Redundancies in 2023

Being made redundant is hard. We sympathise with you. 

Unfortunately, many candidates of ours have had this experience over the past couple of months and are on the journey to find a new role. 

Our agency-side consultant, Larisa Todd has noticed more redundancies over the last 6 months and clients understand it’s a sign of the times and not a reflection of a candidate’s performance. 

She says to remember you’re not alone and many candidates have been made redundant at some stage in their career. Contracting can be a great stopgap in between roles to gain more experience and even upskill too. 

Being such a challenging time, it may prompt moments of reflection about where to go next and what to do. 

Whilst this is not the most comprehensive guide to managing a redundancy, we hope it can provide some insights into the current job market and how your network can be your next best career advisor.

With an emphasis on career coaching and mentorship, our team of trusted consultants bring a wealth of industry and recruitment experience. 

Reflect on your past role and future priorities. 

Focus on the positive aspects of your previous role. What did you like about it? What did you achieve in the time you were there and what did you learn? 

Taking time to process the redundancy will also help you to view your experience with gratitude and positivity rather than sadness or remorse.

Set Goals for Your Next Role

Take time to think about what you liked about your previous role and what you’d prioritise in your next role. Is it flexible working arrangements? Company culture? Location? Salary? Learning? Collaboration? A shorter commute?

This should align with your values and priorities in life. Do you value flexibility? Family? Trust? Collaboration? Integrity?

Prepare Your CV

It is essential to ensure your CV and LinkedIn profile are both updated accordingly. Dates and job titles should match to ensure clarity over your past experience. 

Apply and Get Interview Ready 

It’s essential to be honest in your job search about why you were made redundant. From there, being on the same page is advantageous to both you and your prospective employer. This opens the opportunity to talk about what you’d like in your next role and your job preferences. 

Want to prepare for your interview so you don’t get caught up by a strange question? Wondering what questions to ask your interviewer? Check our comprehensive guide to interview preparation. 

Stay Positive

Candidates that take these setbacks in their stride to move onto new opportunities often have a growth mindset. Staying positive and persistent is key to a successful job search.

Client-side consultant Hilary Williams says there can be lots of opportunities on the other side. Our client-side consultant Hilary Williams is seeing a lot more contract opportunities for 3 - 12 month contracts with potential to continue or become permanent. 

This provides an opportunity to try a new industry without the commitment of a permanent role. It provides a new experience and often a more immediate start than a permanent role.

A contract role just adds another notch to your belt.

For more comprehensive advice on interviews you can visit our job hunting advice hub.