"You will be made redundant at least once in your life..

..and you better be prepared for it".

Ominous words, I know. Yet this has been one of the best pieces of advice I was offered early on in my career by a much more experienced ex-colleague. Back then, I was fortunate enough to be part of a fast-track leadership program within a great organization. Promotions and global moves to different countries/continents were the norm for me every 15 to 18 months. I might go as far as to say I felt in a certain sense "immortal" as I was powering through frequent restructurings without being affected or held back. Sure enough, a few years down the line, I hit a brick wall. A massive "transformation" project obliterated the whole department I was part of towards the end of 2018. The options on the table were not appealing and together with some important family matters I had to attend to, a perfect storm was created. After a decade in the fast lane, I came to a hard stop against this brick wall, unable to see the clear direction to go towards. I was made redundant.

Do I still have your attention? I hope I do. Why? Because I know how tough it can be for individuals to go through this process and I would like to help you. Even if you think you don't need this help or the advice I will share, maybe because you are fine in your current role etc. etc….. think again. If COVID has taught us anything (well it actually has taught us many things), it's that you never know what will hit you and when. My ex-colleague with his advice, lit a lightbulb that made me keep his words in the back of my mind even though I thought at that time I was immune to the redundancy notion. This pushed me to do certain things, that built a foundation which helped me bounce back and actually turn the unfortunate event into a positive. Had I not taken those steps, it would have been much more painful and difficult. Before I continue, let me stress that I am not going to try to sell anything to you. This is no "let me coach you" selling pitch as this is not what I am doing for a living. All you will get from this post, is friendly advice from someone that feels the pain of all the incredible professionals I see struggling to find a job due to the havoc this pandemic has caused or due to other reasons that are beyond their control. It is my way of helping. This "article", for lack of a better word, will focus on what is under your control. Buckle up, make a cup of your favorite beverage as this will be quite a long one, and let's begin.

I will attempt to split it in two parts:

• Part I: How to put yourself in the best possible position with a strong foundation and enough ammunition for when the unexpected hits. I will share my experience from what I did well but also what I did really poorly and would've done differently. Basically, this is for anyone, whether you are in your early 20's or later in your career, it doesn't matter. Start doing certain things "yesterday", and don't wait until you are forced to do them because you need to.
• Part II: Advice for those of you that are in the eye of the storm. The unexpected has hit, and you have to cope with all the stress, anxiety, financial worries etc.

Part I – Start doing these now even if there is no apparent need

Don't just network, build relationships instead: Unfortunately, very few know how to network correctly, at least in my eyes. Throughout my career I've witnessed countless times the usual brown-nosers "network" their way to success. Sometimes this empty, needy, “used cars sales man” approach can bear results such as promotions or recognition. However, networking superficially is very flimsy and when the going gets hard, it will not save you. If you are fortunate to have a job now, focus on building real relationships with your colleagues with strong foundation of trust and mutual admiration. While it is not my intention to "preach" how to network, I will share a few thoughts. In order to build relationships, it takes time, and one of the most effective ways is to be willing to help others without expecting anything in return. Sounds altruistic I know, but it's so rare nowadays, that when it happens it really stands out. Early in my career I was on a long-haul flight back from a big regional meeting with my then line manager whom I greatly admire to this day. I was impressed by how eager the various participants of that meeting were, to follow his direction with high energy and positivity. Therefore, with the urge to learn and become a better leader myself I asked him "Francis, how do you do this? How are they so receptive and positive in helping and following your direction even when what is asked is not so straightforward?". His answer is another pearl I will keep reminding myself of forever. "Angelo" he said, " it's quite simple. Be nice to people. It doesn't matter who they are, how junior or important. Be genuinely nice to people, it will always pay off sooner or later". Having strong relationships with ex-colleagues was instrumental for the subsequent great opportunities I landed. Be it through their network, or by dedicating their time to coach me and help me with preparation or decisions.

