Redundancy Advice
Unfortunately, it’s about time we talk about redundancy and offer our advice on what you should be doing if you find yourself in the unfortunate position that some are finding themselves in – another thing to thank Covid for!
Let’s face facts, redundancy is never a nice experience for anyone to go through but unfortunately, it’s not always avoidable, and employers hate going through it as much as you do as an employee. It can be an incredibly stressful situation to find yourself in, but if you follow our advice then hopefully, we can ease the stress and help you to put a plan in place.
Allow yourself to grieve
You’re allowed to be angry, you’re allowed to cry, you’re allowed to feel sorry for yourself, and you’re allowed to mourn the loss of your job. Don’t think that you can’t, we tend to have a stiff upper lip approach in times like these and although it works for some, more often than not, you’ll find you feel better to get it out of your system! We’ve taken calls from candidates in the past who have been in floods of tears, has it made us think they’re unprofessional? No! Has it made us think any less of them? No! It has made us think they’re human.
Sort your CV
Second step is to get your CV dusted off and updated. Make sure that it has your last role on, and make sure it stands out from the crowd. Shout your skills and experience from the rooftops, tell everyone all about your achievements. If you aren’t sure what you should include in your CV, then you’re more than welcome to contact us as we would be happy to help. Google is also your friend and is packed full of really useful CV examples.
Contact the Job Centre
This stage is completely dependent on you and your situation. If you need a job quickly (we all understand that your mortgage or rent needs to be paid) then the Job Centre can be a great help. You can ask for their Rapid Response Service which specialises in helping people who have been made redundant, they will help you to find a new role and may even pay for training, so it’s well worth checking out.
Consider your next step
If you can afford to, really think about what you want from your next role. Don’t just aimlessly scroll job board after job board, applying for every role you see. You will be much more successful if you consider the role that you want ( and just as importantly the role you don’t want) and the skills you have gained. See your job search as a new project, take your time with your applications, tailor your response and make sure you relate your CV to the critical points of the job advert. It may also be a good time to look at upskilling – while you are between roles it may be worthwhile checking out some courses that you’ve had your eye on.
Ask for help and network
Reach out to recruiters who are specialists in your field, just take note of the recruiters you’ve been in contact with and the opportunities they have discussed with you. It can get very confusing if you don’t keep note, and recruiters could end up sending your details to the exact same job – and let us tell you, it doesn’t go down well with potential employers. Also, open up your network – connect with people on LinkedIn and, once Covid allows, attend networking events. It may seem nerve wracking, but you have nothing to lose!
Don’t get disheartened
Despite doing all of this, do remember that finding a new opportunity may take time and you may have to face rejection – not ideal after being made redundant. Try not to be put off, think of yourself as a dog with a bone! Determination, along with the above points will work. You’ll find the role you love – we’re sure of it!
