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Original poster

To shamelessly ask for some tips on finding work after redundancy

24 replies

maybunny · 29/01/2013 21:48

Ok - I admit I am totally down trodden and really need some words of wisdom from you wise lot!
I am currently on maternity leave and have been told that my role is redundant and they are splitting my duties between someone senior to me and 2 people under me, who were all employed during my maternity leave with my first child.
I was asked to apply for the role currently senior to me during my first maternity leave but the role was given to my maternity cover who is more qualified than me, so fair enough really.
This is a small company and has no HR dept - my DH is getting advice on my behalf from his hr dept and an independent legal team, but I doubt I have a case for unlawful dismissal as my company are v clever at covering all bases.

So what I'm after is tips on interview technique - I am going to research this myself but a personal perspective is most welcome please!
I've been at this company for 14 years, since graduation at university, so feel out of the loop.
What do people look for these days, any tips on answering awkward questions etc.... ?

OP posts:
MrsBW · 29/01/2013 21:52

Get onto Linked In and add everyone you know - it's brilliant for networking. Let them all know you're looking for a new role.

In the meantime, more info on Redundancy during Mat leave.

www.maternityaction.org.uk/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/redundancy.pdf

Hope it all goes OK... try to stay positive. I know A LOT of people who've been made redundant and not a single one of them thinks they are now worse off.

Original poster
maybunny · 29/01/2013 21:58

Thank you v much MrsBW my DH has shown me LinkedIn - he is in PR so a huge asset in helping me sell myself - it just seems so alien and therefore scary to me!
As I say my company was a small private company that i doubt anyone is on LinkedIn so I need to start this shoe process.
I am trying to staye positive and think what an amazing job I am going to get in the end - hopefully!
I am v well paid in my old job, due to the length of time I was there, and feel overlooked :-(

OP posts:
gallicgirl · 29/01/2013 22:04

Contact your local college and see if their careers service can help you.

Soopermum1 · 29/01/2013 22:11

If you manage to find childcare, get out there and network. Go for coffee, beers etc with anyone you know who you think can help you out. I did that. Everyone I contacted was lovely and very supportive and I had loads of fun. it forced me out of my shell, which I badly needed after 11 years in the one company

Original poster
maybunny · 29/01/2013 22:11

Oh I hadn't thought of that gallicgirl is that something they help ordinary ie non students with?

OP posts:
Notquitegrownup · 29/01/2013 22:13

Huge sympathy. 14 years is a long time to be somewhere and then to be let go. On a positive note, it shows that you have loyalty and staying power, and that is a real plus on a CV.

I would recommend that whilst hunting for work you look to adding to your CV. I recently worked for a nationwide charity with 300 small branches around the country, all looking for trustees, with all sorts of experience. Trying not to out myself with too much info here, but do send me a message if you would like more info. Trustees only had to commit to six meetings a year, in the evenings, but could offer more if they wanted - all sorts of skills needed. Training was available, lots of tea and cake and new contacts, and we had several trustees move through us onto successful jobs.

Best of luck

ilovesooty · 29/01/2013 22:15

Everyone is entitled to at least one face to face session with a National Careers Service adviser. If you are in a priority group (being made redundant so you will be) you're entitled to three sessions. It's free.

nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/Pages/Home.aspx

gordyslovesheep · 29/01/2013 22:17

A decent CV - use the Job Centre web site to search for vacs, speculative CV's , networking

also for careers advice try nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/Pages/Home.aspx/ contact your local council and see if they run any workshops on job seeking etc

I am sorry - I am currently going trough massive cuts at work and facing the same - good luck x

ilovesooty · 29/01/2013 22:21

We're in a redundancy consultation situation and I'm in the rather strange position of offering careers advice to my colleagues Sad as well as to our service users.

Original poster
maybunny · 29/01/2013 22:25

Thank you for all your advice - I am trying really hard to think of this as a positive but am struggling as I feel so let down - my FD told me I was being trained for his job and they were paying for my qualification, then as soon as I went on maternity leave the first time, my job was split up between 3 new people. I wanted to go back part time so what was left of my job was a part time role, so that suited me fine. Then they say that they can split it further amongst junior roles and so they don't have a suitable role for me to have :-(

OP posts:
Isabeller · 29/01/2013 22:30

If you are up for some hard work you couldn't do better than to work through the exercises in What Colour is Your Parachute?