Be financially savvy: This point is the backbone of everything in this article. It is what will give you peace of mind to keep calm when the "storm hits". Ignoring this and not having the right investments and cushion in place, can turn any unexpected redundancy into a nightmare. Doing it right though, will allow you the space and time to turn a redundancy into a springboard that will propel you towards greater things much more likely. You have a stable job as you read this and all is well? Fantastic. Here are some things you should immediately seek “education” on and start doing if you aren't already:

• Track your spending as accurately and diligently as possible. There are many ways to do this be it on excel using your preferred model, or with any of the very well-made apps for your favorite smart device. It doesn't matter how, as long as you make it a habit.
• Save as much as you possibly can as consistently as you can, by cutting down on unnecessary expenses. Then make what you save work for you by investing it in assets.
• Once you have tracked your expenses, and are able to define the mandatory monthly amount you require to ensure your critical expenses are covered, start building a cash reserve. Rule of thumb is 6 months of expenses but depending on your risk profile it may be less or more. Just beware, too little may be risky, and too much is a missed opportunity of having that amount invested and "working while you sleep" to increase in value over time
• Start investing immediately. If you are early in your career and you read this, you are lucky. Don't wait until you get promoted to get a higher salary before you can "afford to invest". Start now so you make the most of the magic called "compound interest". If you are later in your career, it's never too late.

I am not a financial guru and most definitely it isn't my intention to advise you on exactly what to do you with your finances. If there is one thing I would like to achieve with the above, is convincing you that you need to educate yourself when it comes to financial planning. Unfortunately, traditional education does not teach these principles. I was flabbergasted when I realized how many colleagues, even in senior positions lacked this kind of education. I started relatively early to follow the above steps. When the redundancy hit, more than 100 co-workers were also impacted and there were frequent conversations among us. Some asked me "how can you be so relaxed?". While me "being relaxed" in that situation was an exaggeration (I was not relaxed at all), it’s fair to say I was in a better state of mind than others. Having invested time in my financial planning is the reason why.

Keep your CV up to date: I am sure most of you will agree the CV is a very important document. Yet one may fall in the trap of ignoring it when everything is fine. This is a mistake for two reasons. It can take a significant amount of time to update it properly, on the right template, using the correct keywords. This will only increase the “pain” you have to go through when faced with a difficult situation. Furthermore, by not updating for several months if not years or until circumstances force you to, it’s very likely at least some important details of achievements and deliverables over time may be forgotten. Make it a habit at least once every few weeks to revisit your CV and tweak according to your latest accomplishments or market trends. This approach helped me a lot in terms of time savings and CV quality.

Keep your skillset current: This is something I could have done better. If I could go back and change something, it would be to sign up for courses or projects that would help me evolve my skillset according to trends. I would be more actively looking at options offered by my employer in terms of structured training for example. That could be a great way to enhance my profile with no out-of-pocket expense. In case what I was looking for was not offered, I would then, at personal level invest in my development. I am of the opinion that investing in education no matter the expense, is always worth it.

Part II – You are going through the pain. Here is what can help

Allow yourself to feel: You will most likely be going through a whole range of emotions. Anger is quite certain at start. Then as you reflect on things like your memories or relationships within that organization you may feel sad. You will feel worried throughout the first stages of the process. Some more than others depending on your personal circumstances (e.g. someone with a family may be hit harder by such emotions than someone early in their career that only need to care for themselves). This is absolutely fine and you have to get rid of these emotions. Just mark my words, you will be alright! I promise.

Be kind to those closest to you: Your wife, children, parents, brothers, close friends… whoever these may be. These are the people that love you and will support you. Don't allow yourself to mistreat them due to the psychological and financial stress the unfortunate news may be causing you. If you made a mistake, it's ok they will understand, just go and make amends.

Practice gratitude daily: There were moments that I was getting overwhelmed by negative thoughts, and the best routine I had to kill them almost instantly was a short meditation exercise where I closed my eyes and visualized things I felt grateful for. For example, being healthy, the incredible opportunities I had been offered up to that point which turned me into a better person and professional, my family etc. Try it, you may be surprised how lucky it will make you feel despite the situation you are facing.

