The Redundancy Rollercoaster: Practical Advice to Help You Stabilise and Plan Ahead

How to cope with redundancy, regain a sense of control and prepare for the next step in your career

The sad reality of our work at Grays Careers is that we are helping more and more professionals who have faced the misfortune of unexpected redundancy or sudden company closures.

Even if you saw redundancy coming, the shock of leaving your workplace for the last time can be seismic. The emotional rollercoaster can hit at the most unexpected moments – fear, anger, excitement, optimism and confusion can all wash over you without warning, placing a heavy burden not only on you, but also on those closest to you.

1. Having an independent, supportive ally in your corner can be incredibly calming and grounding.
2. Times like these often show you who truly “has your back” – and unfortunately, some corporate friendships can disappear very quickly when the contract ends.

If you are navigating redundancy right now, you are not alone. Here are some practical steps that can help you regain a sense of control, protect your wellbeing and begin planning the next chapter of your career.

Stay calm and give yourself time

The natural “fight or flight” response will probably be there. Adrenaline may be coursing through your veins, but panicking and immediately focusing on worst-case scenarios won't help you make good decisions.

Take a breath and give yourself some time to process what has happened. Most importantly, talk to the people closest to you about how you are feeling. These are the people who really matter right now.

Take stock of your finances

A quick but realistic review of your financial situation is extremely important.

Look carefully at your regular outgoings and identify anything non-essential that could temporarily be reduced or removed. Then consider your redundancy package, savings and any other financial resources available to you.

The objective is to establish a clear financial timeline. Knowing that you have enough to cover the next three, six or nine months can help remove some of the immediate panic and allow you to approach your job search more strategically.

Dust off your CV

When did you last properly update your CV?

Make sure all of your relevant experience and recent achievements are included, but don't simply add your most recent job and consider it finished. Read the whole document again and ask yourself whether it accurately communicates the value you can offer your next employer.

This exercise can also help rebuild confidence. Redundancy is a corporate decision; it doesn't erase your experience, achievements or professional value.

Review your network

Think about the people within your professional and personal network who may be able to help.

That could include former colleagues, previous employers, friends, family, clients, suppliers, recruiters and LinkedIn connections.

You don't necessarily need to contact everyone immediately asking for a job. Start conversations, let trusted contacts know that you're considering your next move and reconnect with people you've worked well with in the past.

Line up your referees

It's worth thinking about references early rather than waiting until you're several stages into a recruitment process.

Identify previous managers, colleagues or clients who would be happy to speak positively about your experience and abilities. Make contact, explain your situation and ask whether they would be comfortable acting as a referee.

Your old boss may owe you a favour!

Establish a new routine

Try not to fall into the trap of allowing every day to merge into the next.

Set yourself achievable goals each day. Allocate time to your job search, but also get outside, exercise, take a walk or use some of the time to help your family with things you may not have been able to do while working.

Finding the right new role can feel like a full-time job in itself, but that doesn't mean it needs to consume every waking hour.

Creating some structure can make an enormous difference.

Remember your resilience

Stay strong.

This is a difficult period of your life, but you will get through it. Redundancy can ultimately become an opportunity to reassess what you want from your career, explore a different direction or find a role that suits you better.

Try to view it as a transition rather than a roadblock.

Be realistic about timescales

Don't expect miracles overnight.

The effort you put in from the beginning will pay off, but finding the right role is likely to take time. The UK recruitment market has changed considerably, and hiring processes can be lengthy.

A lack of immediate results doesn't mean your approach isn't working.

Prepare for today's recruitment market

The recruitment landscape may have changed significantly since you last looked for a job.

You need to understand where to look for opportunities, how to approach the market, how to present your experience and how to sell yourself effectively when the right opportunity arises.

That includes your CV, LinkedIn presence, networking strategy, interview preparation and understanding how employers and recruiters assess candidates.

Preparation can make an enormous difference.

Don't be afraid to seek help and support

This is ultimately where a service such as Grays Careers can come into its own.

Our approach is informed by decades of experience in recruitment, executive search and HR. We understand how employers identify, assess and hire people because we have spent our careers on that side of the process.

If you have recently been made redundant, are facing redundancy or simply aren't sure what your next step should be, we can help you take stock of where you are, understand your options and develop a practical plan for moving forward.

Sometimes, simply having an independent and experienced person to talk things through with can make the situation feel much more manageable.

A free, no-obligation and confidential conversation is available if you would like to discuss where you are and what your next step might look like.