In today’s climate we keep hearing about the ‘Big R’, the recession, but what about the other one? This time we’re talking about Redundancy.

If you’ve recently been made redundant, FreeMyCV.com is here to help. Have a look at our Redundancy Advice and find out about your next step on the career ladder...

Redundancy: THE FACTS

Redundancy is the dismissal of employees in an effort to reduce or downsize a department or workforce.

This could be the result of any number of the following:

-The job role or department no longer exists within the company.
-The current climate and efforts to reduce costs result in staff numbers being minimised.
-The company or branch is being closed down or relocated.
-New technology replaces the need for the role.

If you have been made redundant, what do you need to know?

-Get information about your redundancy package. Find out about the pay you will receive and the notice period you have been given.

-Does your place of work offer free careers advice or money for additional training?

-Was the correct procedure carried out? You should have received notice about the possibility of redundancies within the company, and the review should have been carried out fairly. For example some companies may ask employers to re-interview for their jobs in an effort to re-evaluate the skills of each employee.

-For more information on the particulars of redundancy you may wish to contact a trade union official, a professional organisation, or local government body.

How to turn the negative into a positive

Unfortunately in today’s economic climate redundancy is becoming more and more common. It is difficult to avoid feeling down or worried in these situations, but the things that are most important to remember are:

There is help out there. If you’re struggling with your finances there are people who can help, people you can talk to. You are not alone!

Try not to focus on why it happened, but what you can do about the situation. Move forward, think positively and always think about your next step.