Regardless of the reasons for being dismissed from your job, being fired or let go can have a tremendous emotional impact that can not only affect you but the people around you.

You are bound to feel depressed, embarrassed, angry. You may be in shock for days and weeks following the layoff. All these emotions are quite normal; the key is working your way through them so that you can come out on the other side with a positive attitude and a plan for the future.

Just about everyone will get fired or laidoff at least once in their careers, and while that is not something to celebrate, it is something to cling to as you fight depression and try to regain your self-confidence in moving forward with your life.

Don’t assume you are at fault for your firing -- unless, of course you realize that you are lacking a key skill or certification or that you did not take the job seriously, in which case you will need to make corrections to fix the problem before you head back into the job market.