Redundancy and losing your job
If you’re made redundant or unemployed, you might feel anxious about the future. Get advice on how to develop your skills, access free online courses and find help getting a job.
Retrain or upskill
While not having a job can be a very stressful time, it may also be an opportunity to:
- identify and improve your skills
- learn a new skill
- change your career
Know your skills
You may have transferable skills which you could use in a different job to what you were doing before. If you know what your skills are, it may help you choose the right job and make your application stronger.
You may want to:
- read advice on how to identify your skills
- take a skills assessment to find out what careers might be right for you
Find courses
If you need to learn a new skill or get a qualification, you can find a course or apprenticeship. You might be able to get a free qualification if you're eligible.
You may also be able to enrol on a free Skills Bootcamp to help you develop your skills in a specific sector or job.
Look for work
If you want to find a job as soon as possible, you can improve your chances by:
- knowing how to find job vacancies
- networking
- using social media
CVs and cover letters
You may want to update your CV with the reason your employer made you redundant, such as "the company restructured due to budget cuts". This will help make it clear that there was nothing wrong with your performance.
You can still include all the skills and experience you gained in this role.
You may also want to include this information in your cover letter to make sure the employer sees it.
Interviews
Many interviews are now remote, either as a phone interview or a video interview.
You should prepare for your interview as this can help you feel more confident.
To prepare:
- follow interview advice
- research common interview questions
Bounce back by building resilience
Losing your job can be difficult to deal with.
Learning how to bounce back may help you manage, both now and in the future.
Help with redundancy
You can get more information and guidance on redundancy by reading about:
If you still feel unsure, you might find it useful to talk about your plans with an adviser.
Related content
Speak to an adviser
You can call 0800 100 900 or use webchat to speak to an adviser.
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