Long story short the consensus at work is that there will be redunancies before Christmas. I believe I’m likley to be one of those made redundant.

I have been looking for something else for a while. I really don’t like where I work so getting out of that atmosphere I see as a positive.

However, I know the reality of being unemployed may be very difficult. Has anyone gone through a redundnacy? How did you plan for it / deal with the unemployment?

Sorry to hear that,

I’ve never been made redundant but I have been in a job that I couldn’t stand and definitely looked at the opportunity for change as a massive positive.

What do you do, what would you like to be doing and are you prepared to relocate for another job?

I’ve been made redundant once, not been there long enough for any redundancy pay. I managed to get some short term work contracting for a subsidiary company then attended 4 interviews in 2 weeks. Didn’t get 2 jobs, was offered the third but rejected it because I had a bad feeling about the company. Dream job came up 4th, though I did have to move for it.

Just spend as much time as possible researching a job now. Are you likely to get a good payout? If not, might as well start applying now. Also, have a look at your budget and make sure you’re living as frugally as possible. I was lucky enough to be in the position to turn down a job because it didn’t feel right. Subsequent events mark that as one of the best decisions of my life.

Good luck! It’s entirely possible that you’ll end up with a pile of cash for a new bike and a better job 🙂

Don’t overlook the psychological aspect of being made redundant (if it happens). I got made redundant at a day’s notice just under two years ago when the company I’d been at for nearly 12 years went under, and dealing with the mental aspect was really hard.

If it does happen and you don’t have anything to go to, treat looking for a new job as a job in itself – work regular hours, be accountable for your time to someone, keep written records of everything you’re doing, etc. Contact every agency with even the slightest link to your field of interest. Follow up every emailed CV/profile to agencies with a phone call a couple of hours later to chat to them about it – I found this really helps them to see you as a person rather than just a paper/online application.

Follow up every lead, chase everything, look in local papers, Gumtree, all the job websites, etc. Tailor your CV and covering letters for the positions applied for. I found my current job after my OH told me to cycle to all the industrial estates within easy cycling distance, write down the names of any companies that sounded interesting and look on their website or phone them to see if they had any vacancies!

In the age of emails an anonymous contact, telephone calls or even face-to-face meetings will make you stand out and memorable.

Be prepared to accept something that isn’t perfect if you need to keep your head above water (as I did) – you don’t necessarily need to stay there long-term. I went through three jobs in the space of a year after my redundancy before finding something I was happy to stick with.

Good luck, keep your chin up, and if it happens, see it as an opportunity not an obstacle. 🙂

Yeah, I got made redundant some time ago. One of the hardest periods of my life. The company I was working for owed me many thousands in back pay and expenses, never saw any of it. Just the statutory redundancy payments.

So what did I do? Panicked a bit. I was working out on a customer site at the time, and told them what was happening immediately. They offered me a short term contract which got me through the worry time (only a few weeks though). I immediately contacted my bank and asked for a mortgage holiday (3 months) which helped a lot. And I signed on. No work out there at all. I applied for about ten jobs a week, I was told each one had hundreds of applicants.

The job centre was horrible. Nasty, judgemental school leavers looking down their noses at me asking why this shelf stacking job wasn’t good enough. Some friends helped and found me short term work but it was hard work. We struggled for about 6 months. I sold bikes, we ran up big debts, I started thinking that the shelf stacking job might be worthwhile. I got small, weekly contracts here and there. It was very tough. We ate ALDI bread, cheese and beans for months. Suicide became an option.

And then a shard of light. A friend had found me a possible job. I applied and got an interview (I found out later my friend had spent a long time bigging me up). I was hired on the basis that I had to excel to survive the probation period. I worked every single hour I could, revised the subject matter intensely and became the company expert on a number of subjects. I survived.

It was really hard in the middle there but eventually it came through and I ended up in a much better place. Hopefully you’ll have more luck finding work but if not, remain positive, don’t let people grind you down and focus on what things could become. It will get better.

HTH.

As an aside, that experience taught me why being long term employed is such a horrible place to be. For people who are unemployed for years with no obvious hope, the breadline is a scary place and any option feels like a good one. Crime must be an easy path to follow for those people. It’s why it’s important that society supports its less fortunate individuals. Both for their benefit and ours. It’s easy to call people shirkers and low lifes because they don’t work but their circumstances make our lives poorer too.

