http://www.ascareers.co.uk Independent Careers Advice and Guidance Mon, 22 Mar 2010 14:10:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 http://www.ascareers.co.uk/recently-redundant/ http://www.ascareers.co.uk/recently-redundant/#comments Sun, 30 Nov 2008 09:35:41 +0000 admin http://ascareers.co.uk/tip If you have recently been made redundant or suspect you are just about to be made redundant these tips may help you.

• Take time to consider what you actually want to do

  Sometimes redundancy is an opportunity to rethink your career path.

• Update your CV or if you haven’t got one write one

  This will allow you time to reflect on your past skills and experience and remember things you may well have forgotten. If you don’t know how to write a CV there are many books available from libraries or seek advice from an agency or careers adviser.

• Make a list of skills, abilities, experience and qualities you have to offer a future employer.

  Think how best you could sell these. Have you a past-time or something in your interests that stands out you could utilise in future employment.

• Use your CV to look at gaps in your experience

  Do you need to update certain skills or gain experience in another area to make you more desirable to future employers? Think about using your time positively by gaining further education or seeking out temporary work or placements.

• Make a list of everyone you know professionally

  Include contacts from up to 5 years ago who are currently working. This is how to start networking by building outwards from contacts you already have.  They may not be able to offer you work directly but may have knowledge of firms that can or suggest other avenues for you to try.

• Write a letter to your network contacts

  Not asking them for jobs but for advice they may have or where they see possible opportunities in the future. If you ask for information and not jobs then it is less embarrassing for the recipient and you are much more likely to get a response. For advice on these type of covering letters contact local advice agencies, careers advisers or the business section of your main library.

• Gain as many contacts in your area of work

  Or agency contacts that can help. Listen to the radio for help being offered and consider websites that update you locally. This would include local paper websites with vacancies, agency websites and listings, specific job search engines relating to your industry or an area of work you are looking for.

• Nurture yourself

  Focus on the positive action you can take not on why it happened, how it happened or anything in the past.  If you find this difficult try to establish a routine and a target for example planning visiting recruitment agencies, or responding to certain vacancies by the end of the week. Keep focused and remember less is more so concentrate on quality of applications rather than quantity.

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