Bloomington employment counselors say taking a little time to mourn after losing a job can be a good thing. But Indiana University Psychological Services Director Nancy Stockton says it's important to be sure the mourning doesn't last too long.
"There's a time dimension. We don't like to see people get stuck in grief or get stuck in feeling sorry for themselves for a long period. Because that's not helpful. But it's important to take some time to feel bad, if you will," Stockton said.
Stockton says feeling bad sometimes helps people reevaluate life options, seeing possibilities that a person might not have considered before.
"They can't suddenly turned themselves into a completely optimistic person when they've just sustained some kind of loss of career or job possibility. And then I think they're in a better position to evaluate themselves and take a fresh look. What are my assets? What some more divergent ways of thinking about career or a job search?"
Stockton says the understanding of a job's psychological impact on a person dates back to Sigmund Freud, who said a person's vocation is one of the most significant aspects of someone's life.
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Richard with Central Indiana Marketing called in during the program. He said his company was hiring and actively interviewing job hunters.