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A new year's onset can be a period for contemplation, and for numerous people, that involves considering our professional paths.

Two editors who left their positions due to organizational changes at first believed their world had ended.

"I invested all my energy into the job... I believed in the ethos we promoted. Yet, when it came to me, those principles weren't there," one of them says.

Both individuals opted to employ the word "dismissed" and believe that being transparent about what happened can help you process the event.

"People rely on countless alternative phrases for being dismissed. But the faster you accept it, the sooner you're honest regarding it, the sooner you can advance.

"It's the direct path to what you desire to pursue next," she continues.

Now, they are thriving in new positions, where one owning a media business and another working as top editor for a high-end journal.

For those who have lost your job or are considering a shift, consider these four approaches for guidance.

1. Contemplate Last Year

It's typical to have a bit low regarding your job post-festive period.

A careers coach stresses the value of introspection before starting a new job search.

She suggests professionals to evaluate what they desire to pursue more, what to decrease, and what energizes or exhausts them.

Reviewing your accomplishments to identify underlying threads is useful too. "Try not to considering only the most recent period, because we all exhibit to focus on the recent that can impede the process," she adds.

She also says it is vital to establish where your work occupies in your life.

This requires being candid about the amount of time you devote to work and its effect on your personal and family life.

Following her job loss, she suggests not allowing your life be dictated by your career.

2. Make Small Steps

The expert notes that professionals can make incremental moves towards changing careers without diving in headfirst.

Her own journey took seven years to make the jump from a corporate role to running her own company full-time, working on her project alongside her job, which meant financial stability.

"It took a bit longer, but that was the method I used in a sustainable way," she comments.

She suggests an experimental method.

This could be pro bono work, participating in a work project that captures your interest, or agreeing to a new challenge within your current team.

"Worst case scenario, you find out that area isn't for you, however, it's wiser to learn now rather than after you've committed fully," she remarks.

She also encourages looking into short-term "bridging roles". These may not be the ideal job, yet they function as a step towards your goal, for example a position with parallels to your target field, but in a different industry or sector.

"It means allowing yourself the leeway to acknowledge this works for now, but that isn't the same as forever.

"That represents an intelligent approach for moving closer to your desired transition."

3. Acknowledge Your Accomplishments

For anyone who has recently lost your job, many are in the same boat – redundancy rates have increased to high levels lately.

A former editor was editor-in-chief at a style magazine, but a few years ago she were made redundant after the company discontinued the physical magazine.

Recognizing that this did not reflect of her performance assisted her cope with the situation.

"Your experience remains with you simply due to were dismissed.

"Don't relinquish your power, it's vital for everyone to recall their own worth."

Another professional lost her job following a long tenure with a finance publication following a regime change in management and the hiring of a different editor.

She emphasizes that a lot of the embarrassment associated with being fired is self-imposed.

"With many people being laid off, it's not personal. Chances are not your fault, so refrain from bearing that ball of shame around with you."

4. Create a Career Checklist

For those who are desperately seeking a new job or feel deeply dissatisfied with your present job, it can be tempting to dive straight into applying for any vacancy – ignoring what suits you.

Yet, this can be a significant mistake.

Rather, she recommends a technique known as "reviewing" – focusing your search on position summaries that seem appealing.

She suggests searching job platforms and collecting several that you like.

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