Here are my top tips for surviving redundancy, I have many more but here are some to think about
1.Unemployment Insurance
If it’s not too late, sign up for unemployment insurance. This will kick in after you have been made redundant but ensure that you read the Terms and Conditions properly before signing up and there are no onerous clauses that will prevent you from claiming (i.e. you have to lose your job on a Tuesday with a full moon etc.)
2. Get a Life (Coach)
When this was suggested to me, I was rather indignant – why would I need to pay someone to show me how to run my life?! But without a shadow of a doubt, this was the best thing I ever did. I would not be where I am today if I had not enlisted the help of a coach.
3. Network
It really is about who you know. I attended as many networking events (the majority of them are free) as I could, I always worked on the premise that if I met one interesting person or learnt one new interesting thing/lead, then the event had been worth it. It’s also a good way to get yourself out of the house and away from the computer.
4. Get your CV rewritten
I had had the same format for about 15 years and it was a format that had worked for me but once I’d changed it, I noticed that I started to get more interest from prospective employers. I got a professional company to rewrite mine and they did a fantastic job.
5. Be nice to yourself!
They say that when you are made redundant, you will go through the same processes as grief and loss, so be nice to yourself and set up enjoyable things for you to do every week – let’s face it, you cannot apply for jobs all the time. Go to a museum, art gallery or treat yourself to a nice glass of champers!
