Redundancy at the time of COVID

Redundancy seems to be what everyone has found themselves thrown into, and I am most definitely part of the club.

You might have been wondering what happened to me and why, all of a sudden, I am here blogging again and giving out news on how I have found myself jobless within this whole Coronavirus ordeal.

I was made redundant at the beginning of June, and while the process started just days after my 30th birthday, I can finally say it is as stressful as it sounds. No frills, no positivity is key bullshit. It was mentally and physically draining, and I know a lot of you are in my same place.

THE REALISATION

I did not manage to find comfort right away, oh no. It took me a couple of weeks to find my feet again, to feel like I was not letting down anyone. I went through stages, from fear to pure panic, followed by an anger that I had never really felt before.

Redundancy, yes. But also no. I am not redundant as a person, and that is the biggest struggle you will go through. You will feel like you are useless, incapable of doing the most simple task as well. But it’s definitely not you, it’s not even them, and you need to get there eventually.

I got a message on LinkedIn a few weeks ago from a person who I don’t personally know, and he called it a rubbish situation. I did agree with him and still do, but at the same time, I am considering the whole redundancy thing a blessing in disguise.

Not the blessing you might think of, clearly – I am unemployed possibly at the worst time ever in my career – but a freeing experience as such: I was doing a job I like, in an environment that was completely different from what I knew.

And I am still unsure whether or not I liked that.

IMPORTANT LINKS IF YOU ARE AT RISK OF REDUNDANCY

So you have heard my redundancy story, my redundancy thoughts… but how can I help you? If you live in the UK, please refer yourself to the below links:

• Your rights – please make sure you read this carefully, and feel free to ask questions should you have any via email, comment or socials;
• Make sure you go through a consultation process and ask all the questions you have, this is the best moment to also clarify any notice, holidays and all of that comes with that;
• Look into Universal Credit and how to claim it once you are ready to do so, alternatively (or at the same time, based on your situation) you can look into Job Seeker Allowance.

I found a bit of reassurance when I was able to see how much my redundancy pay would come to, the calculator can be found here.

It can also create the exact opposite feeling, so please do not click that link if you feel the other way – it’s a struggle, and we are all in this together.

The Government website also has a section to help you find a job, so make sure to sign up and get your profile and CV updated.

I am redoing my CV with Canva, they have loads of free templates and you can make sure it looks the way you want, so go ahead and sign up for a free account!

I also recommend getting a profile on LinkedIn, their job search section is quite great and can be tailored – but make sure you apply directly with the company rather than through LinkedIn itself.

And finally, there is a whole section on the ACAS website – find it here – that could be worth a read, otherwise as mentioned…get in touch and I shall try to support you somehow, whether with advice or a simple shoulder to cry on.