Ashish, a young techie from Hyderabad, was thrilled to get a job offer from a start-up in Austin, Texas. This was the break he had long been dreaming of. He planned to work at the new job for four years and then apply to a top-notch MBA program. But much to his chagrin, his plans got derailed when his visa was rejected. Ashish was literally speechless as he was sure his was a fail-proof case. Dejected and disconsolate, he couldn’t see himself return to his previous job.
Neha was a rising star at a fin-tech company in Bengaluru. As the company scaled rapidly, Neha too rose through the ranks. Venture capitalists, impressed by her credentials, confidence and capacity to deliver, sometimes paid more attention to her than her boss during quarterly meetings. Thinking she was indispensable to the company, Neha wasn’t expecting to be hit by a curveball. When she was given the pink slip one morning, her eyes misted with tears of rage. For an entire month, she stayed at home without venturing out to meet friends or even get a haircut. She simply stewed at the injustice meted out to her.
How to handle a setback
Career setbacks can impact anyone, across rungs and industries, regardless of your skills and abilities. Often, they feel unfair and unjust. Though it’s natural to feel upset about a setback in the short-term, it’s possible to rebound from it provided you have the right mindset. In an article in Harvard Business Review, Mitchel Lee Marks, Philip Mirvis and Ron Ashkenas aver that setbacks can serve as a “springboard to success” if you are willing to learn from the experience and soldier on. They suggest a three-step approach—first, you need to figure out why you failed, then seek fresh paths and grab a new opportunity when it arises.
The researchers interviewed scores of employees who had rocky career trajectories in the form of lays-offs, being fired or “passed over for promotion.” Similar to the stages of grief put forth by famed psychologist Elisabeth Kubler Ross, the executives first experienced “shock and denial.” Over time, this transformed into anger which was directed at their firm or boss or even fate. Then they felt miffed and were overcome with self-doubt, wondering if they could ever hold their heads high. The final stage was of “acceptance,” which some of them never quite got to.
Examine why you failed
The authors found that those who were most likely to bounce back from their failure were the ones who didn’t get mired in their emotions. Instead, they began to question why they experienced the setback and examine whether they could have done anything differently.
Ashish realized the hard way that there is no “fail-proof case” as life can always deliver a googly. He tucked in his ego and returned to his previous job albeit with a new resolve. He met with an educational consultant who advised him to apply for a Master’s in the United States. While doing so, Ashish also started scouring the Net for job opportunities in Australia. Given his earlier setback, he did not invest all his hopes in any single idea. Rather, he worked on a contingency plan, right from the start.
People who get back on their feet after a career setback also “gather feedback from a wide variety of people.” Feeling at loose ends, Neha reached out to one of her professors at business school with whom she had a connect. Over a cup of coffee, the professors advised her to try to get feedback from some of her former colleagues. Squelching her ego, she met a couple of them and learnt that some people found her “pushy and brash.” Her initial reaction was to dismiss their comment as blatant sexism. However, she also met with her mother’s friend who held a high-powered corporate position. While the older lady acknowledged that sexism may play a part, she also counselled Neha on how she could be assertive without necessarily stepping on people’s toes. This interaction made Neha introspect and mull over the way she conducted herself at work.
Consider alternative paths
Further, time away from work also gave her an opportunity to examine her priorities. Neha realized that a corporate job cannot provide her with the fulfillment she was seeking. She volunteered in a couple of non-profits to understand how the social sector works. She realized that she could use her business acumen in the areas of fundraising and financial planning. She then applied to a large foundation where she was offered a mid-level position. Her job involved assessing grant applications for their potential impact and feasibility.
While her corporate background was an asset in her new job, she also realized that she had to be mindful of how she presented herself. She had a fruitful innings in her new role and rose to a senior-level position in a few years. Looking back, Neha is thankful for the early setback that actually led to a more meaningful career. So, don’t despair if your job doesn’t pan out the way you envisioned. Alternative pathways are available to those who seek them.
About the Author
(Aruna Sankaranarayanan is a psychologist & writer. She is the author of Zero Limits: Things Every 20-Something Should Know. She blogs at www.arunasankaranarayanan.com.)