Remember Me
forgot your password?

Redundancy Can Be A Good Thing

I'll bet that title caught your attention. But hang on - is it a contradiction in terms? Redundancy is painful, no matter whether the person being laid off has been expecting it or not. Yet with the right frame of mind and a positive approach to life, redundancy can indeed be a good thing, even though it may seem like the end of the world at first.

The way this situation affects you depends largely on the type of person you are. The pessimist will assume that the reason for dismissal rests solely with their own supposed lack of skills. They may think that everybody else is able to complete the same work in less time and with better results. However, the reasons for dismissal may be far more fundamental, due not least to the economic climate, for example. In this frame of mind, the pessimist will see the challenge of rebuilding their life and career too great to take on.

In contrast, the optimist sees redundancy as a turning point, a chance to change their life for the better. They take stock of the situation and determine to get the best out of it, often striking out in a completely new direction.

Even if you recognise yourself as a pessimist, you can change the way you think and react to a situation like this by learning to adopt the right approach.

So how can this be done? Firstly, it is essential to face the reality that being made redundant is not necessarily your own fault. At such a crucial time in your life, it is vital not to degenerate into a reflective and ‘moody' phase. Reminiscing about the past is one thing, but poring over what you might have done or not done to lose your job is quite another, and should be avoided at all costs.

The positive approach is to take a long, hard look at your life, in order to decide on your next move. This is the time for some soul searching questions, so be honest with yourself and think about the following:

Were you happy in your job before being made redundant?

Have you ever thought of doing more than just dreaming about being your own boss?

Have you ever seriously considered a complete change of career?

By answering these questions truthfully, you will be able to determine whether or not a complete change of direction would be the most beneficial route to take.

If you answer ‘yes' to one or more of these questions, it is highly likely that you had become static in your work, finding it easier to stay put than risk attempting to change careers.

In this way, you will be able to assess your future with confidence, striking out in the right direction for you. If you can honestly say you enjoyed your work, then you can narrow down your job search to the same or similar areas. Armed with a well prepared CV listing your skills and experience, you can approach the task of job hunting with new confidence. Showing enthusiasm to continue your career despite being made redundant makes for a positive and impressive image.

If you do find that a total change of direction is called for, then there are a number of options open to you. Seeking an alternative career in employment is the obvious opportunity and in this case you will need to consider which careers appeal to you. Gather some background information on each opportunity and make sure you are up to date with a company's movements if you are invited to an interview. Doing your homework beforehand can swing the decision in your favour.

Alternatively, you may decide to set up in business on your own. Most of us dream about being our own boss at some stage in our lives, but giving up ‘safe' employment to strike out on our own is a big step to take. Redundancy puts us in a position to consider self-employment as a viable option.

Any money you receive as a result of redundancy can be put to good use if you decide to take this route. It is vital not to rush into self employment though. Being on the rebound from redundancy can make running your own business sound heavenly, yet there is much planning and work involved and your own business ideas need to be thought out carefully before you take the plunge.

Whatever direction you decide to take, you should aim to remain positive and optimistic. View redundancy as a golden opportunity to take stock of your life and see where you can change it for the better. Redundancy can indeed be a good thing - if you handle it the right way.

Allison Whitehead

About the author:

Allison Whitehead has written many articles on personal development, self help, goal setting, and motivational subjects. Her latest book, "The 5 Secrets of Successful Goal Setting", is now available from www.lulu.com/content/301705. Download your FREE PDF preview today.

Rate this Article: 0 / 5 stars - 0 vote(s)
Print Email Re-Publish

Add new Comment



Captcha

  • Latest Careers Articles
  • More from Allison Whitehead

The Reality for Fresh Graduates and Fresh Job Seekers for New Zealand

By: Ace | 10/12/2009
Finding work these days – even for an entry level one – is very different than it was a decade or so ago. The job search process is tougher, longer, and with stiffer competition especially in applying for jobs abroad.

