Every day the national newspapers decree that Britain is facing the worst economic crisis it has encountered in the modern era. Redundancy and unemployment figures are at the highest point since the days of Mrs. Thatcher. Redundancies are constantly rising as companies make cuts in order to stay afloat and job centres across the nation are full to brimming of people who have never found themselves out of work before.
The country has been facing this crisis for over 18 months and yet if someone finds themselves out of work for the first time ever, it can be one of the most daunting experiences possible. What steps should be taken if this occurs? How can one cope with redundancy?
How to Cope With Redundancy
An important thing to remember, absolutely vital in fact, is that redundancy is not a reflection of a person's ability. It is a situation that has arisen because the employer is facing some extremely tough times and has had to take a business decision to release some roles so as to save some money. Companies are fighting hard against the recession. Redundancy can be devastating but it is key that anyone who faces this situation understands it has no bearing on one's skills and abilities.
Fortunately, if employees have been with a company long enough, they will receive a decent sum of money. They should look at this money as buying them some time to decide what they want to do next. The options are there. Perhaps someone would like to re-train and embark on a completely different career path. Perhaps now is the opportunity to finally take that time out and do some travelling. Or maybe this was just the influx of cash needed to start thinking about developing their own business.
Redundancy should be looked at as a beginning, not an end.
Signing On
When someone is not used to being out of work, his mind inevitably wanders towards the fact that he will have to sign on. It is important that he do this as it might affect his National Insurance contributions. There is no stigma attached to this any longer in modern Britain, as thousands of people are having to do it.
How And Where To Get The Perfect CV
One of the first things those who have lost jobs should do is take time to completely refresh their CV. It may be that they haven't needed one for years. They might not have one at all! There are endless websites available that give excellent instruction of what the format should look like, what to include and what not to include and how to best sell oneself to a potential employer via this document. It is also vital to tailor any CV towards the particular role that is being applied for. Most websites will correctly state that the best CV is unlikely to stretch over two A4 pages. Employers are very busy and longer CVs are likely to put them off at first glance.
Interview Technique
As with the CV there are numerous excellent websites to help in this area. There are tens of thousands of people who have never been out of work before, so the very notion of going for an interview can be the most daunting thing imaginable. Effective use of these websites can increase a candidate's confidence and really make him stand out from the crowd. He will learn what typical questions he is likely to face and be able to deal with common scenarios.
People may well apply to many agencies or jobs directly and not get anywhere for months on end. This simply means that those jobs were not meant for them at that time. This is not a usual climate for obtaining work so patience is an unbelievable virtue at this time. An individual must keep plugging away and eventually the right role will come along. Everyone is hoping that the green shoots of recovery are going to start appearing soon, but in the mean time, adopting the above hints and tips may help until the next step of an exciting career occurs.
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