5 Top tips for managing redundancy:
Whenever we experience some kind of change in our lives it can elicit strong emotional responses such as fear and anxiety about the future. We are fundamentally creatures of routine and like to have a sense of knowing what is coming up next. Redundancy can be a life changing event which is not easy to absorb, leaving us feeling overwhelmed and daunted about the future. But there are several things you can do to help maintain a positive attitude and take charge of the situation:
- Don’t panic – Take a step back, reflect and recognise that this is not personal. It’s easy to get caught in a cycle of negative thinking such as, ‘I’m not good enough’, ‘I’m a failure’, or, ‘Am I too old’. These thoughts will only succeed in sapping your emotional energy and debilitate your progress.
- Focus on what you can control – Make a list of all the things you have control over, such as re-vamping your CV, scoping out new job opportunities or talking to recruitment agencies. This will help to maintain your motivation and help you to recognise that you are in the driving seat.
- Network, network, network – Adopting a proactive approach is a really great way of generating new opportunities and exploring the invisible job market. Leverage the people in your network by contacting colleagues that have moved onto other jobs, friends, family and contacts on your LinkedIn profile.
- Have faith in your abilities – Take time to identify your key skills and strengths. What are you really good at and what do you most enjoy doing. This will help you recognise your capabilities, gain some clarity and enable you to target your approach.
- Track your progress – This can really help to maintain motivation and present you with an accurate record of your progress. Use a document to record your job search activities such as positions applied for, conversations with recruiters and networking meetings. Plan in follow up actions and record any feedback that you receive.