Dealing With Redundancy
Dealing with the news and the process of going through redundancy is never easy but a lot of people are experiencing redundancy at the moment and knowing what to do can help make the experience that bit more manageable. It can also help you get your career back on track sooner rather than later. Here are 10 steps for dealing with redundancy and beyond…
Come To Terms With The Situation
Being made redundant can come as a huge surprise. Give yourself plenty of time to reflect on and understand what’s happened and how you feel about the situation. Be kind to yourself, this is not your fault. If you need support speak to your nearest and dearest.
Maintain The Right Mindset
Being gracious about your redundancy, especially if you believe it shouldn’t have happened may be difficult particularly in the early days. However, it’s important you don’t take it personally and you do remain professional throughout. Exit gracefully and maintain a positive mindset as much as you possibly can.
Be Clear About Your Entitlements
While you are taking stock of the situation it’s also important to use the time to understand your rights and what you are entitled to. Being clear on your redundancy package and contract etc. will enable you to stay in control and take informed actions.
Manage Your Finances
Be proactive about taking stock of your finances and creating a budget. Having a clear idea of your incomings and outgoings makes it much easier to make rational financial decisions. Also don’t be afraid to reach out for help. There are many support services in place for people who are experiencing financial difficulties.
Share What’s Happening
Telling people you’ve been made redundant may be the last thing you want to do because you feel embarrassed, but talking about the situation and your feelings will make things more manageable. Talking to others will also help you rebuild your confidence.
Map Your Goals
As the saying goes, “when one door closes, another opens”, which is precisely what can happen if you’ve been made redundant. Use the downtime to reassess what’s important for your work and home life. Have you got the right work-life balance or is there room for improvement? Or perhaps you fancy a career change.
Establish A New Routine
Sticking to a daily routine will help you stay focused. Get up as if you’re going to work, get dressed and concentrate on finding a new job. Having some structure to your day will help you stay positive and enable you to keep track of what you’ve done today and what you need to do tomorrow.
Search For Your Next Job
There is no time like the present to look for opportunities, which can keep you going and help you feel positive about getting back to work again. At the same time prepare your ‘recruitment toolkit’. By this I mean your CV and cover letter. Best prepare these now as you will definitely need them.
Get Networking
Put your redundancy downtime to good use by taking part in networking sessions, either in-person or online, where you can make valuable new contacts, find out about opportunities and get noticed by potential employers. Reach out to people via LinkedIn and use your profile to really expand your network.
Look After Yourself
By this we mean keep tabs on your mental wellbeing and give yourself a break if you are feeling stressed or deflated by your current situation. You won’t always be in this situation and you will go on to get another job. Things will get better I promise you.
It can feel like the end of the world when you’re made redundant but having a clear plan of action for what you are going to do next can really help you turn the situation around.