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Your Post-Redundancy Reset: Practical Steps to Rebuild Career & Confidence


Career coach giving advice for redundancy while sipping tea

Why Redundancy Can Be Your Reset- If You Let It

Redundancy can shake your identity, and your confidence. Career coaching research shows job loss impacts mental health as much as divorce or major illness (Harvard Business Review).

Approaching redundancy smart means it's about more than landing your next job. The most effective post redundancy career transitions redesign who you are at work, so the next role is better aligned with your values, strengths, and life goals.


Step 1: Career Coach Approach - Do Your Identity Work Fast

Before you touch your resume, pause. Who do you want to be in your next role?

A good career coach will start with identity work, helping you answer:

  • What work lights me up (and what drains me)?

  • What impact do I want to make in my next chapter?

  • What kind of culture do I thrive in?

This clarity makes your job applications sharper and your networking conversations more confident.


Step 2: Put Boundaries Around Your Redundancy Payout

If you’ve received a redundancy payout, think of it as a bridge to your next role, not a bonus.

  • Meet with a financial planner to make sure it lasts.

  • Create agreements with your partner or anyone who might think they have access to your payout, about how it will be spent, so money stress doesn’t hijack your energy.

Strong money boundaries give you breathing space to focus on your next career move.


Step 3: Build Your Job Sympathy Script

Bumping into former colleagues or answering “what happened?” texts can be stressful. Even the possibility of it can have you avoiding contact.

Here's a stronger, more win-win solution. Create a script that feels empowering:

“Yes, my role was made redundant recently. I’m actually really enjoying the opportunity to take a break and reset. I’m excited about where it’s heading.”

This shows confidence and keeps the conversation short, while protecting your emotional energy. Future opportunities are far more likely to spin off from this approach, than from avoidance If you've been avoiding, you're not alone. 70% of us approach difficult conversations by avoiding them! So let's get you comfortable with the scripts for these conversations ASAP, so you can get past the discomfort and move forward faster.


Step 4: Emotional Boundaries to Prevent Burnout

Redundancy is a rollercoaster. One day you’ll feel ready to take on the world, the next you might feel hopeless.

Let loved ones know what you need:

  • “I need encouragement today.”

  • “I just need to vent.”

  • “Please just listen - no fixing.”

This simple step keeps your support crew aligned and helps prevent relationship strain during this period.


Step 5: Networking After Redundancy - Your Career Coach’s Secret Weapon

Networking feels intimidating when you’re feeling vulnerable, but it’s the fastest way to land your next opportunity (LinkedIn data). Truly, today more than EVER before.

AI has shifted the job market more dramatically than most job roles. Human conversations is the way you cut through that.

Start small:

  • Reach out to three warm contacts this week

  • Use your script so you sound confident, not desperate

  • View it as relationship-building, not begging for a job

This is where a career coach can help - with scripts, confidence, and accountability to keep you moving forward.


Step 6: Micro-Goals to Build Confidence

Redundancy can feel overwhelming. Break the process into micro-goals:

  • Update one section of your resume today

  • Message one person tomorrow

  • Apply for one role this week

Celebrate each small win - it rebuilds your confidence and keeps momentum high.


Step 7: Get Support - Psychologist, Life Coach, or Career Coach

You don’t have to navigate this alone. A mix of support can help you stay resilient:

  • Psychologist or counsellor for mental health

  • Life coach for personal direction and habit building

  • Career coach for job search strategy, scripts, and accountability

Getting help early can cut months off your job search and reduce stress dramatically.


Your Career Change Reset Action Plan

Redundancy is not the end - it’s a reset button.

  1. Clarify who you want to be in your next role

  2. Set boundaries around money and emotional energy

  3. Get your networking game started

  4. Take small daily actions

  5. Get expert support to accelerate your success

Your future self will look back at this season with pride for using it to build a more balanced, more aligned career.


🎧 Listen & Go Deeper


 
 
 

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