Starting your job search after redundancy

At the time of writing, the UK has called a one-month delay to the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions, and “Freedom Day” is now scheduled for 19th July. Underpinning all of this is the fact that some workers are still on furlough, some businesses are still at a reduced capacity, and some people will have lost their jobs due to the pandemic.

Redundancy is hard for many people, but it is important to remember that your employer has made your job role redundant, and it is not a personal insult against you. It may also be worth remembering the “Serenity Prayer”; although it is often presented as a prayer, it is as religious as you do (or don’t) want it to be:

“Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the wisdom to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference”

Put simply, if you have lost your job due to the pandemic, it was out of your hands; instead, focus your energies on what to do next. Back in the autumn, BBC Newsbeat spoke to some job seekers who had been made redundant and they had some great advice:

1. Try and stay positive: there are jobs out there, even if they are not your first choice
2. Be proactive: keep your CV and cover letter ready to send, but always tailor it for each application; also make sure your LinkedIn and social media are looking smart and professional
3. Talk to people: keeping a good relationship with your bosses, friends and other contacts can sometimes lead to opportunities that you wouldn’t have heard of otherwise
4. Be prepared: consider your strengths, and talk about them, either in conversation or as part of a job application
5. Consider your options: if you can afford it, take a bit of time to think about what you really want to do next

As always, if you are not sure where to start then there are loads of resources out there to help; we can help you with your CV, LinkedIn and making sure that you are ready to make applications, and you might want to set up email alerts with job search websites relevant to your specialism. It may also be worth registering with some recruitment agencies who may be able to place you with an employer – this will be the subject of a future blog post.

[Photo by Mikhail Nilov from Pexels]