Reddit CEO Yishan Wong made headlines a few days ago when he publicly shamed a former employee on the Reddit site. “Dehrmann,” as the former staffer called himself on the forum, shared his experience as a Reddit employee and speculated on his firing when he was met by Wong’s comments. The chat became more and more unprofessional as it progressed — making people wonder who’s at fault.

Every time any leader loses their cool, people notice. And while Wong had every right to reply to the comments, he should have kept a professional tone. Clearly, he was upset and probably should have taken a quick break to form his thoughts and action plan before jumping into the chat.

But while Wong’s reaction was unprofessional and unfitting of a business leader, the reality is that Dehrmann could have been wiser about selecting his outlet to vent about his former employer. Here are a few tips to keep in mind if you find yourself in Dehrmann’s predicament.

Find a safe place to vent

Losing your job is stressful, numbing and shocking all at once — especially if fired. And as you work through your emotions, it’s important to find a safe place to vent. Avoid the Internet or bars. Drinking can cloud your judgement and the web may inspire behavior you may also regret. In most cases, a night at home may be what you need to reflect and recoup from the jolt.

Break from social media

You may be tempted to tell the whole world you lost your job unfairly, but doing so can damage your career more than the actual firing. After all, Bay Area employers are now relying on social media to recruit more than ever. Not to mention, you need time to learn to manage the news, and having to explain what happened 50 times may prove to be more aggravating than helpful. If possible, unplug for a few days and give yourself time to digest the news.

Don’t bad mouth your former employer

While it’s tempting to let people know how bad your old boss behaved towards you, this type of talk is best suited for close friends and family. Ideally, you should try to keep talk about your former employer away from any outlet that can come back to haunt you when you start your job search.

Getting fired is tough, but what you do next will determine how potential employers will view you.

Belo Cipriani is an award-winning author, former staffing professional, a spokesperson for Guide Dogs for the Blind and the Writer-in-Residence at Holy Names University. Learn more at BeloCipriani.com.