It's full of humour and encouragement but also supremely practical

ceeveebee · 29/01/2013 22:33

Maybunny, are you in accountancy? Have you qualified yet? There seems to be a lot of temporary work in accountancy at the moment as companies are reluctant to take on permanent staff so you might want to consider signing with a couple of temporary agencies.

the redundancy process and rationale sounds extremely fishy to me. Unless the work has actually reduced due to a corporate restructure etc don't see how it can be a true redundancy situation. You should most definitely pursue this as I think you may have a good case (I'm not an expert, just researched this when I thought my own position was at risk)

Libby10 · 29/01/2013 22:35

Depends how comfortable you are with your maternity cover but as she is more qualified and doing the same job it may be worth asking if she would be happy to mentor you. if that doesn't work look at your work contacts, friends and family and see if there is anyone who interviews people regularly and ask them to look through your CV and give you a dummy run. Try not to get down - I'm sure you'll find people only too happy to help you out.

housesalehelp · 29/01/2013 22:37

you should be able to get some training paid for via the job centre I think as well - does anyone have a link-
think of LinkedIn as an online CV and make sure you put up you are job searching- its good for ex-collegues, old uni friends, work contacts - in fact tell everyone you know you are looking - word of mouth really works
if you are in reach of london - womenlikeus have some excellent careers/job searching courses and a very good interview skills course- well worth looking into
Fe colleges often have job searching activities so well worth a ring

there are some good books on job searching and interview skills have a look at amazon
Twitter is very useful for keeping up with things relating to your field and sometimes jobs come up there
finally be kind to yourself - its a rotten time - happened to me

Original poster
maybunny · 29/01/2013 22:38

Yes ceeveebee I am - very nearly ACCA qualified. My company are saying that workload has decreased, and looking at the work I was left with, this could be mostly distributed amongst much cheaper staff. They are 'restructuring' but they are all junior roles, when I was a 'Manager' being paid more than these junior roles do.

OP posts:
Original poster
maybunny · 29/01/2013 22:41

libby10 - my maternity cover was employed full time in a senior position to me, which I was asked to 'Apply' for, during my first maternity leave. I quickly fell pregnant with my second child and only went back to work for a few months.
She is mentoring me at the moment but this might stop when I leave.

OP posts:
banterbus · 29/01/2013 22:44

I was recently made at risk of redundancy. I went on a course to learn about applying for jobs etc. and ended up with 10 interviews! Didn't need to go for them all as I was offered one after a few days. My biggest tip is do lots of research on the company and the interview panel. Just read as much as you can and they will be impressed you took the time to do that!

Good luck.

DewDr0p · 29/01/2013 22:45

Definitely get some proper legal advice on the redundancy situation, it sounds a bit fishy to me. Many employment lawyers will give you a free initial consultation so you have nothing to lose.

Network network network (as someone else said, coffee or a beer with anyone who'll chat even if it doesn't look like it'll lead to anything right now)
Get onto LinkedIn.
Find a couple of decent recruitment consultants - many jobs aren't advertised.
Treat looking for a job like a job (maybe a part time one!)

And do be kind to yourself. It happened to dh a few years ago and I agree it's a rotten time.

Libby10 · 29/01/2013 22:47

Maybunny - do you get on we'll with her? If so I would ask her if she could carry on mentoring you for a set period - you might as well ask as they may well agree. Then make sure you make the best use of her re contacts, training, interview techniques.

Bobyan · 29/01/2013 23:04

As an accountant myself, the best advice I can give you is to finish your exams asap.
There is work out there, try Reed.com as they are the biggest web recruiter and register with all your local employment agencies.
And be brave! Redundancy can happen to anyone,its not a reflection on you. Good luck!

Original poster
maybunny · 30/01/2013 09:28

Yes libby10 I 'think' I get on well with her, but tbh I don't think this would have happened if they had chosen someone else for my maternity cover, as she is very pushy. I will ask her to at least sign off my practical experience I have gained whilst at this company, as it isn't completely up to date at the moment.

Thanks bobyan that is my plan at the moment - I have 3 to do (have already done 11 hurrah!) even tho it will be v v expensive :-(

OP posts:
Iheartpasties · 30/01/2013 09:43

good luck to you

Bobyan · 30/01/2013 16:06

You're so close to the end, don't quit now!

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