you discover new career paths that may seem obscure.
Stay open to unexpected possibilities and be willing to explore paths you hadn’t considered before. Who knows, this could lead to a new career that better fits you! Follow up with your network, have exploratory conversations, send “thank you” emails, and seek out additional connections to keep up with emerging opportunities.
Consider Upskilling or Reskilling
One of the most valuable skills in career recovery is continuous learning. Think about the goals you established in your recovery plan. Are there any skill gaps or development opportunities that jump out at you? Employers love to hire candidates who are continuously learning and refining their skills. This will not only help you develop your skill set but also demonstrate your willingness to learn and improve.
Once you’ve identified the skills you’d like to work on, connect with mentors and your network to find valuable resources. Career coaching may help you find the right resources for your desired skills.
Rebrand Yourself Professionally
Before submitting job applications and conducting exploratory interviews, consider the personal brand you want to convey to future employers. If you are moving to a different industry, examine the LinkedIn profiles of other professionals in your field. How are they conveying themselves, and what common themes do you notice?
Your career coach is an excellent resource for helping you rebrand. They can offer tips on what wording to use on your profile and resume, how to develop a portfolio to showcase your work, and even how to take the best LinkedIn profile picture!
Above all, reflect on what makes you stand out in the workplace. In your professional rebranding, convey your strengths and personality to better convey the value you bring to an employer.
Maintaining Momentum and Motivation
Staying motivated can be one of the hardest parts of recovering from a career setback. Here, we’ll discuss ways to sustain momentum and motivation during recovery and beyond.
Set (and Achieve) Small Goals
Goal setting is vital when recovering from a career setback, but ensuring that those goals are small and achievable is even more critical. This divides your career recovery journey into smaller, more manageable portions and helps you feel like you’re moving in the right direction. Achieving small goals can be pivotal for building momentum in the long run.
Part of building momentum in the recovery process is showing yourself compassion by celebrating small wins and achievements. Remember, these small goals are building blocks for larger ambitions.
Stay Engaged and Proactive
When trying to stay motivated, keeping in touch and staying engaged with your industry and professional community can go a long way. Other individuals in your network may have gone through a similar setback and may be able to offer advice and support. Alternatively, meet with your career coach for expert tips and suggestions. No matter the method you choose, proactive networking and continuous learning can help you uncover unexpected opportunities for career development while also keeping you motivated.
Practice Self-Care and Wellness
Recovering from a career setback can be emotionally exhausting. Taking care of yourself is crucial for staying motivated and resilient. Experts recommend spending time with friends and family, getting into nature, and exploring creative hobbies to help separate yourself from the stress of your job search or recovery. Carving out time for self-care and wellness is vital in avoiding burnout and maintaining a positive mindset.
Here are some other expert-approved tips for beating burnout:
- Set boundaries with work. Perhaps you don’t check your email after 8 pm or only apply to jobs on Tuesdays and Thursdays. No matter the boundaries, they will help you disconnect and recharge from the potential stress of your career recovery plan.
- Prioritize sleep. Not only does sleep help you feel better in every aspect of your life, but good sleep and sleep hygiene are also key to managing stress and staving off burnout.
- Breath-work. Simply taking a few deep breaths can help calm your nervous system and keep burnout at bay. Daily meditation can help some people feel more focused and aligned. In contrast, others may benefit significantly from simple breathing techniques that can be done at work in three minutes or less.
Embracing Change and Uncertainty
Ultimately, embracing change and uncertainty is the best tip for navigating a career setback. However, that is often easier said than done. Here’s how to view change and uncertainty positively in your career recovery.
Adopt an Adaptive Mindset
Remember, nothing is set in stone, especially regarding your career. Try reframing the setback as something to be excited about! This will not only put a positive spin on a career challenge but also help keep you flexible and adaptable for career planning. When faced with uncertainty, try transforming these challenges into learning opportunities. Ask yourself what is exciting about these changes and how they may help you discover parts of yourself you haven’t yet explored!
Working with a professional career coach may be especially helpful for acquiring tried-and-tested strategies for staying flexible and developing an adaptive mindset.
Plan for the Future While Staying Present
Thinking about the future can be exciting and overwhelming. Try balancing long-term career planning with present-moment adaptability. A professional mentor or a career coach can help you consider scenario planning to set yourself up for long-term career success. This may involve exploring career tests, practicing interview skills, or learning how to respond to difficult feedback.
Cultivate a Growth Mindset
A growth mindset is more than just a trendy career buzzword. It can be incredibly helpful in encouraging continuous improvement at every stage of your career journey. Since it is rooted in adaptability, it provides tools to facilitate recovery and adaptation in the face of inevitable career challenges.
Summary
Navigating career setbacks is undeniably challenging. But with a support network and an actionable plan, working through these hurdles can set you up for long-term career success. Overcoming career setbacks requires resilience, adaptability, and a proactive personal and professional development approach. By understanding the nature of career setbacks, how to find and use effective recovery methods, and keeping momentum in the recovery process, you can turn challenges into opportunities for growth.
You don’t have to navigate this journey alone. Schedule a session with a career coach to start rebuilding your career path with expert guidance and support.
FAQs
We get it—career setbacks can spark many questions. Here are our answers to frequently asked questions to help you navigate your career challenge.
What are common emotional reactions to career setbacks?
Feelings of disappointment, frustration, and uncertainty are common, but it's crucial to process these emotions constructively. Give yourself time to grieve the career setback you experienced.
How can I develop a resilient mindset?
Cultivate resilience by embracing challenges as learning opportunities, maintaining a positive outlook, and practicing self-care.
What should be included in a career recovery plan?
Define clear, achievable goals, outline steps for skill development, and identify support networks and resources.
How can I find new career opportunities after a setback?
Stay open to new paths, leverage your network, and consider industries or roles you haven't explored before.
Is it necessary to upskill or reskill after a career setback?
Yes! Continuous learning is critical to staying relevant and opening up new career possibilities, especially after a setback.
What can I do if I feel stuck or unsure about my next career move?
Take time to reflect on your values, passions, and long-term goals. Take an aptitude test or seek guidance from a career coach or trusted mentor to help clarify your options and develop a plan.
How can I effectively rebrand myself for a new career path?
Update your resume and LinkedIn profile to highlight transferable skills and craft a compelling narrative around your career pivot.
How can I explain gaps in my employment history due to career setbacks?
Be honest and focus on the positive. Highlight any skills you developed or experiences you gained during the gap, such as volunteering or pursuing education, to show you’re engaged and willing to learn.
What strategies can help maintain motivation during career recovery?
Setting small, incremental goals is key to staying motivated in your career recovery. Remember to celebrate even the small wins! Staying engaged in activities that boost your professional skills and interest in the field can also be useful.
How important is networking during the career recovery process?
Networking is crucial for uncovering new opportunities, gaining industry insights, and receiving support and advice.
Can seeking professional help, like career coaching, accelerate recovery?
Yes! Career coaches offer personalized guidance, accountability, and strategies tailored to your unique situation and goals.
How can I balance long-term career planning with the need to adapt?
Focus on building a flexible career plan that allows for reasonable adjustments. Your plan should account for both your long-term objectives and actionable short-term goals.
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