Nearly everybody in the workforce will face the prospect (if not the reality) of redundancy at some stage.

However here’s some statistics from the ABS that might cheer up our Chic Living readers:

  • Statistically, men are made redundant more often than women;
  • It affects nearly twice as many men as women in the 25-34 year old age bracket; and,
  • People with a bachelor’s degree and/or graduate diploma/certificate, are less likely to  be made redundant.

These stats might be cold comfort though if you have just found yourself out of a job.

Remember, redundancy is a cost cutting measure taken by companies and departments. It’s not about you personally. Just because your position has been made redundant, doesn’t mean that YOU are redundant!

In many ways, the experience of redundancy is not unlike a relationship breakup. It can trigger grief, shock, anxiety and depression. There will be good days and bad days.

Even if you feel you are coping quite well, it’s still not a bad idea to get some counselling.

If you’re lucky, you might be offered some redundancy counselling as part of your severance package.

If not, it’s still worth seeking out. A good counsellor can also help you to see this time as a challenge or even a great opportunity, rather than a problem or failure.  It can help you deal with the emotions it has stirred up, to get things into perspective, and to plan a way forward into the future.

They can also guide you in developing your job search strategies and improving your  interview skills, in order to  transition into new employment.

Tips on Recovering from Redundancy

What else can you do if you’ve been made redundant?

  • How do you normally manage stress if you’ve had a difficult day? Once you’ve identified your usual coping strategies – a bubble bath, a hike in the bush, cooking up a storm – make sure you put them to work!
  • Take a couple of weeks’ holiday to help you process what’s happened, to enjoy some time with your loved ones, and look after yourself. However make sure you set a limit to it and choose a definite date when you will get back into things.
  • Then it’s time to become a professional job hunter – turn it into your full time job until you are successful! That means getting up early each morning, putting effort into your appearance, polishing up your resume and applying for positions online. But don’t spend all day in front of the computer. Remember, the majority of jobs are NEVER advertised. So call in a few favours with friends and family and get them to put feelers out. Make contact or arrange to have a coffee with others in your field. Go to a few business networking meetings and let your availability be known. Set up an appointment to introduce yourself and hand over a resume at the businesses you’d most like to join.
  • Think about or even brainstorm on paper, the unique experiences, transferable skills, and any specialist knowledge you have that could be  that are of value and also can be implemented into other industries. It may also be an ideal opportunity to up-skill and arrange some professional development.

And finally, according to job site SEEK, 60% of people find a new job within two months of a redundancy. With hard work and a positive attitude, chances are you will be one of them!