This reply is to do with dealing with the psychological effects of feeling rejected and feeling like you failed, rather than legal or job hunting. I got made r

This reply is to do with dealing with the psychological effects of feeling rejected and feeling like you failed, rather than legal or job hunting. I got made redundant at one of my previous companies, in a similar boat as you, unhappy at the time. A lot of the other employees were very surprised because I was known as a high-performer and before I'd moved teams was a lot of people's go-to guy for getting shit down. I think they weren't really seeing how much of a 'handful' I'd become for management. It took a long, long time for me to really be ok with it. Like a decade. I would very much recommend you deal with it now, and not let it fester like I did. As I say, I did it badly, but if it happened again, I'd try and say these things to myself: 1. It's not a reflection on your skill, it's a relationship thing. Try and realise this. You split up, and the reasons can have nothing to do with your technical skills, your interpersonal skills, your politics skills, whatever. It can be simply that you didn't fit and eventually that became more of a problem than all the other benefits you did offer. 2. Just because you got fired doesn't make all the work you ever did there bad. You did some great things. Maybe try and reflect and write down all the great things you did do. 3. You already wanted to leave. You'd already decided it was over, they just realised it. You ALREADY wanted to leave. It was already over. 4. Try not to burn bridges, either through spite or through inaction. Try and keep in contact with people you valued in the business, as friends and as future useful networking contacts. That might even include the people who fired you. I sometimes wish I could ask one of my old bosses, who I highly valued, for advice. Yes, it might take time, maybe a year, maybe two, but don't feel like you can't say hi, even after a break. I ultimately lost good friends over it because I felt so awkward about it. 5. It's business, you should not feel any shame. It's simply business. Realistically speaking, you simply got out-manoeuvred. Maybe you subconsciously advertised that you were moving on, and so they reacted in a fairly predictable manner. 6. The abruptness of it doesn't mean anything, it is simply easier for them. As a business they have that control. Don't read anything at all into the abruptness. They might have spent multiple meetings agonising over what to do with you, but you'll never hear or see about that. 7. They're only a bunch of humans, they probably made many mistakes in managing you, in nurturing you and in keeping you happy.