To ask for positive “life after redundancy” stories!

[44PumpLane]

I don’t feel I’m being unreasonable but do need a hand hold and a bit of a cheering up.

I’m being made redundant and feeling very upset at it all and doubting my abilities professionally (finance).

Can anyone help cheer me up with some positive stories of how you’ve gone on to be happy and employed after being made redundant? :)

DH found out his company was going by under the morning I had a 32 week scan. He came out of the hospital and started ringing every contact he knew. 7 months down the line he's in a job that's a promotion and came with a 10k pay rise. Good luck!

A friend of mine has had 2 great redundancies. She got a very decent payoff both times and was able to put a big chuck towards her mortgage.

She was in a new job within six weeks both times and picked up a pay rise each time along the way.

I was made redundant while on secondment somewhere else. I claimed my redundancy package (12 years) and signed a permanent contract with the place I was on secondment to. That was nearly 3 years ago, I'm now on £15k more, wfh 3 days a week and really enjoy my job - best thing that's ever happened to me, it forced my hand and got me out of a rut. Good luck op Plenty of positive stories out there.

i've been made redundant twice. it's never fun but both times it's ended up being for the best. try not to panic, take good legal advice and don't make any hasty decisions about what to do next. the second time i had enough redundancy money to live on for a year, and i ended up going freelance and spending loads more time with my children. it was great. good luck!

Fortunately not directly, but in my work life particularly the last recession I had to close down a lot of companies which made a lot of people redundant (I didn’t choose to do that role, was forced into it as a result of the recession, it was that or be redundant myself).

I probably got too emotionally attached to a lot of the people and would give them personal numbers to help them sort out their redundancy entitlement because most of them couldn’t even afford to use mobiles to call during peak hours in the working day.

I lost count of the number of people that would text or call me months after what was a hugely stressful event and say “it was the best thing that could have happened, I’m now doing x job and never been happier”

Equally, I’m not naive enough to say it’s easy to find another job. My advice would be to stay positive, I’ve also seen people lose faith over time (understandably) and that can become a viscious circle where they don’t expect to get a job and that defeated vibe they give off harms their interviews etc.

Also, you’re still a more than decent age to get back in the game and it’s a transferable skill you have got. I work in finance and actively seek candidates of your profile (if you want to stay in finance, lots of the people I know took the opportunity to make a big change)

I’m going off 6 lines of text so I can’t possibly appraise you from that. But the fact you don’t blame anyone else probably reflects well on you as a person and will come across in an interview.

And don’t doubt yourself, if it’s a redundancy I’m sure it was situation rather than ability, otherwise they’d sack you, it’s cheaper! Just explain it as a company issue - either trading problems or a change in their systems that meant your role was changing and if you hadn’t been made redundant you were considering your options anyway as it was no longer the job you once enjoyed.

Good luck, it’s going to work out fine!

Edit - I have no idea why I assumed you were mid 40s! Other than the 44 in your username!

Been made redundant once and forced out once.

The redundancy was from a company I didn't like but didn't hate, where I had absolutely nothing to do (I had no idea why they hired me). I found a new, more senior job before I was officially gone, so enjoyed double pay on my month of gardening leave.

Then that job forced me out after a year. It was a dodgy place, run by a scam artist. Although I had come out of the redundancy unscathed financially, it definitely made me put up with things in the next role that I wouldn't usually stand for just because I craved stability.

After that, I swore off the industry I'd spent 8 years in. Then I fell into freelancing, which turned into a business, which is now incredibly successful. It opened up opportunities I never imagined, and I am so happy.

I had at least a year of worry, financial worries and a mental health crisis. But I got through it. It just took time.

I've been made redundant twice. First time, had a nice 6-weeks off then started a much better job with a pay rise.

Second time, I went freelance. Loved it.

So bigger and better for me each time - it can be a positive thing and please don't take it personally, it's just a numbers game.

First thing is to not even consider this is about you. There has been a corporate initiative to reduce headcount and your name came up - you must try and avoid dwelling on that.

Give yourself a bit of a break, then start having a very clear think about what you would like to do next, rather then focusing on what you think might be available. Make good use of linked in - find out what everyone you've worked well with in the past is up to, and put out some feelers.

I've been made redundant before as have many people I know. I can honestly say that nobody is worse off or u happier than they were in the job they were made redundant from. I know loads of people for whom it was re best thing that ever happened to them career wise - some have set up on their own, some have had a complete change of direction, some have just found other similar jobs. View it as an opportunity to decide what you are going to do next.

