Staying positive through redundancy

Kristy lost her job as a customer/client service manager because of company restructuring caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

She’d been made redundant before and losing her job like this again was a big shock. She felt hurt, disappointed and angry and took a small break to deal with the stress.

Then Kristy decided to use her redundancy experience as an opportunity to move on to better things. She tidied up her CV, contacted a recruitment consultant, and began to look for work. She increased her chances by considering different types of roles. 

“Try and stay optimistic,” she says. “Don't get caught up in the doom and gloom – it's so easy to get disheartened with everything that’s going on.”

Kristy applied for the COVID-19 income relief payment, which helps pay the bills while she looks for work.

“Ideally, I wouldn't want to start from the bottom again,” she says. “But I genuinely believe I have good transferable skills and experience, so I'm hoping they'll help me transition into something new and challenging.”

Kristy uses her personal networks to expand her search for work. She also receives emotional support from friends and family, which help boost her confidence. 

“I think a certain amount of venting was essential,” she says. “I had colleagues, family and friends to help me. And made a conscious effort to remind myself that it's not personal, and could even be the single best thing to happen to me.” 

Kristy is considering different types of work and the possibility of further training to develop her career. 

“Take the time to get the right role, or upskill if you can,” she suggests. “It's important to properly deal with what's happened – being made redundant is a full on and sometimes harrowing experience. It's very personal. You need to get yourself in a good headspace, move on from the negative, and get your confidence back.” 

The impact of being made redundant and looking for new work has been stressful for Kristy, but she sees it as a positive opportunity.  

“It's made me think very hard about what I want to do, and more importantly what I want my life to look like,” she says. “I’ve had to consider things like work/life balance, work hours and stress, and if a salary is more important than time at home with family. I think these considerations will shape what comes next.”  

Although she hasn’t found a new job yet, Kristy’s advice is to take action, make the most of your networks, and see redundancy as a chance to advance your career.

• Finding work after redundancy