Job hunting when you have been, or are about to be, made redundant is tough. There are layers of emotion, rejection, fear, and, sometimes, relief that need to be managed while trying to find the next best opportunity and organisation for you. Sometimes, like me, redundancy might be the final nudge to move you into becoming “the boss’ through self-employment or consultancy work. However, if you are searching for your next employed role, it can feel overwhelming to do everything at once. Today, I want to share with you some previous blogs, articles and books that may help you with your journey; I’m calling it my redundancy support toolkit.
You may not realise that redundancy support is one of my services, helping people navigate the emotional impact of redundancy while creating their next step in a career they enjoy. I have also experienced redundancy myself, and nearly ten years on, I still vividly remember the paperwork and the feelings of being at a massive career crossroads. So, if you are currently in the same position, I hope the following blogs will be helpful to you.
Before we start thinking about new jobs, I want to ensure you’re taking care of yourself. Here is a list of resources and advice to help you, from financial support to any legal elements, should you need to challenge what is happening. If you are pregnant or have recently returned from parental leave, you have additional protections; find out more here.
You may be worried about how redundancy will appear on your CV, especially with a volatile economy; this may not be the first time you have experienced it. However, ask yourself, is there such a thing as a job for life anymore? As this blog illustrates, the average duration is 4.5 years. So, employers no longer expect to see years of tenure under your belt. If you have needed or chosen to move before, it may be a time to consider your network; are any previous organisations (that you trust) looking for new people? It may be the right time to return to your last company.
Redundancy is a time when you are forced to consider what you want to do next; do you stay, or do you go? Taking the time to think “what is next” can help you when searching for internal jobs or external roles. Perhaps use this time to ask your employer to support you with an external coach (for example, I have been paid by organisations as an outplacement coach) or utilise some great personal development books to understand your strengths and skills. One affordable skills reflection tool is Gallup. You can also use the framework of this blog to help build a business case for coaching.
With all this in place, it’s time to start looking for new roles. It should come as no surprise that I have a blog for that. Here is my “Job Seekers Toolkit” that pulls together a coach and consultant in your pocket. Work through this to discover information about CV and application support, family-friendly job boards, the hidden job market, and my favourite career coaching approach – how to be and stay curious.
Hopefully, all these resources at hand will help you get closer to the next best role and organisation for you and help make this tricky time a little more stable.
Feel free to have a look around the blog for any topics that I may have missed in this one, and don’t forget every month, I run an Ask Me Anything Question and Answer session in Creating Careers to Enjoy; feel free to send over any question you may have, and I shall get it answered. You can find the previous Q&As here!
If you’re currently seeking one-on-one support for yourself or your team and would like to explore how I can assist, please book a call here.
Clara Wilcox is a straight talking, practical and experienced coach helping clients navigate the tricky waters of returning to work, career changes and professional development. The Balance Collective is a social enterprise focused on improving the lives of parents, by working together to build inner confidence and promote a healthy work/life balance.
