Newsmomma: Laid off – Now What?

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By Angie Seth @kateygoalie

Newsmomma

Newsmomma

I cannot believe it happened to me. It never has. Its surreal, upsetting, frustrating. It makes me feel lost and confused. The show I have worked on for the past 12 years as a journalist – reporter and anchor – has sadly been cancelled.

So now what? Well I of course pull up my boot straps and look for a new job. It’s what I would tell my kids if the same thing happened to them. It’s what my dad told me when I called him just a couple of hours after it happened.

“You will be fine. Not to worry. You will find something better – I know it because you are worth it.” It’s exactly what I needed to hear.

As a mom, handling a situation as devastating as this, speaks volumes about who we are as a parent. Since I became a mom I preached to myself to remember moments and situations I went through in my life as a child and as an adult and to carry those lessons through to my children. So in this situation what’s my action plan? How do I handle things? These are important questions that pertain not only to me and my emotions, but to my children as well.

My three and one-year-olds are thrilled mommy is home again. My 18-year-old has been very sympathetic and supportive. On the upside of getting laid off, I get to spend another summer with my kids. I get to help my eldest child prepare for University and my middle child for her first day of school.

On the downside I don’t have a job. I am not doing what I love. (Mind you that is going to change very soon!) So my emotions are all over the place. Its exhausting and I feel restless. Add three kids into the mix and this pot will soon reach its boiling point! But I can’t let that happen. As a woman and as a mom what kind example would I be setting for my kids? My focus right now is to keep my emotions in check and to remind myself that losing my job is the incentive I needed to move to a new news network – something I had been planning to do in the very near future anyway.

As a parent, if this happened to one of my kids, I would tell them to focus on the silver lining, to strive towards getting the better deal, and to enjoy the adventure of a new challenge. Hopefully my children will see that when mommy is down, she has the strength and determination to pick herself up, brush herself off, and get right back on the horse.

 

My eldest child was shocked when I told her I was laid off. She was sad in a way because she knew how much the show meant to me. She has been a great sounding board when I need to vent! My middle child is excited mommy is home again and thinks mommy has a really cool career because she doesn’t have to work everyday!

 

So what is my action plan? How do I get back up on the horse? Well like any journalist I called my contacts and worked my leads in television. I have spent several days working on and fine tuning my CV and demo. Apart from writing this blog I have also started writing for a local South Asian paper. The final step is to join another newsroom as an on-air anchor/reporter!

 

bigstock-New-Life-5375130So for anyone in the same position I am in, or who used to be, or potentially could be:

 

  • Remember to give yourself the time to carefully assess what has happened. It is important to review the situation and to ask yourself what is next for you. Talking about the experience is critical too.

 

  • You will need to vent, question, and accept the circumstances and having someone close, who you can trust is really important. For me its my husband who constantly tells me I will be back on air before I know it. He is my loyal elephant!

 

  • Finally, have an action plan – what are you going to do next? Find a new job in the same profession? Start your own business? Or just take the time to reassess your skills and find a job that offers new challenges.

 

The bottom line is you need to be happy. My motto is if you can’t smile at work then there is no point in going.

 

I am proud of what I do. Being a journalist is an honored profession. It’s in your blood. It’s the people who allow you to tell their stories is what makes the job so worthwhile and rewarding. It’s about telling stories and giving the viewers important information, and I can do that anywhere. In fact, I’m doing it right now. So where will you see me next? You’ll just have to stay tuned!


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There are 2 comments

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  1. Angie

    A great article teaching us to always look on that the glass being half full. Wishin you all the best, and I know you will find something better and bigger, all things happen for a reason.

  2. nazirmo

    Look my wife and I have watched you for a very long time on the cancelled show and although your dad has been my family doctor ( a fine human being ) and I want to say without any bias – we have always thought of you as an excellent interviewer and a host of the cancelled show – we have no doubt that you will find a position worthy of your talents on another channel.
    Personally I feel you can chair an entertainment feature on CFTO
    And if I may add over the years of our working career we also went through the same crisis or to put it bluntly loss of jobs only to land better ones.


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