Loss of a job can place you in an unfamiliar position. It's often a confusing time.

You may be overwhelmed by financial strain, added stress and uncertainty about your future. By knowing how to cope with job loss, you can move forward and find the next opportunity that is perfect for you.

Take stock of how you feel. Job loss can make you feel a range of emotions. You may feel sad, disappointed, frustrated or confused, all of which are perfectly normal and okay.

It's important to understand how you feel about the loss so you can properly move on from it later.

More than just knowing how you feel, try to understand why you feel that way. You may feel sad because you'll miss your co-workers, or frustrated because you have spent years at the company as a loyal employee.

Ask yourself if you are experiencing any other emotions, such as relief. If you feel some relief alongside your sadness, maybe it's because your work responsibilities didn't allow you to achieve the work/life balance that's perfect for your needs.

Job loss doesn't have to be an entirely bad experience. Instead, it can be a time for you to process what's happened and look for an opportunity that's a better fit.

As you process your feelings, you may need to find comfort and emotional support through your friends, family and neighbours. You may feel the need to talk about what happened, and your loved ones are usually the best placed at listening and being there for you during this period.

If you support your family financially, think about talking with them about your job loss and how it may impact their lives, especially if there will be need to cut back on the family budget.

One of the first things you may worry about after a job loss is your finances. With any job loss, you can usually expect your household income to decrease, but there are ways to not feel the effects as profoundly.

You may consider taking on side jobs or freelance work as you're trying to find your next full-time opportunity.

Expand your social network. If you worked in an office with others, chances are your circle of friends included your co-workers. When you no longer have your job, you may also end up losing those relationships too.

However, there are ways to build valuable connections with others that don't rely on working in the same space. One of the ways is attending networking events and workshops: Even when you're unemployed, it's a good idea to remain active in your industry's community.

Consider joining any membership-based organizations that specialise in your field as some of them may have resources you can use to get back to work. Attending workshops also help you gain valuable skills that can add to your resume.

After a job loss, think about taking some time for yourself to realize new interests and get back into your old hobbies.

There may be something you once loved doing but just haven't had the time to indulge in recently. By renewing your hobbies, you're giving yourself the opportunity to enjoy an activity outside of work.

This can be the ideal time to read, go on hikes, establish a self-care routine or take classes areas that enrich and interest you, such as learning a foreign language.

Ultimately, taking time for yourself is a way to take care of yourself, so try to eat right, drink plenty of water and get adequate sleep.

Practising healthy habits can help keep you active and in the right frame of mind for finding a new job.

Having taken some time for yourself, it’s now the perfect time to decide what kind of job you'd like to pursue next.

If your job loss made you realise that your former job wasn't the best position for you because you worked long hours, were too stressed or had to work individually a lot when you are more of a team player, then you can take this time to figure out your ideal work environment.

This can mean finding a new place of employment whose culture matches your values a little better, or it could mean that you pursue a new career path altogether.

 Reach out to your network. Once you have an idea of what your next step will be, reach out to your network and see if anyone has leads they can share with you.

Their own place of employment may be hiring for a role that would be perfect for you. This same contact can also write a letter of recommendation and officially refer you to the role.

Consider posting your interests on your social profiles so that those beyond your professional network, such as family members and friends, can know you are searching for your next role.

Create a portfolio. A portfolio is something you can present to a recruiter or hiring manager to showcase your work from previous roles. You can put your portfolio on a website, prepare a presentation or even print out your remarkable work and include copies of it in a binder.

Portfolios are a great way to show your actual achievements to employers beyond merely listing them as bullet points on your resume. By creating your portfolio, you may also feel more confident in your abilities.

Finally, start applying for new opportunities. Sometimes the best way to deal with the loss of a job is to pursue a new one. If you've spent some time reflecting on the kind of position you want, narrowing down your choices should go smoother. However, applying for jobs can take some time.

Try making a plan for searching and applying for positions, which may include how many jobs you'll apply for in a week or a

commitment to spending only a certain amount of time per day looking for something new.

The application process can also be overwhelming, but by breaking up your process into manageable steps, you may find it easier to tackle.

If your job search isn't yielding you the results you want, think about re-evaluating your goals and possibly changing your approach.

By Abol Kings

Mr. Abol Kings is a former banker, financial literacy trainer and a teacher in Kenya.

Email: abolkings1@gmail.com