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The start of a new year can be a moment for introspection, and for a lot of us, that involves evaluating our career trajectories.

A pair of editors who lost their roles following company reorganizations originally thought it was catastrophic.

"I poured all my energy into that role... I believed in the values we championed. But in my case, those values weren't there," one of them states.

They both opted to say "fired" and believe that being honest about it can assist you deal with the experience.

"We use so many soft terms for losing a job. But the faster you accept it, the sooner you're candid regarding it, the quicker you can advance.

"That is the fast track to anything you wish to pursue next," she adds.

Now, they are thriving in different roles, with one leading her own firm and another working as editor-in-chief for a luxury magazine.

For those who have lost your job or are contemplating a change, consider these four methods to assist you.

1. Reflect On Last Year

It's typical to feel a bit low regarding your job following time off.

A professional advisor emphasizes the necessity of introspection before starting a fresh job hunt.

She suggests people to consider what they wish to increase, what to decrease, and the things that inspires or drains their drive.

Examining your past successes to spot underlying threads is useful too. "Try to avoid focusing solely on the most recent period, because we all exhibit to focus on the recent that can obstruct the process," she states.

She also says it is vital to determine the role of work occupies in your life.

This means being candid about how much time you spend working and the influence on your personal and social life.

Following her job loss, she recommends against letting your identity be defined by your career.

2. Implement Gradual Moves

She notes that professionals can take gradual progress towards a career shift without a complete leap.

She took seven years to make the jump from a traditional job to operating her own business full-time, building the venture concurrently with her role, which enabled financial stability.

"It required additional time, however, that was how I did it without risk," she comments.

She suggests an experimental method.

This could be volunteer work, joining a work project that captures your interest, or accepting a new challenge within your current team.

"If it fails, you find out you don't like, but it's better to know now than after you've made the move," she adds.

She also advises looking into short-term "bridging roles". These might not be the ideal job, yet they function as a move forward, like a job with parallels to the career you want, though not in the exact area.

"It means giving yourself the leeway to accept this is suitable temporarily, however, that is not the same as forever.

"This is a very smart tactic to get much closer to that desired transition."

3. Remember Your Accomplishments

Should you have recently lost your position, many are in the same boat – job cuts have risen to high levels in recent times.

A former editor was the top editor at a style magazine, but a few years ago she were made redundant following a decision to discontinued the physical magazine.

Recognizing that this was not indicative of her ability assisted her cope with the situation.

"What you've learned doesn't disappear simply due to were let go.

"Don't relinquish your self-worth, it's vital for everyone to recognize their own worth."

The other editor was let go following a long tenure at a financial magazine after a change at the top and the arrival of a different editor.

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

"With many people being laid off, it's usually not about you. It's probably not your fault, so don't carry that feeling unnecessarily."

4. Build a Professional Checklist

If you're desperately seeking employment or are profoundly unhappy in your current role, the temptation is to dive straight into applying for any vacancy – ignoring personal fulfillment.

However, this represents a significant mistake.

Instead, she suggests a method called "browsing" – filtering opportunities down to role profiles that seem appealing.

She advises searching professional networks and collecting several that you like.

"Look for {the words|the