After 18 years in the same company, I got let go a couple of weeks back. On a positive note our mountain of credit card debt is cleared and the new bike is on order.
I got outplacement funding as part of the package but in the meantime, has anyone got any good stories about how this was the best thing to happen to them and they were able to make a dramatic career change for the better?

I went from insurance to hgv driving. Really enjoyed it but fell into a bag of sand and broke my hand.

Back in insurance now but it was fun whilst it lasted!

After 18 years in the same industry I got let go too and to be fair, it was one of the happiest days of my life. I spent the summer biking and generally thinking about what to do next – did a bit of odd jobbing and working for mates, then got a part time job on a building site. Over time it turned into a full time job and i’ve been living the dream ever since, despite the fact I earn about half to two thirds what I was on previously. Every day is different and I get heaps of time off and learn all sorts of new skills that are great for DIY jobs and general useful stuff. Umpteen opportunities to collect firewood and other materials for projects. It is fab. I spend no money on the crap I used to try and cheer myself up with, I don’t run a car other than at weekends. I’m ripped and I don’t need to shave until the weekend.

Just keep telling yourself everything will be ok and it will be.

9 to 5 is not the only way

Went from H&S site visiting in London to working in holiday company on just a tad over minimum wage. Days are now 8 and a bit hours rather than 12 plus and loads of commuting, then evening paperwork. Dog lays under the desk and we walk around the farm at lunchtime. Lots of cycling road and off-road. The start of next year sees us debt-free (18 months out of work, possibly on a black-list, will ruin your finances). Couldn’t be happier.

Everyone i know that has been through it has come out much happier and in a better position. It’s a chance to reflect and sort out priorities. A forced fresh start. One chap was fuming at the time as his standard payout was capped and he only received a tiny fraction of what should have been a big sum of money and even he found a new path and is much happier.

All have ended up self employed or working for very small companies. I think it puts you off working for the man

I lost my job after 30 years with the company when the office closed. I was really bricking it as at 59 i was too young to retire and too old to employ it seemed. Luckily I got another job in the same industry 1 month into my 6 months notice. The new company were willing to wait for me to serve the notice, as if I’d left the old company early I’d have lost the settlement that they offered. I’m now working 30 hours a week instead of 40. The money’s not so good obviously, but the mortgage was paid of a few years ago, no debt to repay so the pay off is in the rainy day fund. I’m not able to save as much each month as I used to, but onverall the result was not as painful as I’d feared.

I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, but it’s not the end of the world as first seems. Going home and telling my wife when the news broke was not a pleasant experience. She was far more upset than me, but I’ve never been a worrier. Something will turn up, and it usually does.

No dramatic career change here but a tidy payout and a new job for more money and less travelling, it’s not the end of anything just another direction, be positive and open to change and just see where it takes you

30 odd years hard graft commercial mechanicing. Then went part time window cleaning using a pure water system.
Best move ever and megga money.
Remember Stress kills Horses so take things easy. My health and wealth have improved dramatically.
The Grass is greener but you have to jump ship and make it work for you.

Then went part time window cleaning using a pure water system.

WTF is a ‘pure water system’?

Is it where you use a pump/hose/extendable brush?

no soap…

WTF is a ‘pure water system’?

I’d guess a reverse osmosis water (demineralised)

Yes, and in many ways stepped backwards, but i’m better for it. I can’t bring myself to tap it all into a keyboard right now, but went full career change, including several years earning nothing and studying.

Also through circumstance meant I was in the right place at the right time for bad family times. I’m a believer in life throwing you things. Roll with them…

It’s worth pointing out there are two ways to describe my current life situation, one would make sound pathetic, one would make it sound life affirming.

Went from welder/fabricator to bike mechanic and paid a nice lump of Mortgage and brought a new bike..

Yes. Moved to our second (now main) home in Haute Vienne, France with our dog Marmite. Spend my days gardening, logging, riding and walking. Life is good. Very good.

Thanks everyone. Not one horror story in there! Very inspirational.

At my age suicide is the preferred option.

