I've recently been made redundant for the second time. Working in a company I loved, in a job I loved, I came to work every day with absolute joy and excitement. But the nature of redundancy in a struggling business is that it hits hard and suddenly. It's often a hammer blow from nowhere, and it can be hard to process.
What I learned the first time has really helped this time. So maybe my experience can help others figuring out how to deal with the shock.
It's not personal.
The initial reaction is often to take this personally. But you have to work against this. It's not personal. I know the HR "script" about the role being made redundant not the person feels very hollow but it is the truth. Some of the most amazing people I know have been made redundant multiple times. Business is business. If the cash pile is burning and the money isn't coming in then roles have to go. Keep your head held high and don't let negativity about your situation impact on your next steps.
Network network network.
Applying for jobs can be the most depressing soul destroying activity. I'd say that even with my 30 years experience, 20+ years as a high performing manager, I probably have a ratio of 20 jobs to 1 reply. This is just the nature of the beast so try not to get too disillusioned. But the absolute best thing you can do is work your personal network and get all the recommendations you can. Meet everyone you can for coffee and chats about what you do and what you're looking for. Ireland is an amazing place for networking. I'm always open to projects and consultancy because I know I can make an impact in a short space of time and with time on my hands I'm happy to help any company struggling even pro-bono if I'm sure I can turn them around.
LinkedIn.
Since the last time I was job hunting things have changed. The first and best advice I got this time was to work on my LinkedIn profile. If, like me, you thought LinkedIn was for losers, think again. Get a good, recent, professional looking photo, because everyone will check our your linked in profile to see who you are or remind themselves what you look like. Use LinkedIn like an online CV. Almost every job application looks for a link to your LinkedIn profile. Use it to your advantage. Here's mine - hire me ;-). Try not to link to people you don't actually know. Some employers will do informal reference checks with mutual contacts.
Take chances.
Now that you're redundant you can have a different perspective on job hunting. When you have a job, you are looking for a better job, with some guarantees that moving is worth it. You have to question if giving up security and what you know is worth it to dive into the unknown. Especially if like most people you don't like change. Once you're redundant you can open up to opportunities you would never have considered before. My last role came from a chance meeting with a CEO who had no definitive role in mind. I took a 3 month unspecific contract with no commitment unless I could perform in a way that made me hireable. The day I took this contract I rejected a job offer of a permanent role in a state agency but I knew that wasn't for me. I would never have taken this leap of faith had I been still employed, and five years later (even with recent redundancy) I can still say it was the best career move I ever made.
Stay positive.
It's too easy to wallow so get out every day and be active. I walk 8K a day and it keeps me sane. I'm learning to run. I even did an art class although that wasn't one of the high points tbh :-) Get things done. Now you have time to address all the life and home admin and maintenance that you never wanted to fit into a weekend. Since being made redundant I've cleared out ten years of junk in my apartment, I've done my health insurance claim and claimed tax back for the past 5 years. I shredded ten years' worth of paperwork. I've sorted out my online life from files haphazardly distributed across dropbox, google drive, icloud etc to one cloud storage location. I finally got the drill out and hung my handheld Dyson on the wall. I made a curry paste by pounding ingredients by hand for 2 hours. Seriously. Maybe don't bother with that one :-)
I also, y'know, built a website.
Finances
There's no avoiding the imminent financial issues. Don't procrastinate on this one. Do your maths, make yourself financially smaller, talk to your financial institutions and get a plan in place if you can so you don't stress. It can take months to find the right job. Try to find a way to work out a survival plan so you can embark on the job hunt with positivity not desperation.
Your CV
I feel this should be unnecessary to say but I still see ten page CVs so take this as non-negotiable advice: TWO PAGES MAX. One page if you have less than 10 years' experience.
I won't make this an article about CV writing but one other thing that drives me crazy when reviewing CVs is lack of specificity. Try not to be all things to all men. "I love working as part of a team but also work well on my own" is my favourite entry level POINTLESS PHRASE. Generalities on your CV will make you feel suitable for everything but will have you screened out rapido-stylie. An employer is not finding a role for you, they are finding a candidate for a role. Make it easier for them.
Practicalities: Keep Track
I'm a planner and an organiser so ignore this one if you like :-) but I find it really helpful. I keep a spreadsheet (people who know me are going "of course Laura has a spreadsheet") of job applications to keep track of everything. After a few weeks of job hunting you will forget what you've applied for and as the same jobs come up again and again, maybe with different agencies or slightly amended, you will be glad that you took note of what you went for, when, and what the current status is. I also take a download or a snapshot of every job ad/description so I can review the role when I progress to interview. (Often the job ads have been taken down by this stage).
Good luck
These are just my observations of my experience and, as ever, your mileage may vary. Interested in your feedback. Especially all the ex-whatclinicers how you all doing?