Samuri – sounds like you’ve been the the abyss and back! Well done on making it out the other side.

I’ll be honest, I went into it with a comfortable redundancy package and a willingness to be off work for a while, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I was out of work for about 4 months but I reckon I’d have been back a lot faster if I’d been less choosy. And getting away from the old work was a huge win- I’d have quit sooner or later.

The job centre was a joke, and tbh if I hadn’t been seeing the funny side I’d probably have lost it tbh. Highlight:
“So, what have you been doing since we last saw you”
“Well, here’s all the job-seeking stuff I’ve done. Also I’ve been doing some volunteer work”
“Oh, that means you weren’t available for paid work! Well on this occasion we won’t take any action but in future it’ll affect your benefits”
“…”
So yeah, get penalised for not being a lazy sod. Also trying to push you into any vaguely relevant looking job… It’s no wonder school leavers can’t find work considering what they thought I should be applying for.

Yep, I hated my job that I’d been doing for 12 years and got made redundant, best thing that ever happened 🙂

Enjoy

Been there (3 times) the latest was 2 1/2 years ago it was VERY HARD. First things first stay and take whatever money/payment you have got coming to you may as well get as much out of the bastards as possible.

1) Day one go and register with the job centre even if you fooking loaded you need your NI paying so go and register even if you qualify for **** all. Be aware job centres are shit do not go down there with you gucci suit and tie on just jeans trainers T-shirt anything else you look a muppet in a building full of of Star Wars Bar rejects.

2) Day one start looking for work don’t think Oh I’ll have a week or two off then start looking!Major error of judgement! Start looking hammer the internet job site rewrite your CV and get it out there agencies etc whatever line of work you in get going.

3) Your day time job is now looking for work you get up at normal time have breakfast them communte to your office/bedroom/ wherever your PC is. DO NOT turn on day time TV your at work get looking.

4) Repeat 3

5) 2 weeks is gone by your off to job centre again take all the paper work of what you have been appliing for and your filled in diary thing etc…

6) Repeat 3 and 4 until you get a job.

7) Your weekends is your weekends do not job hunt at weekends you brain needs to rest just like any other full time job. TREAT JOB HUNTING LIKE GOING TO WORK.

8)Don’t expect the first job you get to be the one you will stay at you will no doubt take a lower paid job then try and quickly get back up to the wage range you want.

Here’s my example.
Layed off from full time job earning a basic of £24k (OT could take it to 36K though!). After 3 months on the dole took a £12k job! Then 5 months later took a £14K job (different employer) then 3 months later took a £16K job (different employer) then 6 months later applied for a internal job at same employer for £18K and now 2 years later I’m still in same role but hit targets and on more money. 😀

Still not on what I was on but I’m in a totally new industry for me but I’ve learned new skills in a new role and now qualified in the field I work in do to current employer paying for training for me 🙂

Oooh, just thought of something else. This is good though.

There’s only so much time you can fill looking for work so I rode my bike the rest of the time. I got so fit I entered a mountain mayhem as a single speed solo rider and came 18th in the solo riders and 3rd singlespeeder. 😉

Been there, whatever you do DONT TRUST YOUR WORKMATES,never tell them youre looking to leave, are unhappy, or have another job lined up etc,as they tell tales and will stab you in the back to keep their job, and never accept the union will fight your cause, if theres no money for your job, and others can be manipulated to work longer for less thats how it goes.

Hunt around for a new job, cancel every non essiental subscription and direct debit, save money,and save more money, when the big day happens,walk away and forget your workmates as they soon forget you, oh and if its not bolted down or security marked and will be usefuil just see it as a goodbye leaving present.

Thanks for all the above. It’s really the psychological aspect I’m worried about.

I’m a solicitor and have worked silly hours at a hectic pace for 15 years. It’s the sudden stop in activity and interaction with people I’m worried about.

I live quite rurally but do have a few pub mates here. I don’t want to get into a depression or long term unemployed mindset. I have enough savings to tide me over without a job for about 6 months and I can itellecualise that I will go to the gym and ride my bike lots but I know the worry of not having a job, the money running out, the effect on the wife and kids could overwhelm me.

I suppose I was really asking about coping strategies and there have been some excellent replies.

