Redundancy can happen to us all. Even if you see it coming, it can still be a shock when it happens. It can leave you feeling angry, shocked, embarrassed and guilty. You may also feel you’ve been unfairly treated.
Knowing what to do after losing your job can help make being out of work that bit more manageable. It can also help you get your career back on track sooner rather than later. The 10 steps below are designed to help make sure you tick both of these boxes:
1. take time to 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 - acknowledge if you are feeling stressed and if you need some emotional support.
2. maintain the right mindset
Being gracious about your redundancy, especially if you believe it shouldn’t have happened, may be difficult, particularly in those 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.
3. be clear on your entitlements
While taking stock of the situation, it’s also important you 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.
Our legal support service is on hand to help. Meanwhile, you can use this online tool to calculate your statutory redundancy pay.
4. 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. We offer a range of financial services to our members and families, including financial assistance, debt management advice and benefits counselling.
5. 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. If you have friends and family around you, let them in and allow them to support you – it doesn’t have to be forever.
6. 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?
7. 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.
8. search for your next job
There’s 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, prepare your ‘recruitment toolkit’ – your CV, cover letter and interview notes, which you’ll definitely need at some point, so best to perfect them now.
9. get networking
Put your redundancy downtime to good use by taking part in networking sessions (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.
10. 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 (if that’s what you want to do). Things will get better. Exercising regularly, eating healthily, listening to music and taking time out, are just some of the coping mechanisms you can implement along the way.
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.
Tune into your thoughts and feelings, focus on what your next step is and how you are going to manage in the interim and, more importantly, don’t forget to get help from others. Simply just talking to your friends and family can make a crucial difference. And there are so many professional groups, experts and sources of support (financial and practical) out there, all on hand to help you bounce back from redundancy and on to the next chapter in your life.
Now that you’re here, we think you may find this article useful, ‘How to bounce back from redundancy & build your self-confidence.’
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