Feeling like a failure after redundancy (even if you've found a new job)
Redundancy sucks. There’s no other way to think about it. It’s awful, it’s terrible, it’s a sign of failure. Right? Wrong! Of course not.
Redundancy is rarely a mark of individual failure and is much more an inevitable consequence of working for organisations with more than about 50 staff members. Companies grow, they recruit, then they see a way to make higher profits is to have less staff and they shrink again. And, where organic growth isn’t possible (i.e. waiting for people to leave), they take more immediate action in the form of redundancy. And at times of market uncertainty, these types of decisions become more common.
All this is a way of saying that it’s almost never about you and always about something bigger than you. Take succour from that. If you've managed to find a new role quickly – especially in the current market – that says a lot about how capable you are. You must have really impressed at interview. But that doesn't mean you're automatically going to feel amazing about your new start.
Because sometimes a new job isn’t quite what you hoped. The title might be similar, but the position feels more junior, you might have less access to senior leadership, or feel a bit further away from the action – the list goes on. So what can you do if you’ve bounced back professionally but still feel a little… flat?
Don't write it off!
If at all possible, try not to reflect negatively on how your new role compares to your old one and instead concentrate on the positives, so you’re not writing it off before you give it a chance. Particularly if the new culture is kinder, more respectful of boundaries or better suited to where you’re at right now. That might be exactly what you need after the stress of being made redundant and it can also help to rebuild your confidence.
Get to know the leadership team
Feeling less visible in the business can be tough, especially if you're used to operating closer to the top. If getting to know the CEO (or other senior leaders) is important to you, there are ways to do this – at a social events, in meetings or at a town hall. Work out in advance what you want them to know you for and get ready to share that with them in a friendly, conversational way. Aim to make a positive human impression rather than pushing a ‘you need to remember me’ agenda. They’re more likely to remember you if you’re just great to talk to.
You don't have to stay
Finally, if you do give your new role a chance and you still aren’t keen, you don’t have to stay. It’s nonsense that you need 2 or more years in each role on your CV. If you have been made redundant and got a job quickly and then are leaving after six months or so, you can justify this very easily with explaining that the salary was critical and you wanted to stay in the sector in a similar role, but this new role will be better.
Three resources to help with redundancy:
How to bounce back from a redundancy: some extra insights on how to take it on the chin
Inspiring podcast about women who used their redundancy to transform their life: when losing your job is the best thing that ever happened to you
If you’re a leader, how to do redundancy well: how to ensure psychological safety during redundancy
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