First things first stay and take whatever money/payment you have got coming to you may as well get as much out of the bastards as possible.

That is not necessarily the best advice. If you think the writing is on the wall sometimes its better to get out whilst you can:

[list][*]if the company is really doing badly you will be talking statutory redundancy only. Someone with 10 yrs service might be luck to get £4300. If they end up on the dole for 3 months they might be no better off than having started a new job straight away.[/*]
[*]if there are serveral people in your company with similar skills / experience all coming on the market at once – you might be better getting on the market early so you are not competing with your former colleagues.[/*]
[*]most people agree it is generally easier to find a job when in a job, but if it might take 6-12 months to find a job at an ‘ok’ salary then better to start sooner rather than later anyway.[/*]
[*]negotiating a salary with a new employer is going to be easier if you are in a job with real money than on the dole.[/*]
[*]whilst there is no real stigma to being made redundant in the 21st century; employers are always left wondering – does it mean he was not as good as the people who were not made redundant.[/*][/list]

Been there, whatever you do DONT TRUST YOUR WORKMATES,never tell them youre looking to leave, are unhappy, or have another job lined up etc,as they tell tales and will stab you in the back to keep their job, and never accept the union will fight your cause, if theres no money for your job, and others can be manipulated to work longer for less thats how it goes.

This, 100%.

Also, don’t tell your HR people or employer where you’re looking for work. I was made redundant a few years ago and made the fatal mistake of mentioning to the HR person where I was applying for. She went on and told all the other staff, the other company suddenly had the pick of potential employees and one of th eother guys had a mate of a mate who worked for them and got him the job. Trust absolutely no-one!

On a brighter note, getting made redundant gave me the kick in the backside I needed to move jobs, I moved to a different company and ended up retraining in a completely different field. The job I’m doing now I love and would never have ended up doing otherwise.
Redundancy isn’t always such a bad thing 😀

Start looking for a job now. Typically it takes at least 3 months to find a job.

Take the advice about going down to the dole office and signing on, and yes, it is shite. The problem is that you can’t back claim dole and you can’t guarantee you won’t need that cash in the future. I particularly remember one bloke with greasy hair and stains on his suit and tie – and he was behind the counter! It seemingly doesn’t matter if you’ve got a history of employment and turn up looking smart – they seem to assume that you’re just one of the tracksuit and special brew crew in disguise.

To be honest, I’d probably also start altering spending habits now – you get through cash at an amazing rate once there’s nothing coming in, so you need as big a cushion as possible.

Do not take it personally, do not be bitter, whatever your feelings, move on and get on with your life. I have seen to many people spend to much time whinging about the past rather than getting on with the future.

My experience, i am now on what i was on two years ago, which allowing for inflation means i am worse off, but i have a job, and it was hard in the middle, took a job on the basis of a promised pay rise that never happened and basically was costing me money to get to work…. Don’t trust anyone.

What i will say, after i was made redundant i was without work for 2weeks, and yes i was temping for most of the two years, but i worked the whole time. If you are willing to work there are jobs the money might not be great but compared the dole it is a lot more.

As for stay, or leave your current role, If you can find a job jump, but don’t jump for any job, just yet, try and find something that gives you something.

And assume the job centre will be a waste of time and you won’t go far wrong.

Does make me wonder what the point of the job centre is? If you want a good job, agencies, if you want a factory job agencies, etc. So what is the point????

sorry to hear that, been there 4 times myself, and IME it requires some change and effort.

See points above about absolute discretion and only believe what is in (legally bound)writing and is signed…..

For me:
– stopped all ‘unecessary spending’ immediately – takeaways, excess beer etc etc, buying stuff, shopped from supermarket bargain bins, my cooking skills improved no end…. (*cooking burns up time as well) – years on I still don’t do takeaways much

– socially, I tried to find free/local stuff, during the day I used the library a lot, free papers, reference materials (*maps in my case and stuff on rights of way/definitive map), free internet access, there were (one time) free computer courses for unemployed, went there every morning and then bargain bin for lunch. I still went out with mates but explained my situation and did my own round and didn’t do the meals etc and not every time. Have a look at ‘local’ stuff (papers/library/notice boards/internet) as I was single at the time and 24 hours a day (IMHO) in the house is incredibly depressing/destructive. There will be things like ramblers etc doing free walks, talks etc etc – yes it may sound like shoooite to you but I’d suggest it’s less shoooite than being housebound on your own 24/7.

