Some of us may remember the concept of a job for life, where you worked for a big blue-chip company or a strong family business and received opportunities for training, promotion, travel and even relocation, only to leave by choice or circumstance. staff.
Today, this is a somewhat strange concept, with many people changing jobs every three years or so out of boredom or redundancy. A job for life is practically extinct.
As companies close, are bought or reorganized, layoffs have become commonplace, with some people having been laid off multiple times in their working lives.
And, as we move through this global pandemic, it’s increasingly common to find someone whose role has changed, whose way of working has been overhauled and who is now working part-time, from home, moved from staff to contract, or whose functions have changed. .
Often there is no choice but to comply with the company’s decision. But what a depressing word ‘redundancy’ is, meaning no longer needed, obsolete, unwanted, superfluous!
Let’s look at ways to lift your spirits and move forward from redundancy;
– Start by reconciling with yourself as to why it happened.. Redundancy is when a job, role, or position is no longer viable, relevant, or adds value to an organization’s work practices. So avoid the temptation to make the decision yourself. There are many reasons, especially right now, why your role can no longer meet the needs of the business. Getting fired is less likely to be about you and more about the current circumstances.
– Could now be a good time to take the step to self-employment? You probably already get by on less and there seem to be fewer job opportunities. If you have a hobby, interest, or good idea that you’d like to try out on the road, now might be a good time to try it out and explore what you need to learn and act on to improve your chances of success. Perhaps you could partner with someone to complement your business plan, to share your expenses, or find an experienced ally to initially advise or advise you.
– Think of ways to work without money changing hands. Take the pressure out of having to win by trading skills and trading with others differently; Cleaning, gardening, baking, bookkeeping, administration, virtual PA are some of the ways you can work for each other, support yourself and maybe gradually increase your contribution until it becomes a permanent full-time business. .
– Think of the many people you know who reflect in being fired as catalysts to achieve what they now have. They would never have made the decision to change careers or start their own business if they had been salaried and committed to regular employment. It took that push for them to find the courage and motivation to start over.
– Consider your options. Look at your skills. Ask yourself what you’d like to do now that you’ve had time to think and you may discover what you don’t want to do as well as what you’re good at and enjoy.
– Identify your transferable skills. If you have good people, management, sales or organization skills, are good with your hands, enjoy finance, these are all skills that can be successfully applied in various business settings or even to work for yourself.
– If you have little work experience and want to improve your skills, look into volunteering, perhaps with a charity, youth group or as an apprentice. Or cold call, get in touch, maybe Human Resources, and see if you can find ways to learn and get some experience in an organization you like.
– If you are looking for a new job Online agencies can be one way to find vacancies. Or use business networking sites like LinkedIn to search for niches that are of interest to you. Ask around on social media or through friends, family and contacts, both online and offline, to see if they know of any places you’re looking to recruit.
– Investigate options to return to training. There are grant-funded opportunities available through government plans and universities.
– Seek to update your CV. What might an employer be looking for in a new employee? Tailor each application to the specific job you are applying for, rather than using a generic one and including a cover letter. If necessary, be prepared to use a professional to help you with this, in addition to taking a professional photograph. Treat it as an investment in your future.
– Potential Employers Look for things like consistent work history, relevant interests, appropriate skills such as time management, handling stressful situations, successes you’ve had, overcoming adversity. They are eager to know what you can bring to the job, why you want it.
– How flexible are you? Do you want to work full time, part time, shifts, from home? Much is new and open to negotiation. We are all finding our feet in this new ‘normal’.
Now could be the time for you to open new doors and make the most of this opportunity as you move from redundancy.