Got nudged out at the end of July after three years, found it really scary – got confirmation on Friday that I start my new job in October. After 3 years, the money only just about covers what I would have had if I’d been working so it’s not life-changing, but it’s like having two month’s paid leave – one stressy “WTD do I do know? Apply! Apply! Apply!” month, and now one “what shall I do today?” month. New job’s in the same sector but bit more cash and site-based rather than office, which is nice. 🙂

I will always remember calling my best mate the minute they let me go, his advice was wise as ever, and he ended the conversation by saying that he’s been in the unfortunate position of having to let people go himself, and not one of them failed to end up in a better position. Good luck buddy, hope it works out for you too. 🙂

I was contemplating leave the company I’d worked for 18 years as I was pretty unhappy. Held on “for a bit longer” – redundancy (they were very sorry to see me leave).

I had a decent summer with family, my father took ill in the autumn and I was able to drop everything and help him, then move to be nearer my folks within a year. Now self employed (sort of). Do miss some routine and company sometimes but the ability to do what you want is hard to beat.

I didn’t get made redundant but I did 10 years as a mental health nurse assessing people that self harmed or tried to take their own lives. I loved it to be fair.
But also whilst doing this I was left a bit of cash by my gran and started investing in properties, houses, shop’s, factory units..’owt you could lease or rent really. That grew to a level that I didn’t need to be nursing, so sent my card back. I also have investments in a few businesses which has added some interest to things. It may sound odd but the nursing made me feel part of something bigger? but overall I have a far better lifestyle and most things I now do are by choice. So all good

I got laid off in 2012.

One years salary pay off. Ended up in a better job.

The best thing you can do is treat getting a new job as your job. It’s a cliché, but you have to “hit the ground running”. I have a family member who didn’t and 10 months later the money is gone and he’s in the shit.

Got made redundant in 2003 – could see it coming and got my act together so a I walked straight into a better paid job – paid a chunk off the mortgage – this had a big effect in the long term and means should I be made redundant again – I wont feel pressure to get a job at the same level – and could probably take some time out

Made redundant from IT Enterprise Sales a few years back. Now a self-employed maker of bespoke bedroom furniture.
Enjoying life.

The best thing you can do is treat getting a new job as your job.

Totally get that. As soon as I had walked out of the building I had planned to spend the mornings “working” – i.e. applying for jobs, searching for jobs or learning something. I would spend the afternoon active – riding my bike or running.

I’ve had 3 days of it so far and have updated my cv, met with the outplacement team, updated my linkedin (rolls eyes) and have started to teach myself c# programming. I’m quite enjoying it so far.

I am quite conscious that I do have limited time, as the debts were quite a lot, so I don’t have an endless pot of cash to get by with before I need to start dipping into them again.

Was made redundant, took three months of summer off then started contracting. Quite enjoyed that and the money but after three years got tired of being away from home much of the time. Wanted a normal routine life again so took a job back at the place that made me redundant. Now I am **** miserable 🙁

My thoughts, take the opportunity for a fresh start and never look back

I was recently on the redundancy ‘long list’ but survived the cut – tbh I was panicking a bit as although I now hate IT I can’t think of anything else I’d want to do let alone might be good at so would have probably ended up in an even worse role for less money.

They say look for the job you’d do even if you were rich enough not to have to work but my problem is I’m 100% certain there’s no job out there I’d do if I didn’t have to…

Life changes?
Hell yeah!
I was made redundant 5 years ago from the quarrying industry and I’m now a bike mechanic
Mrs PP was made redundant form the IT industry in July and we’ve decided to up sticks and move from Hampshire to Sheffield, buy a brand new house and both be looking for jobs!
Yes. I do wonder everyday what the hell we’re doing but it’ll be fine in the end. 🙂

only thing worse than redundancy is waiting on redundancy …..

doing all the training courses i can so i can pad out the CV a bit as its very 1 dimensional in terms of industry experiance although in all honesty its futile as i feel big changes ala peterpoddy coming on before long – there are many strings in my bow its just getting a foot in the door in other industries when you have been in the oil field for a while everyone feels you will jump back when times are good.

Oil & Gas here also, but contracting, hence no redundancy. Currently down to just one day per week which is not covering the mortgage or the kids’ food.

I’m taking the NATS ATC exam this Friday having passed the online tests. Seems like a good, secure, PAYE job which is very appealing after contracting in a dying industry.