– jobwise, cv ban up to date, happy to doctor it for a specific job, internet check every day, emails/calls where appropriate, can you use friend/contacts/Linked-in etc to try to get work

– mistakes I think I made/things I maybe should have done:
– took me a while to get over sitting next to the phone moping/waiting for it to ring…. **tawtt…… and should have ridden/ etc more but I was fairly ‘negative’ mentally – so try to stay positive and motivated.
– maybe should have looked at short term temping jobs (some money and contact etc)
– maybe should have looked at volunteering (as my biggest pain was boredom – ie no mates during day, desire to not spend much when mates available ..)

Overall it was good for me as it made me go self employed where I did fine.

Start up on your own 💡
Volunteering 💡 CAB could surely use someone who knows a bit about the “law”

Daughters partner completed his law degree recently but was unable to secure a placement to carry on. He already had a part time job which had promises made about going full time once he had finished at uni. The job was(has)going to pay £6-7k per year more than being a junior law person ❗ He stayed on and has now been fast track promoted 😆

Shooterman. I also a solicitor in a rural practice and can imagine the worry, its an odd profession full of w#####s who are likly to look down their nose at someone who has found themselves in the situation you find yourself in. You could try locum work and that can really suit some people – I know plenty who have done this. Not sure what your area of work is or where your based?

I’ve been in and out of work all my life, just back on the dole again as it happens, joiner by trade– building industry is virtually shut– the job centre is a chore you have to deal with for claiming benefits, it can be frustrating but if you see the staff as just cogs in the system it helps not to get to bitter—

One door may be shutting but there are plenty more, thats the thing about life,we can’t see round corners, so try and be optimistic and do not take it personally– this is key to not getting depressed– you are a victim of a capitalist economic system, nothing personal, just part of life.

I expect your income will drop, but it is livable and can be liberating– bad jobs are bad for your health, a period when you can reflect, indulge your wife and kids can be a release.

If you have a mortgage, they will pay the interest after a period of time, you will get jsa for you and your wife and child tax credit depending on their ages(under 16)– no poll tax, free school meals, dental and eye care and depending on where you live there may be some other benefits from the local council(not tory)

Remember there is no shame in being unemployed, you have payed into the system, time to get a bit back,i actually enjoy my periods of down time, able to go cycling more etc

I’m working for a career management company which approaches things differently.. and also differently than an agency or recruiters….

We are getting a lot of success helping people through the unadvertised market

pm me if I can help.

Rick

Has anyone gone through a redundnacy? How did you plan for it / deal with the unemployment?

Yep.

Took voluntary some years ago. Wasn’t happy where I was, and was glad of the pay off. Sounds mercenary, but that’s the best way of looking at it.

The unemployment? Well, I got a job instead. A “play” job. Something that paid me a few pennies, allowed me to have a lot of fun, but more importantly, allowed me the flexibility and time to ensure that my next more was the “right” one, rather than just having to jump in to a job. My employer for that play job knew that they were getting a lot of experience and ability for bugger all money, and they knew and accepted that I was never going to stay. I gave them my all working for them, and in return they gave me all the time I needed to go to interviews etc. Maybe I just got lucky, but I owe them a lot. Good people, great company. (Oh, and I still get a little cheeky staff discount. Which, given the industry involved, is really rather lovely!)

Turns out redundancy was the best career move I could have made.

Fingers crossed that yours turns out as well for you! Remember…change equals opportunity. Grasp it!

Thread bookmarked.

TBH, I’m feeling pretty burned out at the moment. I drive 100 miles per day, work long hours and I find the people I work with emotionally exhausting. I wouldn’t mind a while to get back on an even keel.

I think as long as I’m not on the breadline I can survive. I may take a day or two off work soon and go around all the local recruitment agencies and give them a push.

TBH, I’m feeling pretty burned out at the moment. I drive 100 miles per day, work long hours and I find the people I work with emotionally exhausting. I wouldn’t mind a while to get back on an even keel.

Sounds a little like the position I was in. I was fed up, and getting out was a good thing. Getting out with a few bob in my back pocket was the icing on that cake. Having the time to spend to really focus on what I wanted next was ideal.

