Some of us may remember the concept of a job for life, where you worked for a large, front-line company or a strong family business and received opportunities for training, promotion, travel, and even relocation, and left alone by choice or personal circumstance.

Today, this is a somewhat strange concept, with many people changing jobs every three years or so due to boredom or layoff. A job for life is practically extinct.

As companies are retired, bought or reorganized, layoffs have become commonplace, and some people have been laid off multiple times in their working lives.

And, as we progress through this global pandemic, it is increasingly common to find someone whose role has changed, whose way of working has been reviewed and who now works part-time, from home, has gone from staff to contract or whose functions have changed. .

Often times, there is no choice but to comply with the company’s decision. But what a depressing word “redundancy” is, which means that it is no longer necessary, obsolete, unwanted, superfluous!

Let’s look at ways to lift your spirits and move forward from redundancy;

– Begin by reconciling with why it happened. Redundancy is when a job, function, or position is no longer viable, relevant, or adds value to an organization’s work practices. So avoid the temptation to make the decision personally. There are many reasons, especially at this time, why your role may no longer meet the needs of the business. Being fired is less likely to have to do with you and more to do with current circumstances.

– Could this be a good time to make the move to self-employment? You are probably already dealing with less and there seem to be fewer job opportunities. If you have a hobby, interest, or a good idea that you would like to take for the practical test now, it might be a good time to try it out and explore what you need to learn and take action to improve your chances of success. Perhaps you could partner with someone who complements your business plan, so share your expenses or find an experienced ally to initially advise or guide you.

– Think of ways to work without money changing hands.. Take the pressure off the need to win by exchanging skills and exchanging with others differently; cleaning, gardening, baking, accounting, administration, virtual PA are some of the ways you can work for each other, support each other, and perhaps gradually grow your contribution into a permanent full-time business.

– Think of the many people you know who reflect in being redundant as a catalyst to achieve what they now have. They would never have made the move to change careers or start their own business if they had received a salary and committed to regular employment. It took that momentum for them to find the courage and motivation to start over.

– Consider your options. Look at your skills. Ask yourself what you would like to do now that you have had time to think and perhaps discover what you don’t want to do and also what you are good at and enjoy.

– Identify your transferable skills. If you have good people, management, sales or organization skills, you are good with your hands, you enjoy finances, these are all skills that can be successfully applied in various business settings or even working on your own.

– If you have little work experience and you want to improve your skills, seek out volunteering, perhaps with a charity, youth group, or as an apprentice. Or cold call, get in touch, maybe Human Resources, and see if you can find ways to learn and get some experience in an organization you like.

– If you are looking for a new job Online agencies can be a way to find vacancies. Or use business networking sites like LinkedIn to search niches that interest you. Ask on social media or through friends, family and contacts, both online and offline to explore if they know of any places you are looking to recruit.

– Investigate options for retraining. Grant-funded opportunities are available through government plans and universities.

– Seek to update your CV. What might an employer be looking for in a new recruit? Tailor each application to the specific job you are applying for, rather than using a generic one and including a cover letter. If necessary, be prepared to hire a professional to help you with this, as well as to have a professional photograph taken. Treat it as an investment in your future.

– Potential employers Look for things like a consistent work history, relevant interests, appropriate skills, like time management, coping with stressful situations, successes you’ve had, adversity overcome. They are eager to know what you can bring to the job and why you want it.

– How flexible are you? Do you want to work full time, part time, shift work, from home? There are many new and open things for negotiation. We are all finding our feet in this new “normal”.

Now might be the time to open new doors and make the most of this opportunity as you move from redundancy.