If that fails, no idea where to go next. We already downsized last year. It was horrible moving the kids, and with it being the south was £47k in costs. Not doing that again.

Quite fancy tiling, plastering, anything physical with a bit of head scratching. But £140/day doesn’t count for shit in Winchester, Hampshire.

Contract killing?

Best of luck tr and caspian.

Quite fancy tiling, plastering, anything physical with a bit of head scratching. But £140/day doesn’t count for shit in Winchester, Hampshire.

That’s £36,000 a year. Neaither I or Mrs PP have ever earned that much, and we’re only just up the M3 from you.

That’s £36,000 a year. Neither I or Mrs PP have ever earned that much, and we’re only just up the M3 from you.

That’s encouraging. In which town do you live? How many kids do you have? Perhaps most significantly – in which year did you buy your first house (assuming you’re not renting)?

O&G here.

Simple answer is no. Well not fully anyways.

After redundancy (27 years service with same Co)I considered potential options during my period of garden leave.

However, another role came up in a similar company which I took. Been at it about 2.5 years now and yet another re-org about to happen.

May be time to re-consider those potential options circa 2.5 years ago….

However, these 2.5 years have allowed a bit more financial security for the future and I’ve really enjoyed the job and the change, particularly a whole different group of folks to work with.

I’m a bit more relaxed about it this time although if I do get the bullet I’m likely to panic and desperately try to get any job that appears…

From being through several and knowing colleagues I’d say its quite mixed…
Some seem to come out better and others seem to flounder …. I think the best thing I can say is if you view it as an opportunity it’s more likely to work out better … much as that’s hard to do for me at least.

Several of my close colleagues have been made redundant recently, most have done well for themselves and gone on to better but similar things. One person has made a complete change and is launching some form of organic energy snack….

I’ve been looking down the barrel of it a couple of times, it would pay off roughly a quarter of the mortgage and apart from the additional short term stress I’m confident I’d end up in a similar if not better paid role.

Where can I get a tiler at £140 a day winc way? quotes I get are a lot more than that….

(waiting for the rubbish about a salary of £36k is better than national average therefore you are super rich bollox type argument which does not take into account anything to do with housing equity which makes a massive difference to being loaded or poor)

Was made redundant after 23 years printing.
I felt like a change and my boss was very generous despite the mess he was in.
In a bit of a panic, with no real idea of what I wanted to do, I did a tiling course, but after that decided to do painting and decorating with some tiling thrown in.
I’m not confident in my skills or myself at all (even though everyone else thinks I’m mad and should be very proud of myself). This means that it feels a little unnerving being self employed but I think over all I’m much happier.
Could I have used my redundancy money in a better way? Maybe.
Should I have taken my wife’s advice and become a window cleaner? Definitely!

Currently the only person I know who’s really struggling to get work or rather who’s very vocal about it refuses to do anything but the work he used to do.

Go into it with that attitude and you’ll probably struggle.

And very good point about house equity and family size having huge effect on what you need to live.

I bought a van, went on multiple holidays, paid off debts. Probably replaced the car and bikes around that time too.

Looked into re-training at the time but took the safe option of same role, better money.

Quite fancy tiling, plastering, anything physical with a bit of head scratching. But £140/day doesn’t count for shit in Winchester, Hampshire.

Depends on your mortgage, I have a fair bit of sympathy – this was why I didn’t change careers after redundancy, and I regret it now. But I did and do pay the mortgage, pay the bills and keep Mrs B from having to work full time so whilst I’d say I’m not 100% happy, I can’t complain really.

getting made redundant just now. Already have another job, same salary, same position and benefits, which is kinda lucky, but also right conversation at the right time..only 3 yrs service in current, but enough to fund the next bike 🙂

In my mid twenties, twice in 9 months! Two IT consultancies went bust. It all ended up okay, lots of call for those skills back in the day. Twice resigned since from decent jobs to start my own gig. First one was 5 years of swinging between nirvana and disaster, this time round it’s just me with no one else to worry about.

The thing about ^^ working for the man rings true. I left one of the big 4 consultancies and knew I’d never work for a big corp again.

Also first resignation was when my wife stopped working to have our first child. Not ideal timing. Something always seems to come up tho.