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 The exhaustion that resulted from that has now been replaced by the exhaustion of managing my situation and planning for the changes I have to make!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.