How to navigate the redundancy roller coaster

Job loss can disrupt your life in a variety of ways.

You will first lose a sense of your identity, self-confidence and financial stability. You will then navigate the burden of grief, inevitable rejection, and uncertainty. It can be draining!

I have been in the redundancy club myself, and have talked to a lot of people who have also experienced job loss. In my experience, there are different stages you will go through as you ride the redundancy rollercoaster??

Building a plan and practising coping techniques will not only help you land your next role, but it will also ensure you are returning to the workforce refreshed with a new perspective.

Here are some tips on grieving and processing, the job hunt strategy and self-care.

Grieving and processing.

?? Allow yourself time to grieve.

Just like a bad breakup, you'll likely feel the full spectrum of emotions such as rejection, anger, and sadness. And then perhaps, freedom and optimism towards what else is out there for you. This is completely normal, so allow yourself to sit with your feelings.

?? Talk with your support system.

When you feel ready, lean on your support circle to talk through your feelings. They'll help you process your emotions, and give you a boost of positive reinforcement. You may want to reach out to other affected colleagues for support.?

?? Be mindful of your language.

Your role was made redundant, not you personally. This will help you separate your personal identity from your previous job.

Refrain from speaking negatively about your employer. Even if the layoff was handled poorly, it's a waste of your well-needed energy.

The job hunt strategy.

Now that you've had time to grieve, let's not dwell. It's time to put in place a plan to find that next role. Job hunting is no walk in the park.?

?? Get your personal brand in shape.

Update your resume and LinkedIn. Get a trusty HR friend to review and provide you with feedback. Ask your colleagues and managers for LinkedIn recommendations.

?? Approach your job search with discipline.

You should be treating your job hunt like a full-time job. Take control of your job search by starting a tracker to manage your application status. You should review job boards, apply to jobs, and monitor your emails - at least 2x a day, every day. Search on LinkedIn to only show jobs posted in the past 24 hours so you can be one of the first applicants. Identify who the hiring manager/recruiter is and reach out to them on LinkedIn!?

(Applying without following up won’t move the needle in a saturated market)

?? Work smarter, not harder.

Sign up for alerts on?LinkedIn, Seek, Glassdoor, etc. They’ll send jobs that are possibly a match for you directly to your email. Scour through them but be strategic! Don’t just spray and pray. Create personalised applications, and really go after the roles you truly think you'll be a good fit for.

?? Network, network, network.

Don't underestimate the power of your network. Share what you’re looking for on socials, with your friends, family, recruitment agencies, former colleagues, etc. There’s nothing to be ashamed of, and you never know who has an opportunity for you.

Support and self-care.?

? Try to avoid internalizing rejection.?

Less face it, rejection stings. Try reframing unanswered applications or unsuccessful interviews as an opportunity for a different outcome. Always ask for feedback, and take it on board with grace.

?? Take some timeout to rest.

Make sure to do something for yourself every day that makes you happy. Not only will this improve your mental health, but it will also help you show up to interviews as the best version of yourself.

?? Seek out professional help, if you’re able to.?

It’s okay to need additional support. If you feel yourself becoming apathetic or hopeless, reach out to a mental health professional.