So you’ve been made redundant, what now?

With the coronavirus and subsequent economic downturn it is estimated that a million Australians have now found themselves unemployed. We didn’t see it coming and it really feels like it happened overnight. Many of our candidates are now out of work, our clients have made staff redundant and friends and family have also lost their jobs. Unfortunately we’ve had to make changes to the Working Parents Connect team too. For many it was simply unavoidable and no doubt we’ll see more people out of work as time goes by.

So what do you do if you find yourself out of work? We’ve put together the following recommendations and hope you find them of value at this difficult time.

Legal rights and entitlements

Firstly, it is important to ensure your redundancy was fair and lawful. Make sure you visit the Fair Work website to learn about workplace laws, employer obligations and your rights as a worker. “Ending employment during Coronavirus” provides current information and with proposed changes to some employment legislation and awards we would suggest checking this page regularly for any updates.

In particular be clear on your employer’s obligations and your personal entitlements. Some examples are notice periods, any redundancy pay or payment of leave owed.

Financial support 

The Government is providing financial support to Australians who have lost their jobs due to COVID-19 through either JobSeeker or JobKeeper payments. You may also be eligible for a payment from the Government’s Stimulus Package. Contact Services Australia (Centrelink) for further information around eligibility and to apply.

Rest and recharge

A redundancy can come as a complete shock and you can feel all sorts of things – anger, disbelief, anxiety, sadness, grief and loss to name a few. These feelings are expected and normal. Take time out to prioritise your health and well-being, spend time with loved ones and do things that make you happy. It is important to look after you.

A job loss IS a big deal. It can really bring us down, impair our ability to cope and affect our mental health, along with how we relate to our friends and family. Heads Up have some really great information, resources and support around this, so check that out here.

Make a plan

Although this might be difficult, set your new career goals and make a plan to achieve them early on. If you were not completely happy in your role or have had a burning desire to try your hand at another profession this is the perfect opportunity to reinvent yourself professionally.

A proactive and committed approach will see you strive forward and successfully return to the workforce.

During this time you might benefit from speaking to an accredited Careers Coach or Counsellor. Parents At Work and Sundial Innovation are expertly placed to support you here.

Update your resume and LinkedIn profile

Use this time to ensure your resume and LinkedIn profile are updated and aligned to current market standards. If you require professional support or guidance we recommend MCV Careers and Sincerely Resumes.

Connecting with your network

Many can feel an immediate loss of professional identity following a redundancy so it is important to keep connected. Keeping in touch with former colleagues and your profession are vital and regular communication and engagement with your network will ensure you keep updated on the market and any potential job opportunities.

We’ve all heard the saying, “it’s not what you know but who you know” so don’t underestimate the power of your network particularly when it comes to job-searching. Reach out and let people know you are available, actively use LinkedIn to grow your network and build up your profile.

In closing, we have been deeply saddened to hear from many of you who have shared your redundancy stories with us in recent times. We would like to take this opportunity to wish you all the very best of luck going forwards. You will get through this. It is worth mentioning that there are companies continuing to hire across these challenging times and we have almost 200 positions listed on our platform which you can view here.

Stay strong,  – we’re all in this together!