The job market is looking good, vacancies are up and with a bit of luck and trailing wind next year should be good.  But that’s not the story for everyone and it can be even more difficult to cope with losing your job when all the news around is good news.

If you are one of the unlucky ones that have been adversely affected by the current situation don’t panic.  Redundancy may be a painful experience but it can often be the start of something better. 

I understand the reality of redundancy better than most. Not only have I been made redundant myself, but I’ve also been on the other side. I’ve been the person having to make the call and choose which members of our team stay or go. 

I’ve had the responsibility of delivering the bad news and telling people that their life is about to dramatically change. 

And it’s taught me some important lessons… 

Being Made Redundant Doesn’t Mean You’re Bad At What You Do 

Being made redundant is a bit like someone breaking up with you. You get the rush of emotions, the shock, the sadness, the shame and the fear that maybe you’re not good enough? 

But being made redundant doesn’t mean you weren’t good at your job. The decision making process when it comes to redundancy can be varied – but it’s usually very strict and very fair. It’s really not personal. 

Now you can’t protect yourself from the frustrating or clearly ridiculous decisions.  I have witnessed redundancies where a company shrank from 300 to 125 employees but maininted the existing 5 levels of management. It was absurd, the turkeys were very much allowed to vote for Christmas.  I also experience a decision process based purely on the last month’s billable hours which takes short-termism to a new height.  In those situations, frankly you’re best out of it, whether you made the cut or not.

But those experiences were a very long time ago and in my more recent experience the process is a much more measured approach.  Choosing who to make redundant is never an emotional decision (in fact there are rules in place to ensure this is not the case). They don’t make you redundant because they don’t like you – you just fell on the wrong side of a well-calculated and data-driven decision-making process.

It’s not necessarily a reflection on your ability to do a good job – so if you’ve been handed that redundancy card, don’t take it too personally. You were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Is It The End Or New Beginnings? 

So what if the worst happens – you’ve been made redundant. What now? You can mope around in your dressing gown playing on your Xbox or Playstation, or you can take this opportunity to take stock of where you’re at in your career and make the next step forwards. 

It might be that you loved your previous position, and if so that sucks, but dwelling on the past won’t help you to build a better future. Even if you did love your job, that doesn’t mean there isn’t something better for you just around the corner. 

I’ve worked in IT for over 30 years now and I can honestly say that 9 times out of 10 redundancy works out for the best. Many of my friends and colleagues who have been made redundant step into a better role, find a more rewarding position or come back into the company as a contractor getting paid more than they ever made in their salaried position. Some have started their own businesses, moved abroad or even taken it as an opportunity to change careers altogether. 

So, take some time to really think about where you want to go now – and take the next step with a smile on your face and a positive attitude that it will all work out for the best, because more often than not it will.