Redundancy Diary - Week 4

I signed off last week saying that I had to decide whether to put my energies into applying for jobs or looking at the self-employment options. I decided I couldn’t do both things at the same time, so devoted myself this week to applying for jobs and will look at self-employment options next week.

I realized this week just how different applying for jobs in 2009 is vs 1994, when I was last actively looking for a new job. This is, like everything, mainly due to the internet. On the one hand, the internet makes a far larger range of jobs and opportunities available to you, but on the other hand, the volume of applicants for each job is so high and the opportunities to tailor your application often so limited, that it seems harder than ever to get an interview.

The main issues I have faced when applying for jobs on-line are:
· The details of the job are often limited and it is hard to speak to anyone at the agency to get more details
· There is often no opportunity to send in a cover letter, only your CV, which means it is very difficult to highlight your relevant experience and match it directly to the key points in the job description
· It is often hard to find out how long the job has been advertised already and when the deadline date is. The danger here is that you could spend a long time making a job application only to find out that the agency have already interviewed and appointed for the post.

To overcome these issues, I have started phoning to get more details from the recruiter before applying, to save my and their time. If there is a job that is a really good match, I won’t apply on-line, but do it by email directly to the executive responsible for filling that post.

I have also had an appointment with a local recruitment agency and talked through my CV with them. They can now do a lot of the ‘screening’ for me and only recommend jobs that they know are well suited to my skills and experience.

Many people have told me that, in the current economic climate, businesses and recruiters are not prepared to take risks and are looking for ‘safe’ candidates. This is great news for people that have a long employment history in the same industry as the job they are applying for, but not so great for people like me who have moved around more between industries and business types.

This week I have applied for 5 jobs. I have been rejected for 2, and have 3 outstanding applications. My lowest point this week was getting what I believe to be an award for Fastest Rejection after applying for a job on-line at 5.30pm in the evening and getting a rejection email at 9.10am the following morning! I had to take a deep breath, have a laugh, and do my best not to take it personally. I will find out why I was rejected from the jobs I applied for and make sure I don’t make the same mistakes twice.

And I have finally had the all important 1st interview! The opportunity came up through someone I worked with a while ago, who is looking to take on a new sales manager. I don’t know the outcome yet but it was great to get in front of someone and have the chance to talk about my skills and experience. My self-confidence got a badly needed boost. I did feel nervous and although I had spent hours preparing for it, as I was walking into the interview room I wished I had done more. I’m trying not to spend the whole time thinking about that job and being distracted from applying for other ones, but it’s great to think that I could be in with a chance of being employed again!

Next week I’ll be applying for more jobs but also taking the time to explore the self-employment options and try to decide which option is likely to give me the best career potential: job satisfaction and money.

I’ll also be planning the Change event I mentioned last week – we will be inviting anyone who is facing a change in their job situation and providing free support and advice from experts and local services. Full details will be in next week’s column.

Next week: Exploring going it alone and being self-employed – is it an option?

Redundancy Diary - Week 3

Fired up, but in danger of becoming a busy fool!

Having spent the last few weeks since I was made redundant on a rollercoaster of emotional states, all of which sapped my energy, I can now feel my energy levels returning. It’s amazing to wake up feeling ready for the day and able to face whatever happens in my job searching.

I have been overwhelmed by the support of local people who have written to me after reading my columns. It helps so much to speak or write to people who have been through similar experiences and come out the other side and I am very grateful for all your emails. Paul, who was made redundant a few months ago, shared his experiences with me and helped me to see that how I was feeling was ‘normal’ and told me how he regained his positivity and self-esteem. A local media consultant has also shared his personal experiences with me, giving me some great advice and reassurance. He has also shared some programmes and tools with me that could help me in my line of work, for which I am extremely grateful.

What is interesting is that all the people I have spoken to and written to have found new employment from their networks and personal contacts rather than applying for a job from an advertisement. A recruitment consultant shared with me that she estimates around 70% new job starters found their posts through informal (i.e. networking sites such as LinkedIn, personal contacts, and personal referrals) rather than formal routes. It really does seem to be as much who you know as what you know. The people you have worked with in the past often hold the key to new opportunities, as they know you and have first-hand experience of your skills.

So, with that in mind, I have been doing two things this week – getting as much as I can out of my personal network and applying for jobs. I have expanded my profile and links on the LinkedIn site (http://www.linkedin.com/) and managed to get in touch with people I worked with in the past. This has led to one informal interview and one emailed job application form, which is great! I have had advice from a recruitment consultancy on how to write a winning cover letter to go with my CV and will keep my fingers crossed for some interviews as a result.

