By Victoria Rollison
Being retrenched is traumatic. But don’t let it get the better of you. Rescu. gives you some tips on how to get back on your feet.
It’s normal to feel down when you suddenly find you don’t have a job any more, especially if you have worked long and hard for the company. Here are some suggestions to help you get back on your feet again.
Don’t take it personally
Never ever blame yourself for being retrenched. Having your job disappear isn’t about you personally. In this era of downsizing and outsourcing, being retrenched is a normal part of working life. So why not concentrate on the opportunities it offers you?
Get your finances sorted
Start by sorting out your finances. Feeling in control of your money is great for your confidence. Can you invest your redundancy payout? How long before you need to look for another job? Can you manage a holiday before you start back into your career? It may be worth talking to a financial consultant.
Think opportunities
This is a great opportunity to spend some time – paid for by your former boss – thinking about where you want your career to be in five or ten years. Do you want to stay in your present industry, or do future prospects look a little dull? Can you reasonably aim for a better job in your current area? Can you move sideways to a related area where there are better opportunities? Or is this a time to retrain and head in a new direction? Keep an eye on job ads, but don’t rush into anything.
Revamp your CV
It’s also time to do some work on your resume. Be creative. List all the skills that relate to the type of work you do. Then list all your interpersonal skills, like listening or negotiating. You’ll likely find that there are many more things you can do than you might have first thought. What do you like doing? What are you really good at? Seeing it there on paper is a good reminder of just how marketable you are. If you find it too hard to blow your own trumpet, many employment services are happy to help. Why not try and get post employment counselling paid for as part of your redundancy package?
Go shopping
If there was ever a time to buy a new outfit for work, it’s now. And a new haircut and a facial won’t hurt either. It’s important to feel good about yourself at this point in your working life, so don’t hesitate to do a bit of indulging. It will really pay off when you do start looking for a new job.
Keep in contact
Don’t let yourself become socially isolated. The friends you had at work are still your friends; keep in touch with them. Go to the meetings of your professional association, and take any opportunity that comes your way to network. You never know where your next opportunity will come from.
Finally, as you prove to yourself and others that there is life after retrenchment, remember a great new skill you can add to your resume – the ability to adapt to change. There are few more important attributes in the modern workplace.
For more advice on how to deal with redundancy, visit these links:
https://yourlifeworks.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=377417
https://www.careerfaqs.com.au/employment-news/1149/Dealing-with-job-redundancy
