Firstly, being made redundant needn’t be the worst thing that ever happened to you and in this post, we’ll walk through ten easy steps to stay positive in redundancy. I’m writing this as somebody who has recently been made redundant, I was also made redundant back in the great recession of 2008. So, I have had some time to reflect and hope that these tips will help you to stay positive now and in the future.
1. Throw yourself a pity party
Seriously, you need to throw yourself a pity party. Feel the feelings. Allow yourself a red hot minute to just process. Your pity party might include a weekend-long Netflix binge and loads of ice cream or just wallowing in your pj’s, maybe a night involving several cocktails, however it looks for you, just give yourself a minute. It’s important to process your redundancy properly and not just put on a brave face. Even if you’re secretly excited to be moving on, you will want to give yourself a bit of breathing space to feel your emotions.
2. Acknowledge that redundancy is part of the journey
Speaking from my own personal experience, since graduating in 2005 I’ve been made redundant several times throughout my career. The nature of our Global economy is that it is cyclical, there will always be highs and lows. The market goes up and then it crashes. Redundancy is part of the journey. Once you zoom out and take a minute to look at the bigger picture, things will seem much less daunting and scary. When the market crashes like in 2008 or like the ongoing pandemic of 2020, redundancies are inevitable. Which leads me on to my next point…
3. You are not to blame
You need to get VERY CLEAR on this point. Like any relationship that comes to an end, there is a myriad of reasons why you have been made redundant. Most likely financial reasons have led to the decision of redundancy and those choices are totally out of your control. Do not blame yourself. The Universe has other plans for you.
“What we say to ourselves in the privacy of our own minds, matters. It drives our behavior, which drives our destiny, which shapes our world.”
– Marie Forleo
4. Switch negative self-talk for words that serve you
We all know how easy it is to go into a shame spiral, whirling out of control in our minds, bad mouthing ourselves and criticising our every move. Your inner self-talk is everything. Your thoughts create your world. If you find yourself shaming yourself or beating yourself up about the situation you find yourself in, STOP. Switch the negative self-talk for words that serve you. Practise a daily mantra like “I have the power to create change” or “the Universe has incredible plans for me”. Once your mindset shifts, you will find that you experience life in a whole new way.
5. Seek out opportunity in uncertainty
If you’re struggling financially, then you need to be proactive and seek out opportunities in the uncertainty. Identify the industries that are busy during the current financial crash. Even if you have ambitious career plans, sometimes you need to plug the gap and make some money. During this current recession, industries such as those serving the front line are most likely to be recruiting, such as supermarkets, delivery companies and shops. Try to identify the industries that need extra help, make a list, get up early and start applying.
6. Update your resume and LinkedIn
Get on with updating your resume and LinkedIn profile. Sounds obvious, but it is very easy to get sidetracked with the everyday stuff and not make any progress. Get your resume looking sharp and tailor it to each job that you apply to, if required.
7. Identify recruiters to contact
You can use LikedIn to find recruiters who are most likely still posting job opportunities. Don’t be a shrinking Violet and get in touch with them, find out their name and pick up the phone to call them directly. A direct approach will make them aware of you as a potential candidate and help you to stay fresh in their minds when a suitable role comes along.
8. Reflect, review, redesign
When the Universe serves you a curve ball, it’s time to reflect, review and redesign your life. Spend some time thinking about what you actually want to do. Were you happy in your previous role? what did you love about it? which bits did you dread? Is there anything you would’ve changed about your regular working week? Is there something you’ve always dreamed of doing? Make a list and start working on redesigning a life that you love. Yes, that might mean taking a step back for a short-time, maybe you need to get a temporary job or several jobs to save up before you move forward, but making a plan is the first step to making any dream reality.
9. Could you go it alone?
Is this your golden opportunity to set up your own business and go it alone? Maybe you’ve always fancied freelancing? Look for the opportunity in not being tied to a job and get creative. You might find the following posts helpful:
- Is freelancing for you?
- How to land your first client as a freelancer
- How to value your time as a freelancer
10. This is a chapter and shall pass…
Last but certainly not least. Know that this chapter will pass, remember this in the moments of self-doubt. To prove my point, here’s a look back at a few previous chapters. Recessions tend to occur roughly every 10 or so years, take a look:
- 2020- Ongoing- Coronavirus Recession
- 2008-2009- Great Recession. Late 2000s financial crisis, rising global commodity prices, subprime mortgage crisis infiltrating the British banking sector, significant credit crunch.
- 1990- 1991- Early 90s Recession. US savings and loan crisis.
- 1980- 1981- Early 1980’s Recession. Deflationary government policies including spending cuts, switching from a manufacturing economy to a services economy.
- 1973- 1975- Mid 70’s Recession. Oil crisis, the decline of traditional British industries.
- And so on…1961, 1956…
Of course nobody could have predicted exactly when a Global pandemic would occur and this information may not be helpful to you at this very moment. However, it is useful to carry this knowledge forward with you beyond redundancy. If you can put the current situation into perspective, you can see that it too shall pass. This inevitable volatility shows you just how important it is to have an emergency fund and you can mindfully plan your finances in the future with this in mind.
Keep your chin up and know that you are enough and you have the power to do amazing things. Stay fabulous!
Christine