Redundancy could well be the even keel you need, as well as the time to relax until you find a fair wind to fairer shores.

Good luck!

Try and save as much as you can over. Next few months and look at whet you can cut back.

Dont be too proud to take a filler job, even stacking shelves has its rewards. If you could live for a year with your redundancy, cutback and some lower paid work then you should have ample time to get back in the race. Thi k of the savings of not travelling 100 miles a day.

Thanks to all those who posted here and mailed me.

To be frank, I would love to get out with a few bob as CFH says. Having the time to look for the right job would be heavenly!

An addendum to reinforce some of the comments above about watching your colleagues when redundancy is in the air.

Earlier this year I sat an exam to enable me to gain entry to a panel of specialists operated by my professional body. This involved a written and viva voce exam. I found out today that I passed.

However, my professional body sent the written confirmation out in the first week of August to my work address. I was in Paris on holiday that week. I never received the letter. Today when I queried if anyone had seen the letter I was told that the letter had been left on my desk when I was on holiday. It wasn’t.

Obviously this membership enhances my chances of surviving redundancy as I am entitled to charge higher fees due to my “expertise”.

So, the posts above about watching your back are dead right!

Take out some redundancy insurance for your mortgage & bills as soon as you can for as much as you can afford with the shortest possible deferrment period. As you long as you haven’t currently been notified that you WILL be made redundant then they will accept you on the policy. Until your line or HR manager actually tells you it’s happening it’s conjecture.

TBH, I’m feeling pretty burned out at the moment. I drive 100 miles per day, work long hours and I find the people I work with emotionally exhausting. I wouldn’t mind a while to get back on an even keel.

Join the darkside. Go inhouse.

Private practice – M&A for a mahoosive firm – nearly did for me. Inhouse has made me much more rounded in my approach, and also a whole lot less stressed* than I used to be.

*Like working until 1am this morning isn’t…. 😉

Oh yes, before anything else happens, tap up a mate somewhere else who works in employment. They’ve usually got some useful tips on how to maximise your exit payment….

Have been made redundant once (in last 7 years). And been in work where company went into liquidation (a long time previously).

One of colleagues in recent experience did the insurance protection thing – HR were unable to confirm potential redundancies so he got his protection.

I was lucky in that I’d been there too long – needed a boot out really – but the benefits made me stick around. I was on the point of leaving anyway when something didn’t seem right so I hung around, was able to fund a few months off to de-stress and be around the family more, then be around when my dad fell ill – so all positives.

On the back of that, moved area, moved jobs to be closer to my folks – all things would have have been difficult if I’d stuck around. The dole office was pretty bad but for professional job seekers (as it were) they funded a suit for me – rather natty – and would have helped with other stuff.

Just play a straight bat as regards current employer – I politely declined offers of relocation, said I was upset at being selected for redundancy, but appreciated there was no alternative. Just keep tongue to yourself really; don’t burn bridges.

My company also paid for retraining if necessary up to a certain level. However they also had a maximum years of service clause which caught me out 🙁

I got made redundant on 24hrs notice once and once over the initial shock loved it. It took me 6 months to find another suitable job. I had insured my mortgage so they paid me 125% of the monthly mortgage payments so with the extra from that and my job seekers allowance I could get by. It helped that it was in the summer but I enjoyed the time to do things that I hadnt had the time for. I spent half the week looking for work and half the week enjoying the time. I rode in alsorts of places, kayaked alot, got alsorts of things done that I had wanted to. It wasnt so much fun in the winter and was glad when I got another job as I knew my position wasnt sustainable.

Threads like these are really interesting and I wish the OP all the best.

Interestingly not one person on here has mentioned linkedIn, but I have, even with a 2 year out of date profile and very little detail on it had a couple of emails about work recently. So it may well be worth a shot.

I’m about to change jobs internally but I think there is a risk of redundancy in the next couple of years for many people at the company after we were bought out last year, I could well be included in that. I already have about 4 months mortgage payments in the bank just in case, but I think having that and then some is probably a good idea. I could of course just be being paranoid, but having savings does no harm!

My wife has been unlucky twice in the last 10 years or so, but her last job, she had an offer made to her on the day she left the other job, managed to have a month off and to have a much nicer working environment in the next role. So like many people above have said, don’t take it personally and good luck with the change.

