Being fired is a difficult time for anyone, and it comes with initial confusion. The automatic reaction is "Why me?", "What did I do?". The truth is, there must have been something because otherwise, the company is putting itself at risk for a lawsuit in which they risk losing much more than your salary.

Often the employer will give you the option to resign rather than be fired so that black mark isn't in your employment history. If this is the case, you are probably on relatively good terms with someone in the office who can shed light on the reasons. It may be as simple as a restructuring that hasn't been made public yet, but they will share that with you to ease your mind. Approach the person most able and you think most willing to give you insight and the reasons as to what happened.

If you feel a more formal approach is warranted, you can got to HR and ask for the reasons behind it. If you were officially fired, they should have warnings or other documentation in your employee file. In most cases, you have a right to review and receive copies of anything in your file. This can be useful in explaining to future employers and demonstrating a good work history through reviews, but there may have been one big error.

If, however, you haven't taken any of these steps and are uncomfortable backpedaling and going back to the old employer, you can do some "internal" review and think back to your work history. Had you exhibited or told people about unhappiness with the workplace? Were you taking more time off and calling in sick regularly? Did you make any major errors that cost the company?

Since most people have "at-will" contracts, employers have some leeway in firing, as long as it is not discriminatory in nature.

Finally, think about it as an opportunity for change in your life. Few people get fired that are turly happy in their jobs, so if you can financially, take some time to think about what made you unhappy and look for places that don't exhibit that feature. Getting involved in volunteering or joining clubs often helps you understand what you want out of life.

Learn more about this author, Jasmine Paul.
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