Job Loss

Sometimes a fundraising job doesn’t work out. Although this may be a difficult time, there are ways to make the process easier. Sometimes there are signs that job loss is about to happen, but often it comes as a shock and surprise.

If you find yourself suddenly out of a job, let yourself handle the emotions. It is common to adopt your fundraising job as part of your identity, especially if you worked there for a long time. Sometimes it feels like you are losing part of yourself. Leaving a fundraising job sometimes takes quite a while to get over emotionally. If you are having difficulty dealing with the fall-out from your job, you could speak to a therapist to work through the emotional piece.

Once you have let yourself deal with the emotional aspect of job loss, your next step is to make a plan. If you are lucky, you have already negotiated a severance package. This will provide a buffer between your current fundraising job and finding a new one. Another thing you could do immediately is to adjust your spending habits to fit your new budget. This will help keep financial stress at bay.

One thing many people don’t do when they experience a fundraising job loss is to ask for feedback. If you have been let go from your position due to job performance or behavior, it is important to know that. You can learn from the experience and change your strategy for your next fundraising position. If your job loss is due to the economy, touch base with your supervisor and ensure that you can get a reference for future fundraising jobs.

Losing a job is one of the more difficult parts of life. It causes a lot of stress and places you back in the job market, which isn’t anyone’s favorite place to be. We have compiled this list of resources to help you cope with the experience. Bookmark in case you need it!