Have structure in your day: You will wake up one day and not have a job to go to. How do you fill your day? Be diligent and don't just binge on Netflix, Video Games or other escapist activities, otherwise those negative emotions we spoke earlier of, will come back to haunt you. Trust me, I speak from experience. Having structure can mean different things for each individual. For example, it could be hitting the gym early in the morning and walking the dog afterwards. Dedicating 2-3 hours each day to sit in front of your computer working on your LinkedIn and CV, reaching out to your network and applying to roles of interest. As soon as I put structure in my day to day, it made me feel productive and positive.

Treat your job search as building a pipeline: Try not to be too picky on your job search for two reasons. Firstly, if like myself you've been in the same company for nearly a decade before having to look for a new employer, it's likely you will be a bit rusty when it comes to interviews. The more practice you get the better. Secondly, while some may get lucky and land the job of their dreams within 1 to 2 attempts, I would say there is higher chance of winning the lottery. You have to "kiss 100 frogs before you find your prince". You will get rejected, a lot, and it will hurt even if it's for roles/companies you weren't that interested in. Just keep at it, and try to stay positive.

Learn a new skill: There is high chance that you may not have been as diligent as I described in Part I in learning new skills while everything was smooth sailing at work. If your situation allows you to invest some time to reflect on the skills you should be building and actually going through some formal training, now is the time to do it. Personally, during this time off I did invest in formal training on one of the subjects of interest which not only helped my CV, but also resulted in a good boost of my confidence levels during interviews. It also positively affected my psychology as it made me feel even more productive. For those that may require a longer time to land their next opportunity, it will also be a good way to cover a “dead period” in your CV which is something prospective employers may inquire about.

Be financially savvy contd: Yep, I know I mentioned this in part I as well, and now, it's even more important. If you are fortunate to receive a nice redundancy package, do not splurge on the BMW you always wanted. Save every single cent and additionally, cut down on all the non-critical expenses. That overpriced morning coffee you enjoyed on your way to work? Big No-No. Your cash reserve has to last you at least for your worst-case scenario. It is critical that you track your expenses down to the most minuscule one so you know where you can afford to cut back. For those less fortunate that don't have the cushion to soften the blow what's the solution? Firstly, investing energy in becoming more financially literate right away as I described earlier so at least from this point you make better financial decisions. Secondly, if you urgently require to bring money home to make ends meet you may have to get a temporary side job, whatever that may be, as long as it supports your critical needs. Even if it’s a “step down”, or something you wouldn’t consider doing under normal circumstances, don’t feel embarrassed. It's temporary and you will be alright!

Remember, it's ok not to be employed: Look at the positive side of it. During our adult life we spend most of our time working. We don't get the chance very often to take a break and enjoy things we love or spend enough quality time with our loved ones. If you are already doing all the previous mentioned points, you invest several hours a day on your job hunt, and you get to the afternoon realizing you still have time to kill, that's fine! Go for a walk, exercise, take care of your body and diet, visit your family more often. Anything that helps you disconnect and makes you happy. Enjoy life now that you have free time!

To conclude

I am no seasoned writer and it’s not my intention to become one. I’m not even sure how many of you stuck until the end…. Being made redundant has been an incredible rollercoaster for me. I did not stay still and it only made me stronger and wiser. Since that day, I improved my profile through formal education, but also by working as a consultant on very interesting projects relevant to my industry. I eventually found a role I greatly enjoy, in a fantastic fast-growing organization. This also resulted in yet another relocation, which brought me and my family to one of the best countries in the world (at least based on our criteria). I am immensely grateful to those who helped me throughout this journey, those who gave me opportunities, and those who trusted me as a collaborator.

Steve Jobs, in his commencement address at Stanford a few years ago, famously said:

"You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So, you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something - your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life."

I fully relate to what he said.

I hope my words help you with new ideas for better planning, that can reduce your stress and give you more control. If you found them of value, do share this "article" with those in your network who can benefit. I am happy to discuss your experience with you, so if you would like to reach out to share tips/ideas or anything else please do. Just remember, no matter how tough things may look right now…You will be alright!

Your friend,

Angelo