Regarding redundancy insurance, watch out it you go contacting.
I was made redundant, had the redundancy insurance and 3 months garden leave.

I checked the policy and the first payment would be made 30 days after being made redundant. As I was on garden leave, there was no hurry to sort it out, especially as I got a 3 month contract 2 weeks into the garden leave. The contract extended to 9 months and contract followed contract until 18 months later I had I break.

When I contacted the ins company to claim, I was told that as I hadn’t informed them I was now contracting, I couldn’t claim as the policy was based on redundancy from a permanent job and not the conclusion of a fxed term contract.

3 times for me

In my case (*as a single person):
– stopped all uneccessary spending (takeaways etc etc)
– use bargain bins for shopping etc bulk buys
– did free computer courses at library
– used library to read papers/mags, social contact get out of house
– went round to mates for cups of tea etc (your real mates don’t need to meet for dinner etc)
– forced (*well tried to) myself to go out (walking, biking), and mainly not lie on couch moping and watch daytime sht#
– register with job seekers lot to make sure NI paid + 55?? quid a week (different if you rent I guess, so worth understanding/research)

– cv up to date
– daily job search (internet/papers etc) and DO NOT GIVE UP
– be ready to tailor cv for any desired jobs
– consider temping (post etc at Xmas)
– consider being self employed
– ring round old contact/mates etc

– read local papers – free/daytime social events
– ditto notice boards, library, etc
– ramblers ….. etc
– I did a lot more cooking – cheaper and time consuming

After the 3rd time I ended up going self employed, had to work abroad etc in lean periods but actually ended up better off after the initial stress wore off.

As a single I found the isolation most depressing(as I did stop a lot of social spending) and nobody to speak to during day hence my push towards doing stuff and getting out.

Good luck.

Made redundant on one days notice about 4 years ago. Hadn’t been there long enough to get any sort of pay off, I was literally escorted off the site. They nicked as much money back off me as they could – pro-rata’d holiday, the works, I got the square root of f***-all. Just before Christmas.

Fortunately, I had some mates who really helped out (a few of them on here will know who they are) and I got some freelance photography work paying cash in hand. My Mum in particular helped me out massively on a financial front and I was actually in the first stages of being declared bankrupt. It was a really low point.

Moved in with my g/f which helped save a bit on food etc, the rent on my house was being paid by the council and I signed on for what paltry benefits I was entitled to. On the plus side, if you need any eye tests, dentistry etc doing, get it done while you’re redundant, it’s all paid for! Courses at local adult education centres are also almost all paid for; I did one in PhotoShop (which was actually a bit crap but hey, it got me out the house).

Treat job searching as a job in itself. It helps pass the day and gives structure to the time. I used to “commute to work” by going for a ride at 7.30 for an hour, get back home, shower, change and be “at work” at 9am hunting for jobs, applying, revising my CV etc. I’d usually finish about 3 and go for another ride. 🙂 As Samuri says, you can get quite fit doing that.

So long as you can find something to do, it’s OK. If I hadn’t had mates/gf/parents to support me through it, I’d have been bankrupt in seconds. Use the time off to learn something new, go somewhere (if finances allow), do more biking, volunteer. Anything to keep yourself occupied.

Good luck with it.

Been made redundant 7, yes SEVEN, times. 3 were ‘agreed’, and 4 were no notice whatsoever, including once when I was working abroad on secondment (full family move).

After the first couple you kinda get use to it and focus on the things that matter.

1 Get as much money as possible out of the company
2 Go to 1

And as if by magic…

A government job I went throught he seletion process for over a year ago has produced an offer! Quite a significant pay drop, longer commute to start with but a decent salary and 1/3 final salary pension as well as being rock solid as far as job security goes.

Jobs a job u have to earn a crust, i mean im a qualified tradesman that was used to earning 1k per week in tge boom, then i was working order picking in a shithole warehouse freezing cold 5am starts at min wage, but it got me and the wife through xmas and made me appriciate what i had more, now im in work mechanical engineering good money and enjoy the work, but boss is an absolute dick!!! And its allways away from my family well u cant have everything, and as another poster said a bad job can make you ill, id happily take a pay cut and do something i have a laugh doing and get on with the boss.