[jamesobrady]

Folks, a lot of us and others have faced a Redundancy or straight job loss situation over the years. Especially recent years.
Im starting this thread so anyone who has gone through the process can give REAL WORLD ADVICE to those stepping onto a similar path. There is a place for kind words and best wishes of course, but what I'm looking for here is hints and tips to get on with it, find another job, and keep going.

There are other websites giving advice and theory on it, but i think many of us here respect the opinions and experiences of this membership, so anything anyone has to add will be of benefit to someone IMO.

The psychology of being made redundant or being fired has to have a bearing on a person's sense of worth, how do you regain confidence in applying for jobs and selling yourself as such?

How do you keep active on the flat days so as not to turn into a TV addict and let yourself get lost in the dole?

How do you manage if you find yourself middle-aged, and having to change career or life direction ?

IMO there are people who will work any job, and there are people who will stay convinced they can only do one type of job.
Whats the best mentality to adapt/condition/learn etc ?

How do you manage a mortgage/bank loan when you're unemployed? What options do you have?

Has anyone lost their house? What is that procedure like?

I would envisage that this be kept as a POSITIVE thread, with inspiration and support being the basis. I don't think that saying "there's no jobs out there" or "i can't find a job so you're fcuked too" is of any benefit to anyone.

This post has been edited by jamesobrady: 15 January 2010 - 01:39 PM

[Magnets]

KaosTheory, on 17 November 2010 - 02:36 PM, said:

James is currently in America, collecting a Super10 he bought recently then had shipped over and is about to begin a trip from LA to the tip of South America, something tells me he's keeping busy!
showtopic=86747&st=0&p=548969&hl=chevy&fromsearch=1&#entry548969" ]Thread here[/url]


It's all made up, the Greek and I Hid a tracker on the bike before it left ireland! It's been parked up outside what we think is an animal shelter in Nevada called the bunny ranch, it seems James rather than selfishly living the scooter gypsy dream most of us crave has chosen instead to selflessly devote his life to looking after wee furry creatures!

Bless your heart JOB
Kaos

[CBR 46]

Back on track...I've had a few episodes over the last 10 years.

I got some good advice though which boiled down into the following:

Make a list of all the different types of work you've done, e.g. customer service, marketing, finance, sales, construction, IT etc.

Make a list of all the competencies you have, e.g. planning, problem solving, building relationships etc. You'll get these on the job search sites.

Reflect upon your past work experiences and work out what type of work made you happiest and why.

It's a good idea to do this with a mate who knows you well because they will have a different perspective on things and won't be as emotionally involved as you or your nearest and dearest. You need to be brutally honest with yourself in this process.

Hopefully, what you'll find is that you have a lot more going for you than you thought. The whole thing of being made redundant really knocks the stuffing out of you. It also makes you realise that you can't take anything for granted.

Anyway, at the end of this process, if you're brutally honest, you'll have a very good idea of the work you like and the experience and competencies you've developed over the years.

Next thing is to identify the type of job you'd like to do and would be a prime candidate for.

Draw up a list of experience and competencies you'd need for the ideal job. Compare this with the lists you drew up earlier and check for any gaps. Nobody is perfect, so don't be put off by the gaps but see if they're really crucial to the job or just extra nice to have things that an employer might be looking for. If you can, do something to plug the gaps, if not readjust your aim. This isn't easy to do mentally, but you have to be realistic.

Somebody said earlier to do contract work if you can get it, I did and would certainly recommend it. It gives you a chance to try out places without making a rest of your life commitment to them. I signed up with an agency and they looked after me and kept giving me work because I was able to do what they wanted and more.

I took a complete change of direction after 25 years working and am doing work that I like now TG.

There's a natural cycle that you have to go through when this type of thing happens: shock, denial, blame others, blame yourself, acceptance of the situation you're in, doing something about it. The important thing is to move through to the final stage and not get bogged down.

I tend to take the view now that no matter how things are now, they'll probably be different in six months.

Above all, be positive and don't let yourself get or be put down.