An Unexpected Job Transition

Exactly five months after terrorists took down the twin towers of the World Trade Center, Reg Simak faced his own ground zero.

Reg, a husband and father of three, made the thirty-minute commute each day to a job he loved. But on February 11, 2002, his boss called him into his office. Once the door closed, the words that fell from his employer's lips rocked Reg's world. "Today is your last day of employment."

Having no reason to expect this news, the blood drained from Reg's face. Light-headed and heavy-hearted, he returned to his desk and called his wife with the news.

His unexpected unemployment became even more stressful when he learned there was no severance package. Reg had a daughter in college and another one about to graduate high school and his mortgage payment was nearly $2,000 a month. Added to those bottom line realities was the self-esteem hit he endured. Without a job or even a prospect of one, his personal sense of worth resembled his dwindling savings account.

After the blindsiding news that his job was done, Reg took these steps to rebuild his sense of hope for the present and lay a solid foundation for the future.

  • Admit to yourself and your spouse what you're feeling. Reg didn't pretend he wasn't angry or depressed. He refused to put on a good front, even though he had good reasons to have bad thoughts. His honesty allowed him to sort through his feelings. Some were worth embracing. Others weren't. In addition to keeping a journal of his rollercoaster-like emotions, he gave himself permission to feel blue.

  • Commit your situation to the Lord. Although Reg surrendered his feelings and his future to God in prayer, it was more than a token gesture. He dug in and was determined to spend time in God's Word daily. The Psalms, complete with David's candid confessions, provided a vocabulary with which to approach God. Reg also reprioritized prayer. In time, he accepted his firing.

  • Hit the road. For Reg that meant a couple things. First, it meant literally pounding the pavement every day to find a new job. He updated his resume and then began to network. At the suggestion of a friend, he made a list of five people he admired locally who were well-connected in their field. Offering to buy them a cup of coffee in exchange for an hour of their time, Reg asked them for names of those they knew who were familiar with his vocational background.

  • Submit your game plan to a trusted group of friends. Reg and his wife Jean were part of a home fellowship group who did more than just study the Bible. They shared a level of intimacy that invited prayer and accountability. Over the next few months, Reg shared with them the occupation he wanted to pursue; he asked their advice and submitted to their suggestions. Amazingly, in the lonely journey of unemployment, he didn't feel abandoned.

Although it took him three years, Reg Asimak eventually landed an ideal job in a location he'd previously only dreamed about. Looking back, he's grateful he approached his job transition proactively.

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