Expatriate Survival Kit- That Reveals 10 Things That Could Go Terribly Wrong If You Lose Your Job! And What Can You Do To Come Out Of It
I knew my Company was struggling, but I did not expect the terrible news.
Monday morning, my boss took me out for a coffee, to tell me that I am being let go and won’t have a job. I should start preparing, and he asked me to hand over things and my operation to him and go home to take some time off.
He offered to inform my team about my situation, and I choose to do that myself. I owed them that much. I have been leading them for four years out of my 14 years in this Company.
It knocked the wind right out of me, and I felt the dark chill — the Dreaded situation was Real.
I was Jobless.
Shocking Truth About Losing Your Job In A Foreign Country
They were staring right at me! My mind was travelling at lightspeed.
1) I would lose My Employment Pass/Sponsored Visa by the Company.
Luckily, for me, I had taken a Personal Employment Pass about eight months before, you get that in Singapore if you earn more than 12K a year. Where-in you can stay without Job for 6 Months and get hired by any company with three years’ work validity. Not many would have this liberty that means most will have to pack-up and go in 1to 2 months.
2) I had to keep paying house rent, was in a two years contract that was extended for two more years just a couple of months back. My Diplomatic clause was only valid after 8 Months + 2 months’ notice period (Clause helps you in a rental situation to break out of standard agreement where if you have to exit the country when you lose your Employment or asked to leave the country or your Visa is void)
3) Will I be able to continue to pay the Fees of the international school for My Child. Will my daughter be able to finish her school year here?
4) Healthcare coverage for my whole family will disappear, that is part of my job contract.
My daughter has Hereditary Spherocytosis( Rare Blood condition) I needed a health plan active for her, at the least.
5) Being Expat in Singapore not entitled to Unemployment benefits
6) If I don’t find Job will have to move back to home country India
The economic situation over there is even worse, and I moved to have a better life for my family and me and have been away for 15+Years
7) Have to let go of our Helper at home too who supports my wife, who is a full-time home-maker.
8) How was my Spouse going to react? She resigned from her Job to manage our Child.
9) How will I Pay my house Mortgage back home, which is my parents’ home now?
10) Have to Cut Down my Budget and Make a Spending Plan
The considerable uncertainty is now hanging over My future and the future of the whole family.
Uncertainty Is Extremely Stressful
Will I get an extension to keep looking for a job? May be Explore Contract Jobs / Odd Jobs or Part-Time jobs anything that pays a salary and keep me in action. Will my saving sustain till that time?
Looking for a new job during a pandemic may seem impossible. Isn’t the whole globe out of work? How can you interview just now? While being locked at homes and everyone is in the Panic state.
If deadly Pandemic doesn’t get your body, it just might get your wallet.
I planned to live a decent life in Singapore, Settling down with my Family, Earning good money, Right Education for my Daughter and Support for my ageing parent’s.
I felt like my whole grand plan was tumbling in front of my eyes.
Fun Fact: “Everybody Has A Plan, Till They, Get Punched At Their Face” — Mohammad Ali
Whether you’ve lost your Job as a result of a business decision, downsizing, or even performance, it takes a severe toll on your confidence and stirs up all kinds of unpleasant emotions.
Unfortunately, we’re likely going to face some kind of job loss or significant job change at one point or another in our careers.
Sometimes this change reaches far beyond the scope of our control and comes as a surprise to us all.
Life Savers: What Should You Do To Manage This Situation Well
1. Control Only What You Can — Let Go Of Everything Else
You can do your best to negotiate a more favourable termination agreement.
Severance packages negotiation, there are some things employees are obliged to pay to a foreign employee, such as the following: salary in place of notice/unused accrued annual leave entitlement/unpaid salary/remaining accrued yearly leave entitlement/benefits under an employment contract
But there are some other, non-obligatory things that you might try to have added to your severance package: exgratia payments/cash allowance/continuation of insurance plan/out-placement services/legal fees.
