19 March, 2020
Redundancy guide: Girl talking to colleague
Redundancy guide: Girl talking to colleague
Lifestyle

What To Do If You’ve Just Been Made Redundant

19 March, 2020
Redundancy guide: Girl talking to colleague

Suddenly being made redundant can be terrifying, but you can and will bounce back from it!

We know it can be scary to be thrown back into the job market unexpectedly. And with the current situation, you might think your chances of getting hired by another company are slim. But there are steps you can take to help you move forward from being made redundant. It’s important, now more than ever, to stay positive and focus on doing what you can. With the right attitude and this guide to help you along, you’ll be back on your feet in no time!

Read more: Your Guide To Getting Hired In Hong Kong

Keep calm and focused

Being calm, methodical and focused on what you can do to move forward is essential. For many, a forced career change after being made redundant has led to exciting opportunities for growth. It’s all about reframing how you look at your situation. Dedicate some time each day to search for a job and remember to be patient. Try not to get discouraged if you aren’t scooped up by a company right away.

Put yourself out there

We know that recruiters and companies sometimes scout people from sites like LinkedIn, but how do you make sure you stand out from the competition? Just as websites use keywords to rank high on Google, you should make sure your online CV has all the right keywords so that employers can find you more easily. Don’t be afraid to show yourself off a little. Include all your relevant skills and inject a bit of personality into your bio. Repeating important keywords in your LinkedIn page will increase the chances of your profile being found.

Made redundant? Stay relevant

It’s great if you have a wide range of skills and a million interests, but including them all in your CV will not always help you get the job. It’s far more effective to customise your CV to the specific job you are applying for. Carefully read the job description or advert and make sure the skills you mention in your CV are in line with what they are looking for.

Redundancy guide: girl typing on laptop

Keep an eye out

Unfortunately, it’s not enough to have a perfect CV up on LinkedIn. While you may have increased your chances of employers finding you, it’s not a guarantee. And it won’t help to just sit around waiting. Keep an eye on sites like JobsDB, Glassdoor and LinkedIn for job listings. If you know which companies you’d love to work for, make sure you check their website regularly for any openings. Stay active in your job search and apply to as many places as you can.

Networking is key

Speaking to professionals in the biz and letting them know who you are, and what you do, is one of the best ways to get a foot back in the industry door. It will also help you stay updated on what’s been going on in your field while you’re in between jobs. Talking to people can help you to uncover job opportunities before they’re even advertised to the public. Start by reaching out to the people you already know and make it a point to ask if there’s anyone they can connect you with to help you in your job search. You can also use social media platforms, such as LinkedIn, to meet new people and expand your professional network.

Read more: 5 Easy Steps To Elevate Your Online Presence

Keep a record

There’s no use working hard to build connections and collect business cards if you’re going to lose or forget about them the next day. Create a spreadsheet of all your contacts, and keep note of who you’ve reached out to and when you last spoke to them. This will come in handy if you don’t hear back from them for some time and want to follow up. For the same reason, you should also keep track of which jobs you’ve applied for and when you applied. It’s usually best to wait one week before you follow up.

Upskilling at home

With people keeping their distance from each other and companies struggling to make ends meet, job hunting and networking might not be so feasible right now. But one thing you can do while you wait for things to get better is to upskill. There are plenty of ways you can learn new skills without having to leave your flat. Check out online learning sites such as Coursera and Skillshare for lessons on everything from data analytics to graphic design. Then you’ll be as ready as ever when the job market picks back up again.

Good luck!

Featured image courtesy of Christina @ wocintechchat.com via Unsplash, image 1 courtesy of Christin Hume via Unsplash.

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