Tabula Rasa.

Today’s Marketing Cookie is about framing your career story to highlight your strengths and open new doors.

Whether you've been laid off, fired, quit, or are planning to, the aftermath of departing a company can be a whirlwind of emotions. Being laid off from a job you liked can bring a profound sense of loss and disappointment. If you were fired, there’s feelings of shock, embarrassment, fear, or even anger. And if you’re looking for an opportunity to move on from a culture that doesn’t fit, there’s a lot of uncertainty about the road ahead. Whatever the scenario, it's all horrible.

When you think about it, there were moments of triumph where you felt valued and accomplished, and there were challenges that tested your resolve and skills. Whether it was a job you loved or one you were eager to leave, whether good or not so good, it adds to the depth of experience you bring into your next role. That old job, with all its ups and downs, is now part of your career story. How will you tell it?

The feelings are real, the wounds are still raw, and the way it went down may be personal, but if you can shake away the emotions, what remains is what makes you a seasoned professional. It may be tempting to focus on what was lacking or wrong in “the old place,” but it will serve you better to emphasize how every part of your experience has prepared you to excel in “the new place.”

Having been through many challenges means you know how to avoid repeating them. Part of why you will get hired is because you can say, “I’ve been there. Done that.” Beyond the glow of your accomplishments and successes, you also bring a list of what not to do and a map of where those pitfalls are hiding. What you may have felt were drawbacks in your resume can actually make you incredibly valuable.

While your professional experience is what you bring to a new role from the past, your story must also describe the future. There is an ancient Latin phrase, "tabula rasa," which means "blank slate.” It’s a fresh start, a blank page, or the dawn of a new day. You will be hired to hit the ground running for them, and for you, it will unlock the promise of new possibilities. Your next “tabula rasa,” if you embrace it with optimism and a sense of wonder, will be just as today’s fortune says, “The magic of new beginnings is upon you.”