Redundancy could allow you to achieve the work life balance you had longed for or even change career direction completely. Remember redundancy isn’t personal, but how you respond to it is.

This article includes links to podcasts on how to prepare for, manage and come through the other side of redundancy. You can find out about support that may be available to you, advice on finance, wellbeing and career planning. Listen to those who have experienced and successfully reframed their redundancy journey, plus from recruiters on how to present yourself positively in future applications.

To start with, it’s perfectly natural to experience a range of emotions if you have been made redundant and it's vital that you acknowledge and process these. Explore the impact of job loss and how to manage mental health and wellbeing, with further support from the MIND website. Worries around finances also often impact on our mental health, in many ways it's a vicious circle. If you feel this is impacting on you, it's worth listening to the first reframing redundancy podcast and explore managing your finances on a reduced income with links to organisations who can provide advice on what financial help you might be entitled to.

Structuring and planning your next steps through your own personal career planning journey is a great way to chart progress and celebrate how far you have come. 

You may find similar emotions to your own expressed by the speakers in the second reframing redundancy podcast. You can learn more about how they successfully reframed their redundancy journey, as they reflect on and share their experiences. How do recruiters view redundancy? Some of their answers may surprise you. In this same podcast, a sample of employers tell us what they think and give advice on how to present yourself positively in future applications.

Redundancy can provide space and time to review your career options. You may find completing career self assessment activities a useful way to help identify your skills, strengths and weaknesses. Knowing your skills can help broaden your job prospects, perhaps moving on to explore gaps in your knowledge or experience and consider how gaining new skills can improve your employability.

Structuring and planning your next steps through your own personal career planning journey is a great way to chart progress and celebrate how far you have come. When you’re ready to actively start searching for your next role and look at job applications you may welcome support on CV building too.

Perhaps you have a disability and want up to date information on your rights when applying for jobs? 

Recruiters have told us they prefer not to see gaps in CVs, so if you have time and want to keep busy or develop new skills, you could consider studying while looking for work. Studying Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and Badged Online Courses (BOCs), are a great way to maintain your continuing professional development. Free online seminars such as TED Talks are also an excellent way to increase your knowledge and awareness of current issues.

Finally, do remember, it’s your job that has been made redundant, not you! You can reframe your redundancy experience and move forward on your career journey. Redundancy - your next steps offers you support from the point you may be threatened with job loss through to when you secure your next role.

Some resources mentioned in the aforementioned podcasts are available to OU students only. This content is designed for those in the UK and Ireland.