By working on accomplishing tasks within your reach, you regain a sense of control in your life. You can’t predict the outcome, but you can quiet your mind. You did your best.
Some people find ambiguity so uncomfortable that they come to deny reality.
They make arbitrary choices to get out of the limbo. They act either as if nothing had happened or as if everything was already finished.
This is dangerous, of course.
Embrace ambiguity instead of resisting it. How hard this may sound, this is what will lower your stress level.
2. Have Faith
Fear and Faith are made of the same materials.
They both are Imagination
They both are something that may happen in future
Fear can cripple you, take you right down the dark alley where you will cause yourself more damage, and everything will become dreadful.
While Faith can guide you, take you to places where you have never been, you will see the opportunity, you will see the goodness in life, you will see possibilities, the right side of everything.
It A Matter Of Choice, And You Should Always Choose Faith Because If You Don’t Choose, Fear Will Choose You!
And what if this scary situation proved to be a significant opportunity in your life? Of course, now, you can’t conceive it, but in future, you might be surprised…
3. Keep Your Body Healthy, And It’s The Only Place Where You Live
Sleep enough, Eat Right. Sleep deprivation and erratic diet patterns are detrimental to your morale. You don’t need to be put down but to be lifted. Don’t self-medicate with alcohol or other drugs. They can give some quick release but not a solution.
It’s like closing your eyes in broad daylight and believing its dark out there.
4. Be With Your Family, They Care They May Not Show It, But They Do
In times like these, people tend to withdraw from each other. And this makes it a burden much more difficult to bear for each family member.
But if you chose to pay closer attention to your partner and your children, you’ll have an excellent opportunity to strengthen your family ties and find comfort in supporting one another. They need you as much as you need them.
Get together Daily, Establish a daily ritual with your family to check in on each other — may be over a Dinner or Walk or exercise anything that works without any distraction, no phones, no calls, no Tv just family time.
5. Get Social — Tell Everyone, Even Strangers “We Are A Social Animal”
Don’t be embarrassed, and you are not the only person in the world who has been in this position.
There a lot more to life than just a job; there is a lot more to you.
Chances are, your self-esteem has taken a hit and saying “I’m unemployed” aloud makes it that much more real and devastating. Though you may be tempted to keep your status a secret, friends and family can’t begin to help if they’re not aware.
Letting people know you’re available for new opportunities is the first step in getting your job search off the ground.
When things go wrong, however, we tend to hide. But it’s time to see who your real friends are. “A friend in need is a friend indeed”. Are your friends here for you? Can you rely on them?
This is when a blend of online and local connections comes in handy.
6: Invest in Your Personal Development
If enrolling in a class or two will make you more marketable, get to it right now.
People hire you for not what you do, but what Value you bring to the table. Add more Value.
In today world, Knowledge and information are freely available if you want to acquire it.
Remember, Knowledge is Potential Power!
7: Thought Becomes Things, Build Your Winning Narrative And Believe It
You may want to put your layoff behind you, but there’s no denying it’ll come up during an interview or discussion with family, friends, strangers. Come up with an honest but professional narrative and practice it a lot.
When talking about it, focus on what you want to do next — rather than what has happened.
My Biggest Learning
Here’s the biggest problem you face right now If you are not fired if, you will someday.
It is not a matter of How or Why but When.
It’s Breaking the shackles of your Job, your calendar, and your 9-to-5 Income.
But that’s not the end of the problem. It gets worse! Why? Because it is the only source of income, you might have! Which means your dream of living a life you want, depends on this Job you do.
And, worst of all, most Expatriate Employees can’t get past the idea that working for years and years in a Job while climbing the corporate ladder will give them the life they want.. I didn’t till I got punched on my face.
If You Are An Expatriate Working In A Foreign Country, This May Be Your Past, Your Present Or Foreseeable Future
Create More Than One Income Stream.
Break Your Shackles. Make A Choice Today Either Choose A Life That Has Been Given To You Or Build The Life You Want, The Life Your Deserve.
