Redundancy – behind the scenes

Photo by Luz Brunetti on Unsplash

“I'm flying out to meet the Chairman”

When Sarah* told me that she was flying out to meet the Chairman I knew that we were back in business.

And as predicted, after 12 months she’d landed a new C-suite job and was back in the driving seat.

But when I first got involved it was a very different story.

In this mini-career story, I shine a light on redundancy and how it could be a blessing in disguise.

Fresh start

You know it was a business decision but deep down on some level, it feels personal because it wasn’t your choice.

If you are struggling to come to terms with redundancy try this reframe:

Redundancy could be a fresh start – a chance to wipe the slate clean, take a breather, catch up on life, change your lifestyle, pause and smell the coffee.

Sarah’s story

Once you're over the initial shock you need to think about your next steps.

Let's look at how Sarah* navigated redundancy.

Sarah had a stable, established 25+ year career. Aside from maternity breaks, she’d worked throughout and was the main breadwinner at home. She lost her job through a company restructure. Her CV and experience were strong but the market was slow. Recruiters delivered tough news that she had a 6-12 month search ahead of her.

Sarah was confident in herself and her skills but this was the first job she’d looked for in years. She’d moved back to the UK after many years of working abroad, so on top of that adjustment, then the redundancy she knew that finding a job would be a long game.

She hired me as her coach for six months.

Are you close to burnout?

Many people with high-pressure jobs are running on adrenaline, stress, determination and caffeine.

Sarah put up a good front but I immediately picked up on her tiredness. She was driven and determined but she was running on empty. Like many people, she'd neglected her health for her career, and I saw the signs of exhaustion and burnout.

This is no way to tackle a job search

Behind the scenes of her career and then her job search, Sarah couldn't switch off – she'd been in work mode for so long.

Home improvements were a welcome distraction but once they were completed she had to face reality.

Do you have a health policy?

And I’m not talking fancy health insurance here. Do you put your health and well-being first and foremost?

At first, I encouraged Sarah to slow down, take a break, rest and relax. I  helped her to develop healthier habits, getting back into exercise and zoning out on Netflix (which she did very well). Her gym regime became part of her daily routine and she felt better.

You can’t let stress run your job search! 

How it works – the practical stuff

Sarah and I had regular Zoom meetings, WhatsApp messaging and telephone check-ins.

We worked on her strategy. I helped her to prepare for meetings with headhunters and companies then we debriefed afterwards.

We spoke on good and bad days. She could be honest with me but even on a tough day, she left the call on a good note and with a list of things to action. She appreciated the accountability and that she had someone other than her husband to let off steam with.

The results

She stuck to her plan and made steady and methodical progress. After a while, I noticed that the anxiety was less present, she didn’t take rejections so personally, and she didn’t jump at everything on offer. She took it all in her stride and I’ve got to say she looked a lot more relaxed too.

When she told me that she was flying out to meet the Chairman I knew that we were back in business. And as predicted, after 12 months she landed a new job and is back in the driving seat. I hope she's not driving quite so fast this time!

My six-month coaching & fully supported package is for senior executives and C-suite leaders. 

Get in touch to discover how I can help you and your career.

* Name changed because I value trust and confidentiality

ABOUT ME

I’m Tracy, Career Consultant, and Executive Headhunter and I help senior executives and leaders land great jobs and be successful at work through 1:1 coaching. I work with clients around the world from my London-based Zoom office. If you’re ready for help and career guidance get in touch – let's start the conversation.

And don’t forget to sign up for The Insider – behind the scenes of your executive career for my 'insider' tips and inspiration delivered straight to your inbox.