Redundancy and organisational restructures can happen quickly and unexpectedly.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve had several conversations with senior professionals I personally know who have suddenly found themselves facing redundancy. These are experienced, capable people who have built strong careers and yet they are now navigating an increasingly challenging job market.
It’s a stark reminder that circumstances can change quickly, regardless of how successful or secure your career may have felt.
If you are going through a redundancy or restructure, my first piece of advice is simple:
Ask about outplacement support during the consultation process.
If it’s available, take it.
Outplacement support is there to help you navigate the transition and prepare for what comes next. It can provide practical career support at a time when it can be difficult to know where to start.
What can outplacement support provide?
Depending on the programme, support can include:
CV support — making sure your experience, skills and achievements are clearly presented.
LinkedIn support — helping you position yourself professionally and make the most of your online presence.
Interview preparation — building confidence and preparing for the realities of today's recruitment process.
Job search strategy — identifying opportunities and developing a structured approach to your search.
Career guidance — helping you think through what you want your next move to look like.
A confidential person to talk to — someone who understands the recruitment market and can help you work through the process.
That last point is particularly important.
Redundancy is more than a career change
Losing your job can affect far more than your income.
It can impact your confidence, identity, financial security and wellbeing.
For many people, their career is closely connected to how they see themselves. So when a role unexpectedly ends, it can be difficult to separate the loss of the job from a feeling that something has been lost personally.
Having an experienced person in your corner can make a real difference.
Sometimes you need practical advice.
Sometimes you need someone to challenge your thinking.
Sometimes you simply need someone to remind you that this is a transition — not the end of your career.
Being made redundant is not a reflection of your worth
This is something I want anyone experiencing redundancy to hear:
Being made redundant does not mean you have failed.
Redundancies are often the result of organisational changes, restructures, economic conditions or changing business needs. They don't erase the experience, skills, relationships and achievements you've built throughout your career.
The job market may be challenging, but your career story doesn't end when your role does.
This is a time to be kind to yourself, ask for support and make use of every resource available to you.
For employers: outplacement support matters too
For organisations going through a restructure, offering outplacement support can be an important part of supporting employees through a difficult transition.
It provides departing employees with practical career assistance while demonstrating that the organisation is committed to treating people with care and dignity throughout the process.
For HR teams, managers and business owners, it can also provide an experienced external partner to help support employees once the redundancy conversation has taken place.
Because the way people leave an organisation matters.
Moving forward
If you or someone you know is going through redundancy, don't try to navigate the next step alone.
At PeopleInk, I provide practical, personalised outplacement support to help people understand their options, build their confidence and move towards their next opportunity.
From CVs and LinkedIn through to interview preparation, career conversations and job-search strategy, I'm here to help people move forward.
If you're going through redundancy or your organisation is planning a restructure, get in touch.
You don't have to have all the answers right now.
Sometimes the first step is simply having someone in your corner.
