Seeing as it’s been happening to loads of people recently, does it ring bells for you or do you know someone for who it does?

In the famous last words of Michael Cain, ‘hang on lads, I’ve got an idea’ – give me a shout, could be the best thing you ever did!

It was happening in my place, but not to my team. However, I managed to finesse an early retirement option out of it. 🙂

We’re in the middle of redundancies at my work – should find out tomorrow how many compulsory redundancies there will be. Oh the joys of engineering/manufacturing!

had our 90 day consultation, the first wave are in the process of going, everyone else myself included are about until the end of the year. Then the business will have relocated to Shotton and i will be redundant.

this is very sad, engineering is the only way out for this country given that banking and argos culture is finished, good luck buddy

Had the meeting of doom yesterday after a couple of months saying we’d be fine.

We find out on the 15th who goes and who doesn’t. It may not come to that, as my company are offering alternative schemes to try and save money (buy back holiday / 4 day week / sabbatical).

Fingers crossed 🙁

Yep, I find out on Wednesday who from my team’s gone. Then there’s the 90 day consultation, and voila.

I got made redundant last year. Actually in the end it was a good experience as it allowed me to change the pace of my work. I now work half days and go and work 2-3 months a year out of country which gives me enough money for the rest of the year.

At the time it wasn’t a nice experience, but there is light at the other end of the tunnel!
Summer is coming anyway!

I got made redundant in 2001. Terrible time, no work in the IT industry at all. I was suicidal for a while, sad really. We struggled for 5 months and it took us many years to recover from the debt we incurred.

I did a few short contracts which really helped, one of which even came from a wonderful guy who posts here who I am enormously grateful to. I had to sell bikes to keep the money going in, I sat in my car and cried after I’d dropped one bike off. Awful, awful time. The only conselation I got was dropping as many of the directors of my old company who I felt had stitched us all up as possible. They started using the old company name and product names almost immediately, that’s illegal so I grassed them up to the right people.

At the end I was looking at anything at all, van drivers mate for christs sake. I began to loathe the staff at the job centre who weren’t even born when I started paying into the system who would ask why shelf stacking wasn’t a job I would consider.

Then a very good friend let me know of a job going which I got and still hold today.

The only good thing that came from it was I rode my bike every single day and became very fit. Came 18th in the solo cat at MM on a singlespeed which I am very proud of.

Being unemployed was the shittiest thing that has ever happened to me.

nickname – you don’t happen to work for carillion’s consultancy arm do you?

I am going through it at the moment, meeting last week, find out next week if it is me. Most likely as i am the cheapest to get rid of 🙁

My industry is stuffed too, accountancy, as every company is ‘rationalising’ their accountancy departments, round here. So 3 years at uni and 5 years studying and passing exams whilst working, and have a couple more to do (some a week after D-Day) and i will have no job 🙂 and a profession that isn’t employing. Oh well it could be worse!!

I was made redundant just before christmas- Not the nicest thing to happen but have taken it as a positive thing – So took an intensive adult learning course in site carpentry and passed today!! So now i’m a qualified carpenter and in the mean time found one of the best jobs ever back in the industry i was made redundant in…

Rather than chasing my arse all over the country (45,000miles a year) never riding my bike i’m working monday to friday and riding my bike more and more!

Redundancy is awful for a lot of people and I can sympathise but for me it has been a positive experience….

It’s a different economic climate now, but I got made redundant from a good career in 1999 – took the advice of the outplacement expert that we used to try and use my management skills in the fitness industry, company I worked for ignored my warnings and went belly up a year later.

Ended up relocating to minimise mortgage costs, doing call centre work to help see us through. In the end it worked out – I was able to finally get a degree done, able to afford to start a family, have a job that lets me work a nine day fortnight so I get one day a fortnight being daddy daycare with the kids while they are young. Yes, money is tight, yes my current job is not exactly secure, but my work life balance is better than it ever was, and I’m happy.

Hope this helps show that things may turn out OK with time, even if it doesn’t seem like it at the time.

I got made redundant about 4 years ago, I had only been in the job about 6 months so I was obviously employed while they knew they were in trouble so I had good reason to be angry, but I wasn’t.

At the time I had no debts and no dependants and for that reason I enjoyed it. I swallowed some pride and spoke to a few previous employers and got some offers of stop gap jobs from them to keep my head above water while I looked for something more permanent. I took my time and ended up with something better.

Usually what job you are doing kind of defines who you are, and I loved the freedom I felt from not being tied to anything, just taking a bit of time out of the rat race and considering my options.

I was made redundant on the 24th April , i found a new job almost immediately and I’m due to start on the 18th may.

I was already looking around as i could see it coming and also has a good relationship with my manager so knew where the business was going.

I didn’t walk away with massive redundancy ( been there 3 years ) but I have treated the past few weeks as a holiday and I’m greatful for what i got out of it.

all i can say is, remain positive even when its tough and make sure you have a contingency plan , sell the car buy a cheaper one.
sell the bikes etc etc.
you can buy all this cr@p back when things get better, its only stuff at the end of the day.

PS this is the 5th time ive been made redundant in 12 years……….thats working in IT and telecomms for you LOL 🙂

^^^^on and on – the Uncle Albert of the employment world!!!!

Got made redundant last month. Had 3 interviews and waiting on 3 more. It’s tough because so many people are chasing so few jobs. Companies don’t reply and need constant chasing. Agencies are overwhelmed and you’re just another client to them. The best way I’ve found so far is to select a possible company, get their email format, find the highest contact you can and email them directly with your CV and covering letter. Mark the email FAO the contact’s name in the subject line and make sure that you tailor your CV to suit every time. Try a few ‘left field’ opportunities too – you never know – good luck!

I was made Redundant in Feb. Not a great deal of prospects due to my industry (construction) being in decline, also some long term health problems.
The best advice I can offer to anyone in a similar situation is not to give up, just see it as a challenge or a fresh start.
On a positive note I have just come in from a 3 hr bike ride 😀