I fear I may be made redundant as furlough ends… some things to consider

These unprecedented times have led to many talented and experienced candidates, through no fault of their own, without a role. There are also a large number of people who have been furloughed and who are concerned for their roles once furlough ends. So what is the best way to use this time productively and wisely?

Here are a few tips to think about. Every situation is different but hopefully the below will provide some useful takeaways. For the avoidance of doubt we are specifically talking about getting a new role. We will not deal with other kinds of wellness hints and tips. This article will not for example talk about the importance of having a good diet, exercising, looking after your mental health etc… that is for others to address. We are all about the job process!

First, assess your personal situation, how long can you be without a role? This is important, as it will shape your approach to your job search.

a)    If you need income immediately, focus on the type of roles that have short lead times. They may be more junior roles but if you need to pay the bills, needs must. No one is judging in this climate. We have seen airline pilots drive delivery vans, luxury event planners co-ordinating teams of supermarket shelf stackers – all worthwhile roles and many of them are temporary anyway. You can often look for a more attractive role at the same time.

b)   If you have the luxury of time, use it to plan how to secure your desired role. One of the most frustrating things I see in candidates is that when we have a slowdown in the market some candidates run around in a panic with no direction and end up “fatigued”. When the market opens up they come across as “battle weary” and lose out to candidates who have taken a more strategic approach to their search.

If you have more time for your search consider some or all of the following:

1)    Get yourself up to speed with the current business environment and register for relevant webinars or interactive virtual events. These can give you a window to introduce yourself to new audiences (many are free events). Have a 20 second pitch ready about who you are and don’t be afraid to say that you are looking for a new role. They can also keep your business/sector knowledge up to date. Whilst on the event listen carefully. You may hear something in the chat that you can follow up with the speaker or attendee after the event. This can be a more effective way to increase your network rather than, for example, just sending a 100 LinkedIn invites. Always think about how you can develop relationships rather than just increasing connections.

2)    Be active on social media if it suits your strengths and inclinations (but do be careful not to give offence!). Try to add value to any conversations so perhaps stay within your circle of competence. Target key individuals and engage brands that you like. Follow, like comment, retweet, you never know where this might lead.

3)    Keep an up to date CV on hand. Perhaps revisit it once a month and definitely revisit it/tailor it appropriately when you find something you really want to apply for. By the way, those that update daily often end up with a bit of a mish mash CV, cutting and pasting that can lead to errors, and one can miss the wood for the trees.

4)    Talk to head hunters/recruitment professionals (even if they have no suitable roles for you right now). This is an investment that can pay back later. Many of our clients are entrepreneurs who run innovative and disruptor businesses. Their ideal candidate may not come from the same sector so attitude, approach, values and culture fit – the soft skills which are not able to be gleamed from a CV – are just as important as the technical skills. 

I have often changed my view of a CV both positively and negatively after speaking to a candidate. Indeed, sometimes I am pleasantly inspired and surprised by some of the information that comes up in a conversation that would never come across in a CV. My recommendation would be to book a 15-30 minute call – that is all that is initially needed and listen as well as speak! I often sigh to myself when a candidate “audibly” switches off as soon as I say “I have nothing at the moment”. Candidates who don’t listen when I go on to tell them about opportunities and future roles that we are having discussions about with our clients are doing themselves no favours. I will often take the time to discuss with them other sectors or roles they may not have considered and this may help them in their ongoing search. As I mentioned, many of our clients are entrepreneurs that are not looking for a square peg to fit a square hole. Build up a relationship with a head hunter that you trust. In the same way that you remember good people that you have met, a recruiter will always remember the good people that they have met, even if they cannot place them at that particular point in time.

5)    Be flexible but not vague. For many this is a time of reflection and it is fine not to be totally clear about what you exactly want to do. But surely, when you think about it, you probably have some idea about your likes and dislikes. Some good examples might be:

a.    I am an IT Sales Director, I am flexible but I know I work best in smaller companies no bigger than ￡20m turnover that sell B2B to private rather than public sector companies in the UK.

b.   I am a Head of Marketing who specialises in luxury consumer products. I am flexible but I am strategic rather than operational so I need to be in a company that is established rather than a start-up. The latter generally has more limited budget and resources.

Both of these examples are fairly general. If you were the head hunter, in both cases you would take from those comments that the candidate understands their own strengths and is realistic. They provide a flavour of what they like doing and where they see their next role. Alternatively, a bad example might be “I am completely open minded, I really don’t mind what I do re sector or role, it needs to be something different to what I am doing now – a role that fulfils me and pays well.”

6)    Take time out. Looking for a new role is a full time job and can be emotionally and mentally exhausting. Take a day off now and again. Many people say their inspiration comes when they relax and allow some thinking time. Walking my dog is when I have had some of my best ideas and found solutions to complex issues.

7)    Finally, stay positive (an easy thing to say but harder to do!). It really shows. It is hard, tough and in some cases unfair as to why you have ended up in this situation but you need to “park it”. At the right time explain why you are no longer in your role but keep it succinct and professional. It is not a problem to say I left my last role/my last role ended because… and I would like to be in a role by X. But keep the details of how you disliked/did not respect your boss or colleagues for your friends down the actual pub or the virtual drink!

So there it is, 7 tips which we hope you have found useful. Feel free to add any comments about your own experiences – what has worked for you and what hasn’t. Finally, also feel free to give us a call or contact me through LinkedIn. I am always happy to have that 15-30 minute call! 

Good luck in your search.