Generate a Second Income That Earns Real Money

By: James Halm | 10/12/2009
Want to earn more cash? Many people find themselves in need of extra income, but don't have a lot of free time available to take on a second job. When this happens, it's time to get creative and find job opportunities that work for you. How about taking on a job...

Corporate burn-out - what's next?

By: Guy & Michele Luminato | 10/12/2009
I have watched friends, and colleagues climb their way up the corporate ladder to end up at "corporate burn-out". It is common, people get into a rut, they have invested so much time, and energy, and they are so frazzled they don't know what to do next. There is a simple technique that will help you decide what is your next step.

Temporary Staffing Services - Top 10 Advantages of Working With a Temp Agency

By: D. Singh | 10/12/2009
The benefit of working with the temporary agencies is that it helps one to venture into new areas with plenty of jobs and also keeps you engaged which is impossible otherwise in a bad economy. There are many who believe that they will never get the top job with temp...

Baby Christmas Gifts Can Be Adorable and Functional

By: Edie Mindell | 10/12/2009
Christmas is a time of giving and sharing, a time of forgiving and a time of loving. Christmas time is a wonderful time for shopping.

Maintaining your car

By: Margaret Atwood | 10/12/2009
Maintaining your car’s condition and conserving its beauty may well show to be a Herculean task if you look after not chase clean guidelines pertaining to car thought. Do not comprehend nervous in situations what time your car groans, grunts, reeks or comes to a halt. You can set-up all these problems right now, and even steer clear of them from occurring, by following a clean car maintenance direct. Mentioned under are a small number of tips to facilitate can keep your car as respectable as mod

Learning All You Can About Physical Therapy Jobs

By: Adriana Noton | 10/12/2009
Physical therapy jobs are no doubt demanding, but are also very rewarding. Often the physical therapist has more to do with the ultimate health of the patient than the doctor does due to their more intimate relationship with the patient's health. There is a lot of responsibility placed on the...

Keeping up with the changing pace in IT advancement: A challenge for IT job seekers

By: agape12 | 10/12/2009
It is a well-known fact that information technology is one of the most dynamic and ever-changing professional fields in the word. While some say that the frequency at which information technology innovation evolves is astronomical, others compare its changes to the brazing speed of light (That is approximately 299,792,458 m/s.)

Online Writing – Don’t Hide Behind A Weird Nickname

By: Allison Whitehead | 21/10/2009 | Writing
What do you call yourself as an online writer? It shouldn't be anything other than your real name. Here's why?

SEO – Why Writers Can Make Money From Keywords

By: Allison Whitehead | 21/09/2009 | SEO
Understanding what keywords are and how to use them opens up a whole new world for you as an online writer. Find out how by reading this article.

Social Media For Writers

By: Allison Whitehead | 21/09/2009 | SMO
Social media websites can be a real boon to all writers who want to make themselves known online. Read on to see just how beneficial they can be.

Online Writing – How To Plan Ahead For Success

By: Allison Whitehead | 21/09/2009 | Writing
You can enjoy great success as an online writer if you start planning for your future. Find out why planning ahead can bring you so many writing jobs and more success than you might imagine.

Sell Articles To Other Bloggers

By: Allison Whitehead | 21/09/2009 | Blogging
You can write blog posts for more than just your own blog. Find out how here.

Online Writing – Creating Articles In Batches

By: Allison Whitehead | 21/09/2009 | Writing
Do you think of articles as individual entities? Start thinking about them in batches and you will see much higher earnings.

Creating A Blog For Writers

By: Allison Whitehead | 18/09/2009 | Writing
Blogs are an enormously popular way to get in touch with people, spread the word about yourself and promote your writing business. But have you thought about setting up a blog that appeals to other writers too?

How To Write And Sell Articles – What Should You Be Writing About?

By: Allison Whitehead | 18/09/2009 | Writing
You can write an article on any subject you like. But which subjects will work best for you?

Submit Your Articles Free: Signup
Article Categories




Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the Terms Of Use and Privacy Policy | User published content is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
Copyright © 2005-2008 Free Articles by ArticlesBase.com, All rights reserved. (2.36, 6, w2)