Facing Redundancy? Practical First Steps | Empowered Space

Just been made redundant, or expecting to be? A calm, practical guide to your first steps - from processing the news to CVs, LinkedIn and outplacement

If you're reading this because your role is at risk, or has already gone, I'm sorry. Being made redundant is one of the most unsettling things that can happen in a working life, and however calmly the people around you are talking about "the process", it rarely feels calm from the inside.

In my work supporting people through career change, the thing I most want you to know is this: you don't have to have it all worked out at once. You just need somewhere sensible to start. So let's take it gently, one step at a time.

Give yourself a moment before you make any big decisions

The instinct after a redundancy is to do something immediately - fire off applications, tell everyone you know, accept the first thing that comes along.

I understand the urge completely, but resist it for a few days. This isn't about wallowing; it's about not making a twelve-month decision from a place of shock. Redundancy is a genuine loss, and it's completely normal to feel angry, anxious or oddly relieved, sometimes all three in the same afternoon.

None of that means you're not coping.

Let the first wave pass before you plan your next move. If the stress feels overwhelming or persistent, it's worth speaking to your GP or a professional - looking after your head is part of the job here, not a distraction from it.

Understand what you're entitled to

Before you sign anything, make sure you understand the terms you've been offered. Depending on your length of service and contract, that may include statutory or enhanced redundancy pay, notice pay, accrued holiday, and sometimes a settlement agreement.

You're entitled to time to consider a settlement agreement and to take independent advice on it (employers usually contribute towards that legal cost).

We're not able to give you legal or financial advice here, so treat this as a prompt rather than a ruling: check the current guidance on GOV.UK and ACAS, and if a settlement agreement is involved, get it reviewed by a solicitor before you sign. Knowing exactly where you stand removes a surprising amount of the background anxiety.

Get your story straight

Before you touch your CV, get clear on the narrative in your own head. Redundancy is a business decision about a role, not a verdict on you as a person, and the way you talk about it should reflect that. A simple, unapologetic line - "my role was made redundant as part of a restructure" - is all anyone needs. You don't owe recruiters a detailed backstory, and a confident framing beats an over-explained one every time.

Refresh your CV then LinkedIn (in that order)

Your CV and LinkedIn profile are doing most of the talking before you ever meet anyone, so they're worth real attention.

For your CV: lead with impact, not duties. "Responsible for managing the sales pipeline" tells a reader nothing; "Rebuilt the sales pipeline and grew qualified leads by 40% in a year" tells them everything. Tailor it to each role rather than sending one generic version, and keep it to two pages.

For LinkedIn: a clear headline, a human summary written in the first person, and a photo that looks like you on a good day. Turn on "Open to Work" if you're comfortable with it. Increasingly, hiring managers form an impression from your profile before the first conversation happens, so it's worth getting right.

Reconnect with your network

The uncomfortable truth about job hunting is that a large share of roles are filled through people rather than adverts. That doesn't mean spamming everyone you've ever met with "I'm looking for work." It means having a handful of genuine conversations: former colleagues, people in your field, that manager you got on well with three jobs ago.

Be specific about what you're looking for - vague requests get vague help. Most people are glad to point you in a useful direction if you make it easy for them.

If you've been offered outplacement, use it

Many employers now fund outplacement support for people leaving in a redundancy - professional career coaching, help with your CV and interviews, and a sounding board through the search. If it's on the table, take it. It's a genuinely valuable benefit that a lot of people leave unclaimed because they're too proud or too frazzled to pick up the phone. A good coach shortens the search and takes some of the emotional weight off, and it costs you nothing.

The bottom line

Redundancy is a setback, not a full stop. Work through it in order - steady yourself, understand your position, sharpen how you present yourself, and lean on the people and support around you - and you'll come out the other side in far better shape than that first shell-shocked week ever lets you believe. I've watched it happen many times, and it will happen for you too.

Helping people through exactly this is the heart of what I do at Empowered Space - practical, one-to-one coaching and a steady hand at the moment it's most needed. If that's where you find yourself right now, get in touch. You don't have to navigate it on your own.