How To: Cope With Redundancy

By Career Savvy

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When you’re made redundant it can seem like the end of the world as your emotions skyrocket and your confidence takes a serious knock. The important thing to remember during this difficult time is that you’re not alone and there are steps you can take to turn a negative situation into a positive one. So if you’ve recently been made redundant and you’re feeling a bit lost, here are some tips on how to cope during this period of uncertainty. 


Don’t take it to heart.
When you lose your job it can often feel like you’re the only one enduring this experience. But the truth is, unfortunately, that redundancy is a common part of the world of work – especially these days! Many people out there are going through or have experienced a similar situation and talking to such people about how they handled it can help you to feel reassured and relieve stress caused by your circumstances. There are many reasons why you may have been made redundant, including the company needing to cut costs or closing down completely; more often than not, it’s not your fault. Instead of allowing yourself to dwell on the fact you’ve lost your job, try your best to focus on the positives and how you can deal with the situation in an effective manner.


Be aware of your rights.
Once you find out that you’re going to be made redundant it’s vital to understand your rights. It’s always a good idea to examine your contract in order to discover what you’re eligible for. There are a number of regulations employers must adhere to when making redundancies therefore it’s important to know what these are to ensure your employer is following the correct procedure. If your company is only making a few select redundancies then aspects of your work that will be considered are your attendance and disciplinary history, standard of work, qualifications and your experience in general.

In order to determine whether you’re a victim of unfair dismissal, here are some actions your employer must take:
• Provide you with an explanation of why you’re being made redundant in writing.
• If you’ve been working there for one month-two years, you must receive a minimum of one week’s notice.
• Attempt to provide you with alternative work within the company if possible.


If you feel you have been mistreated in any way, you have the right to report your situation to an employment tribunal to argue your case.


Spruce up your CV.
Your CV may have been put on the backburner while you were in employment, but now you’re about to commence your job hunt it’s important that it’s kept up to date. Research the latest formats and styles as the preferences of employers changes frequently and this can have a great impact on the success of your application. Make sure any additional skills you’ve picked up since you last updated your CV are included and emphasise experiences that are directly relevant to the vacancy you’re applying for. As long as you adapt your CV to suit each role you apply for, you’ll have a decent chance of success.


Use your network.
During your employment you will have built an extensive network – even if you don’t realise it! This could be made up of friends, professional acquaintances and/or previous colleagues. Contemplate the industries and roles these contacts are involved in and whether their expertise or network could help you in your search for a new job. LinkedIn is a great resource for getting in touch with and expanding your network as you can develop professional relationships while highlighting your skills and experience. You never know, one of your contacts may have just the role or advice you need to reboot your career.


So don’t let redundancy beat you: use these steps to rise above the negative feelings losing your job can cause and move on to greater things. Just remember, you are not alone and it’s not the end of the road, just the start of a new career path.

 

Image courtesy of stockimages / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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