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The start of a new year is frequently a time for reflection, and for a lot of us, that includes thinking about our work lives.

Two editors who left their positions due to organizational changes originally thought it was catastrophic.

"I invested all my energy into the position... I believed in the ethos we promoted. But in my case, that ethos were absent," one of them remarks.

Both individuals decided to say "let go" and suggest that being open about it can assist you deal with the experience.

"People rely on so many alternative phrases for being dismissed. Yet, the sooner you own it, the sooner you're candid about it, the quicker you can advance.

"That's the fast track to what you desire to do next," she notes.

Now, they are excelling in new positions, where one owning a media business and the other holding the position of lead editor for a luxury magazine.

Whether you've been made redundant or are just contemplating a change, these are four strategies for guidance.

1. Consider The Previous Year

It's typical to feel some unease regarding your job after a holiday break.

A career expert emphasizes the value of reflection before starting a new job search.

She advises individuals to think about what they wish to do more of, what to decrease, and the things that inspires or drains them.

Looking back at your achievements to find underlying threads can also help. "Try to avoid considering only the last month, as people often exhibit to focus on the recent that can impede your judgment," she notes.

She also notes it is crucial to determine what place your job plays in your life.

This requires being truthful about the amount of time you're working and the influence on your social and family life.

After her own experience, she suggests not allowing your life be defined by your work.

2. Implement Small Steps

The expert says people can take small steps towards changing careers without committing fully.

She herself required a long period to move from a corporate role to managing her own business full-time, working on her idea concurrently with her role, which allowed self-funding from the start.

"It required additional time, however, that was how I did it in a sustainable way," she comments.

She advocates for a test-run strategy.

This might involve volunteering, getting involved in a work project you find appealing, or accepting a new challenge within your current team.

"The worst outcome, you find out that area isn't for you, but it's preferable to know now instead of after you've committed fully," she remarks.

She also encourages exploring temporary "stepping-stone" positions. These may not be the dream position, yet they function as progress forward, such as a role with similarities to the career you want, but in a different area.

"It involves granting yourself the leeway to say this is suitable temporarily, but that isn't for all time.

"That can be an intelligent approach for moving closer to a career change."

3. Recall Your Successes

If you've just left your position, you are not the only one – redundancy rates have increased significantly recently.

She held a senior role at a style magazine, but a few years ago she and her team were made redundant when the firm closed the print version.

Realizing that this event did not reflect of her skills assisted her handle the transition.

"What you've learned remains with you just because you were dismissed.

"Don't relinquish your power, it's important for all individuals to recall their intrinsic value."

Another professional lost her job after ten years in a business journal following a regime change in senior ranks and the arrival of new leadership.

She emphasizes that so much of the embarrassment of dismissal is internal.

"With many professionals losing jobs, it's rarely personal. Chances are very much not you, so don't carry that ball of shame unnecessarily."

4. Develop a Career Checklist

If you're desperately seeking work or are profoundly unhappy at work, it can be tempting to jump at for any job – ignoring personal fulfillment.

But this is a significant mistake.

Alternatively, she proposes a method called "scanning" – filtering opportunities down to position summaries that sound interesting.

She recommends browsing sites like LinkedIn and collecting several that you like.

"Look for {the words|the