Redundancy
A common feeling, when you are made redundant, is that this somehow reflects on you personally. It does not. Redundancy is a purely economic decision on the part of the company.
Despite this fact, redundancy can be very difficult for people to come to terms with. We have a couple of independent specialists who can give you practical advice or just listen as you talk about what you are going through.
Don't hesitate to get in touch either in person or through iChaplaincy.
Grief and job loss
In these days of large scale layoffs and widespread corporate “downsizing”, the prospect or reality of job loss is all too familiar. Like other losses, being fired or laid off can cause a grief reaction. Because many people derive their sense of identity from their career, unemployment grief can be particularly devastating and difficult to resolve.
In addition to the grief reaction of anger and despair, you face loss of self-esteem and sense of purpose, coupled with feelings of shame and financial hardship.
To soften the blow of losing a job, try the following hints:
Don’t keep quiet: It’s an emotional relief to talk about how you feel about your loss; it also lets others know you are searching for new work. People can only remember you when a job opening comes up if they know you are looking.
Use available resources. If your former employer offers career/redundancy counselling —use it! Join networking groups for emotional support as well as job leads, and take advantage of opportunities to upgrade your skills.
Be flexible. Don’t let your hurt pride and feelings of anger handicap your job search. You may have to begin again with a lower salary or a less prestigious job title, but it’s better than remaining unemployed.
Be persistent. Keep networking and sending out resumes even when you feel depressed or discouraged. If you give up, you lose.
