Are you in the process of being made redundant? Or maybe you have already been made redundant? Today this is commonly called being outplaced. No matter what people call it, some people find it incredibly difficult to accept. They feel let down, offended, rejected useless.

Other people see it as a great opportunity to change the direction of their career, take early retirement, do a role that is less demanding and stressful.

I was made redundant twice. The 1st time was after 9/11 when the department budget was cut from £60mil to £10mil. The entire UK department was made redundant. The 2nd time was due to miss management of the company finances and it went into liquidation.

How did I react?

The 1st time, I felt like I had lost a family. I had been there a couple of years and got to know my team and peers really well. It was a shock and understandable. I used part of the redundancy pay out to go abroad and do voluntary work in Peru. It was so rewarding and knowing I was giving back helped with the disappointment of losing a job I loved. Once I returned to the UK, I spend lots of time writing my CV and job hunting.

The 2nd time I was agree. The redundancy was un necessary. This time I went straight into finding a new job.

It is not your fault

It is really important to remember that, being made redundant, is not your fault. Redundancies are cause by a change in the economy, change of direction in the company, relocation of the company, closing of offices, reducing the functionality of the department, implementing faster, more automated process.
It is important to understand this so that you do not blame yourself which in turn can lead to self-doubt, even self-loathing.

When you are made redundant ask yourself the following questions:

• What did I like about the past company?
• What did I achieve?
• What skills and experience have I gained?
• What are my options for moving forward?
• Who can help me?

Remember, you need not be a lone. A Career coach will help you identify what it is you want to do next and how, what skills and experience gaps need to be filles, remind you of what is important to you, and take you forward in a positive, motivational way.

Ask yourself

How are you coping with the redundancy? What are you struggling with? What would make the process easier for you? Do you have someone to walk beside you through this process and move you towards the next opportunity? What would you like the next opportunity to be?
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If this blog resonates with you or someone you know, and you would like more information or to get in touch, please fill in the contact sheet.

Thank you for reading this blog – Helping people through redundancy. If you would like more information or to get in touch, please fill in the contact form.