Not sure about what to do now? FreeMyCV.com is here to help; we’ve put together this advice to help you make that next step...

A time for reflection: Think about whether your career path was the right choice for you. This could be your perfect opportunity to pursue a different career, or re-evaluate whether your job really fulfilled you. Take into consideration your financial position when doing this; we’re not suggesting you should pack in investment banking for dog walking, but explore the options available to you, and whether there is something that could make you happier.

Approach this positively. Don’t focus your energy on why you were the one to be made redundant, but think about your successes within the job. List your achievements and the new skills your role has given you, as this will be useful to evaluate in order to update your CV.

Apply for jobs and go to interviews. Get back out there and make a positive effort to apply for jobs that you are interested in. The longer you take to start this process, the harder you might find it. This will allow you to keep busy, focused and will enable you to work on your interview technique.

 Think realistically about what your job loss means. Unfortunately redundancy is common in this climate, but it doesn’t have to be a disaster. Take a realistic look at your finances and work out what you need to earn, and when you need to start earning it. Re-evaluate your outgoings to accommodate your temporary loss of employment and be frugal whilst you’re looking for work.

Update your CV: Dust off your CV and update your skills and work experience. Why not take a look at our CV tips to see if it makes the grade?

Take a course: This could be the perfect opportunity to sharpen your skills or learn a new one. See what courses are on offer at your local college, university or adult learning centre. You may even be entitled to a reduction in fees for being out of work.

Utilise your friends: What are friends for? This! If you have a friend in a similar career to yourself, they may have news on upcoming jobs within their company. If there are, they might even be able to put in a good word for you.

Social Networking: Now I’m not suggesting you spend your days on Facebook, but sites like Linked In are a good way of keeping connected with people in your field and making business contacts. It might even lead to hearing about your next job, so why not log on?

Where to find a job: You might be new to today’s job market but the good news is; there are plenty of places you can search for a job. Recruitment agencies are a good way to find work, whether just for a temporary fix or full time. Jobs websites such as http://www.allthetopbananas.com host a variety of jobs in different sectors from all over the web in one place. You can search by location or keyword for more targeted results. Your local job centre and local paper will also display local vacancies, so don’t forget to check them out!