I send you very good and warm wishes. Keep believing in yourself.

I was made redundant in November, finding a new job was tough but I did it. I now work for a much nicer company and have had a pay rise since joining. It's horrible when you're in the situation - my mental health hit rock bottom but when you make it out the other side it's often a blessing in disguise.

My package paid for my half of my house deposit, I'm on more money & the environment is much nicer with better benefits. Sometimes people bring their dogs in for a cuddle, often there is cake.

Honestly, thank you all so much- your replies have actually made me cry with relief, you’re all so kind to have shared your experiences and said such positive things!

I’m late 30’s and have never been through this before. I’m trying to remind myself that in a years time this will all just be a blip, that I don’t enjoy the job anyway and that actually I wouldn’t mind if I had to take a little step back but regain some of my work life balance.

I truly appreciate all your replies- it really fills me with hope and some relief! for you all :)

I was made redundant from a large energy company, where I had a mediocre but well paying job (well, as well paying for a senior customer advisor, but in excess of £10 ph in 2014). It was a mass redundancy, including a lot of my colleagues, as the department we worked for and all the work we did was being TUPE'd to India. I was ill with worry re the Mortgage, my son etc.

Then I landed on my feet, getting a job in a school, initially as a dinner nanny, but then I retrained on a student loan for a childcare qualification. I'm now qualified to level 3, working on my level 4 and have qualifications in both children's mental health and behaviour that challenges. I learned to drive, bought myself a car and paid off the overdue bills with my redundancy money.

I only work part time, and get a little bit less money that I used to but I don't have the costly commute but money and time wise - I don't pay for childcare any more as I work to school hours and school holidays, and I have the most rewarding job working with children with special needs and disabilities. There really is life after redundancy. It gave me the push I so desperately needed but was scared to make.

Good luck x

I was made redundant 2 years ago. It was a decent payout and I hated the job anyway, but my confidence was knocked. I started a job with a 9k pay rise, nicer location and better hours 2 months later, so it worked out. Good luck!

I was made redundant from one company and so moved to another job where I met my ds’s father.

And then I was made redundant years later from a very large telecoms co and they paid me six months money to go away, so I had two summer months off playing with dc and started a new job the week after he went back to school. And knocked the other 4 months money off the mortgage.

Sorry, I know that sounds smug but just once in 30 years at work, I managed to make it work in my favour.
If the press are right, job vacancies are going up. I’m sure you’ll be fine, Good luck.

I’ve been made redundant twice. The first time I took time out to travel and had a great time and break from reality.
The second time I’d been offered a new job before gardening leave was over and have been a contractor ever since, earning more than perm jobs and no office politics to deal with.

I was let go at the end of a probation period (I didn't like them either) and went into a different job straight away which paid more money, there was a lovely team and I felt liberated when I went there. I stayed there for over 5 years.

I was made redundant from another role - I had been there less than a year and although they didn't actually have to pay me more than my notice period they gave me an extra 2 months' money so when I went into my next job I had that money in the bank. I had 7 weeks between jobs. The salary was about the same, the benefits weren't as good but the people, job and location were better. I also got outplacement support, don't underestimate the effect it has on your confidence, they are really good at building you up again.

For me, redundancy was the best career move ever !!

I previously worked in a toxic office, didn't enjoy the work, but didn't have the confidence to leave in case it was no better elsewhere

Redundancy gave me the freedom to explore other possibilities, feeling that I had nothing to lose, I changed direction. I love my new role. Family friendly hours. Working from home. Earning more than I did before

And I would NEVER have taken the gamble to try this, if I hadn't been made redundant

I was made redundant from a role in an industry which - looking back - i was mad to have joined in the first place. It was NOT a growth industry, actually very much on the skids and opportunities were few and far between, as well as geographically limited, bloody hard work and terrible pay. I liked the idea of my job more than my job.

I took an initial pay cut to change industries and broadened my experience and then I moved on - no more of the above limitations, mine is a growth industry, opportunities are much wider, i work with lovely people, I enjoy my work and I make double what I scrimped by on before.

Hold tight, I remember how awful I felt vividly - it's very very difficult to remember it's NOT personal or a value judgment on you, it's your role that is being made redundant and not you. You will be fine and will thrive - just keep calm, think hard about what you really want and need from your next job and take care of yourself.

Best thing that ever happened to me. I used the payout to retrain and travel for 3 months at the end of it. Then walked into a job in my home town when I was ready for it. Things work out when you least expect it- good luck to you, I’m sure it will be the same for you!