Getting ready for a new start

My heart aches for the huge amount of great talents in our industry that have lost their job recently.

While reading in my Facebook groups, it is really disturbing and frustrating not to have a fantastic idea on how to help them relieve from their burden, especially since we do not know how long will it take for them to find a new job or for the crisis to alleviate.

I have crunched my head trying to find a new business where everybody could use their amazing skills and earn a living properly and honestly, as they did before. But I have not been successful, yet!

This is why I kept thinking on how to approach the situation and put together a couple of ideas, which I read in the different forums, podcast and webinars I have participated in the last months, which impacted my point of view of the present and which I hope can help any of you to improve their view on the future.

In my opinion, people receiving the dreaded call should not mourn long on the past, but design and sculpture their future immediately. This also applies (unfortunately) for people in furlough, which are in risk of definite lay off.

For that, there are some steps that you need to take. These steps are not listed in order of importance and should be handpicked by each individual according to their needs, possibilities and personalities.

1 – Think out of the box. Check which businesses are still going well around you and consider a change of industry.There are a lot of other business that will appreciate the flexibility, hard work and endurance of each of us in the industry. I read about a lot of people changing from hotels to serviced apartments or food production, etc. Maybe around you there are alternatives that you are not looking at.

2 – Evaluate your knowledge, experience and personal skills and see where else can it be applied. I read of a lady this week who was housekeeping manager; she made a big step and created her own cleaning troop, now servicing private residences.

3 – Connections. Is there anyone that can give you a hand? Don’t be afraid to ask for help. One good thing that this pandemic has developed in all of us is the wish to support each other. People have become less egocentric and feel useful/valuable if they can help someone, even in the less relevant actions. Maybe you need to be recommended or introduced to someone. Don’t hesitate to ask the right people if this brings you further.

4 –  Update your curriculum and your social media presence and have someone professional to look over it. Nowadays it is of great importance that you look after your social media presence and how you „sell“ yourself. Show the best of you and personalize your curriculum according to the company and position you are applying for. Show yourself flexible, professional and an allrounder. At this moment, this is what the companies are looking for.

5 – Update your skills. We are living in an environment mainly controlled by digital and virtual elements. So, think about gigs or technology that everyone is working with and take the time to update yourself. But also invest in your personal development. I, for instance, did an online course as Motivational Speaker with Lisa Nichols, which helped me strengthen my sales skills and gave me more self assurance (highly recommended!). Think that soft skills are as important as technical skills and invest your time, energy and money wisely on growing for your new future.

6 – Don‘t be afraid to try something new. I personally think that what represents the biggest struggle in this post-pandemic time is the uncertainty as to when this will be over. If we approach it as a fact and try to look into it as the reality we should confront, it may give us plenty of new ideas, which easily can be adaptable to our original work. This is the time when you should dare to try!

7 – Consider starting new somewhere else. There are geographic areas where the crisis has struck harder than others. If you personal situation allows (family, financial, etc), maybe is the time you consider starting in another area of the country. A change of panorama could be intimidating at the beginning, but if you do not try you will never know if it was even better than before. Maybe moving to greener pastures is exactly what you were needing anyways.

8 – Think positive and surround yourself with positive thoughts and optimist people. It is fine to have a bad day or a bad afternoon or even only a bad couple of minutes. I struggle with changes of mood, lack of motivation and fear of uncertainty regularly and I learnt to embrace these changes and uncertainty and push myself to see this emotional rollercoaster as temporary feelings, as a transition of something bigger and better that is on its way right direct to me.   It is important that you are available and supportive to people around you who are also struggling, but this should not be let affect you or pull you down. If you see that this has a strong impact in your behavior or mood, be honest and try to reduce these encounters as much as possible.

9 – Follow a healthy routine. Now that we have the time to do some exercise regularly, prepare our food more consciously and come in contact with nature, we have in our hands a great possibility to build a strong basis for our health. Also, do not underestimate the importance of mental health and give yourself time for meditation, nice strolls in the neighborhood or just a quiet „me“ time.  It is important that you have a plan for the day or the week and tick all the points you achieve.

10 – Mentorship. Find someone that could help you develop a real strategy and plan of your future.   This person’s main responsibility is to lift you in „down“ moments. Together you and your mentor should think of your „new“ future as a reality and you should take real steps towards this new goal.

11 – Pay attention to where you pay your attention. Keep focus on your final goal and don‘t overfeed yourself with webinars, courses, or sending curriculum everywhere just for the sake of it. Remember that you are valuable, your time is precious and you need all your energy and efforts to be concentrated on your final goal.

In conclusion, it is important that you release all feelings of judgment and prejudice that could come to your mind and in times of insecurity ask yourself WHY your clients appreciate you in the first place. Remain hopeful despite the circumstances, look for a supportive surrounding, eat well,  exercise and take conscious long breaths,  embrace the changes and uncertainty and temporary happenings and…never give up!

„People willing to trade their freedom for temporary security deserve neither and will lose both“ – Benjamin Franklin

Sources of inspiration:

Lisa Nichols

Simon Sinek

Facebook Group Hospitality Family

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