Lat week we started the Coping with Redundancy feature by looking at how you can manage and prepare your finances – if redundancy is on the cards. Just as important, if not even more so, is the redundancy ‘mindset’ which we explore here in Part 2.  

Thankfully in the last week of my own ‘consultation’, before redundancy began, myself and my colleague unscrewed the white board that was in our office kitchen and started making plans. Plans that would result in the business models for both TheEmployable and Startacus. Luckily, myself and my colleague were in exactly the same boat, so we supported each other during the redundancy process – but – my heart sinks even now, to think now how lonely redundancy and the redundancy process could potentially be. With this in mind, here are a few pointers that will hopefully help anyone going through this process:

Try not to get angry – or – accept that you will! 

As inevitable as consultation leads to redundancy, the first emotion you will face is anger. Anger that this has happened. Anger at how you feel you are treated. Anger about how you are immediately forgotten about! I had worked for the same company for nearly 10 years. A company that called their staff  ‘Co-members’ and sold itself as a family brand. The sad truth is that the moment that redundancy decision is ‘made’ (was it not always made anyhow, consultation or not?), your work colleagues will become ex colleagues. Some of these ex colleagues, that you thought of as work friends, may not even bother to call to wish you well! Like any old relationship, things can come to an awkward end. In my own case, some of my line Managers did not even bother to call. However, the reality is that everyone has their own issues, and as perfect as your redundancy situation may be dealt with, you are still going to feel angry. The heat of the moment, can also make you take things more personally than they actual are – it is not only you that can feel embarrassed or angry that redundancy is happening.

It was the job that was no longer needed – not you!

I think we have tweeted this phrase out at least 50 times or so, but it is necessary, I hope, to drum in the point. Your job was no longer needed. You were in that job – hence you are no longer needed in that job. Hence, you were made redundant. Try not to take this personally, as your employer, (90% of the time!) is looking to get rid of a specific job or part of the business, not a particular staff member (you). You – job or not, are  just as employable as before. You still have all your skills and experience, and no one can take that away from you can they!

Redundancy can be the best career decision that is made for you!

Another one of my favourite tweets and in my case – very true! As painful as the process of redundancy was – redundancy was most definitely a great career move. Yes, at present money is tight. However redundancy forced me to look at what I really wanted to do with the rest of my employment life, and also how much my creativity had dwindled over the last few years due to job stagnation. As I said to HR when I left – “you have lost me, not the other way around”. Also there is not a better feeling than the release that you feel when redundancy is over – in my case I had to cope with trying to run a profit making sales office during a recession. 

Don’t ignore it!

In America, more so than in the UK perhaps, being unemployed and jobless is not often discussed within your social circles. In fact there can be a culture of ignoring one’s unemployment or redundancy, as if it has not even happened. Why? Redundancy (unless voluntary) is not self-inflicted. Let’s all be responsible for making sure that redundancy is not a dirty word. Also ignoring your situation, is not going to help you in the long run, and in next week’s post we highlight the ‘what next’s’ and the things that you may wish to consider, be they a life change, new employment, or perhaps even self employment.

Hail the Employable! 

Need some help on how to Apply for Jobs – you might want to check out TheEmployable ebook…