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A new year's onset can be a moment for introspection, and for a lot of us, that encompasses thinking about our professional paths.

A pair of editors who were made redundant from their positions following company reorganizations initially felt it was a disaster.

"I dedicated everything into the position... I believed in the principles we promoted. However, regarding my situation, those values were absent," one of them states.

They both decided to use the term "let go" and believe that being honest about the situation can help you deal with it.

"People rely on numerous euphemisms for being dismissed. Yet, the sooner you acknowledge it, the faster you're candid about it, the sooner you can advance.

"It's the direct path to anything you want to do next," she adds.

Today, they are thriving in new ventures, with one leading a media business and the other serving as lead editor for a luxury magazine.

If you've been made redundant or are simply considering a shift, these are four strategies that can help.

1. Reflect On Last Year

It's natural to experience some unease concerning your career following time off.

A career expert highlights the necessity of introspection prior to launching a new job search.

She suggests individuals to think about what they desire to increase, what to reduce, and the things that energizes or exhausts them.

Reviewing your accomplishments to identify underlying threads is useful too. "Try not to considering only the most recent period, since everyone have a tendency for recency bias that can impede clear thinking," she adds.

A former editor says it is crucial to determine the role of work fits in your life.

This means being candid regarding the hours you're working and the influence on your personal and social life.

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

2. Make Gradual Moves

She says people can take gradual progress towards a career shift without diving in headfirst.

She herself took several years to transition from her corporate career to operating her own company full-time, working on her idea alongside her job, which allowed self-funding from the start.

"It needed additional time, but that was how I did it sustainably," she says.

She suggests a test-run approach.

This might involve volunteer work, getting involved in a professional project that captures your interest, or saying yes to a new challenge at your present job.

"If it fails, you find out that area isn't for you, but it's better to learn now rather than after you've made the move," she remarks.

Additionally, she suggests exploring temporary "stepping-stone" positions. They are perhaps not the dream position, but they serve as progress in the right direction, such as a role with parallels to the career you want, though not in the exact field.

"It's about giving yourself the space to accept this is good for now, however, that is not the same as forever.

"That represents a clever tactic for getting nearer to a desired transition."

3. Acknowledge Your Achievements

Should you have recently lost your role, many are in the same boat – redundancy rates have increased markedly in recent times.

One professional held a senior role at a style magazine, but in 2022 she and her team were made redundant following a decision to ceased print operations.

Understanding that this situation did not reflect of her performance allowed her to cope with the situation.

"The skills you've gained doesn't disappear because you were dismissed.

"Don't relinquish your confidence, it's crucial for all individuals to recall their own worth."

The other editor was fired after a decade at a financial magazine due to leadership changes in senior ranks and the appointment of a new editor.

She stresses that so much of the shame of job loss is internal.

"Given that hundreds of thousands of people being laid off, it's not personal. It's likely not your fault, so refrain from bearing that burden of shame around with you."

4. Develop a Job Search List

For those who are desperately seeking employment or are profoundly unhappy at work, you might be tempted to apply hastily for any vacancy – disregarding what suits you.

However, this represents a significant mistake.

Rather, she recommends a technique known as "browsing" – narrowing your search to only position summaries that capture your interest.

She recommends searching professional networks and collecting around 10 to 15 that seem promising.

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