My visit to the Job Centre to sign on was a mixed experience. I have to admit to having a nauseous feeling in the pit of my stomach while I was there as it really brought the reality of my situation home to me. I felt as if I had done something wrong and was incredibly disturbed by the mention to me of what would happen to my benefits when I had been out of work for more than 6 months. I felt so indignant that I would be in that situation, that I went out feeling even more determined to find a job quickly! The best part of the experience was picking up a copy of ‘Inspire’, the magazine produced by Job Centre Plus, and the articles I read in it relating to young women setting up and running their own businesses. It inspired me to expand on some of the ideas I have had to do that, and I have started to plan what my business could look like.

And that’s where the ‘busy’ fool part comes in – I do feel that I am in danger of trying to pursue too many things, but I don’t think I can afford to say ‘no’ to any opportunity at the moment. With that attitude in mind, I met up with Helen Cooney of Fuel HR Services this morning. She gave me some great advice and an exercise on how to move forward, and some invaluable feedback on my business ideas. By talking together we realized how many people we know who are going through periods of change at the moment, whether through redundancy or trying to return to work after a career break. We are making plans for an informal event at the end of February for local people who are going through change to get some advice from Helen and others, so watch this space!


One thing I realized this week is that I had virtually stopped doing all the hobbies and social activities that give me pleasure, either because I couldn’t afford them or because I felt I had to spend my free time searching for jobs. This week I started going out for short runs to get some exercise and I have made an effort to catch up with friends. It has made a huge difference and I get far more done when I am working on finding a job because I feel better about myself and my prospects.

The key thing I need to do now is get that all important first interview!

Next week: Increasing the volume of job opportunities and trying to decide which career path to go down.

Redundancy Diary - Week 2

Last week I was still reeling from the news of my redundancy and dealing with the shock, panic and depression. The exhaustion that resulted from that has now been replaced by the exhaustion of managing my situation and planning for the changes I have to make!

I reached a point where I realized that nothing was going to get better unless I changed my attitude and stopped feeling sorry for myself. I felt ashamed that I had become so self-centred and negative. I sat down and thought about all the things I have, and not the things I don’t have. I have my health, two wonderful children, a comfortable home, friends at the end of the phone, and family around me. I have started reading a lot more, and looking for articles on the internet, and wrote 3 key things down on a post-it:

1. Stop feeling and behaving like a victim - there are people far worse off than me
2. Believe in me – the redundancy was not a judgement on me, but I was in the wrong place at the wrong time
3. This is an opportunity, not a threat – I can enjoy doing things I couldn’t do before, like take my children to school every day, have more time in the afternoons with them, catch up with friends, and plan for a new and different job

I’m not sure I really believed them when I wrote them down, but I have stuck the post-it on my kitchen cupboards and by seeing it all the time, I can’t help but follow my own advice!

My work colleagues, friends and family have all helped me to get out of the downward spiral and have been great. They helped me to see that I was still the same person, I wasn’t a failure, and that there were things out there for me. One of the best suggestions I have received is to ask anyone who has worked with me to write down a short list of the things I am good at and how I have helped them at work. I’m hoping this will help me prepare for interviews and also provide me with a bank of recommendations; and, in the meantime, it makes me feel better about myself and my prospects.

I do still get moments of panic, but they don’t last as long, and they tend to give me a boost to get up and do something proactive, even if it’s just hoovering!

I’ve tried to tackle 3 things this week – getting a phone and internet access set up at home, planning my finances and budgets, and starting the job search.

I’m not going to comment about the phone / internet access experience as we all know how frustrating and how long it takes to get these things set up, but I persevered! I listed all my normal monthly spend, then did a ‘breadline budget’ spend column (with all the luxuries and non-essentials taken out) and have worked out that I can survive on that breadline budget for around 3 months before I need to be earning. I filled in an on-line claim form for the Jobseekers’ Allowance, which I found less daunting than going into the job centre and received a really helpful call from Job Centre Plus explaining the benefits system and what was available for me.

I’m concentrating on doing what I can to save money, including recycling wrapping paper, not buying any pre-prepared meals, and walking or using the bike instead of the car for short local journeys.

I am now ready to start the job hunt, armed with a more positive attitude and a set of personal recommendations and references. I have updated my CV, registered on a jobs website, and have an appointment to see a recruitment agency. I know I won’t get a job straight away, but I have to believe I’ve got as good a chance as anyone of getting an interview soon.

Next week: Diving into the jobs market, trying to get interviews, using networks to get a job.