Making the end a fresh start after redundancy

By JULIE MIDDLETON

Forced sabbatical. Retrenchment. Separation. Development hiatus. Severance retreat. Whatever the label, it means being tipped out of your job against your will.

But layoffs don't have to be life-stopping dramas. They can even be the unexpected path to career rejuvenation. Here are the experts' golden rules for making the most of a rotten situation.

Don't panic

The median severance package offered to those deemed surplus to requirements was worth 20 weeks' pay, according to out-placement company DBM New Zealand in its latest study, Career Challenges and Choices for People in Transition.

This was up by two weeks on the previous year's figures. The cushion is a decent size.

The same study, which covered those who were in its career transition programmes last year, showed it took an average of three months to get another job.

If the axe is about to fall, American career counsellor Ruth Luban, author of the well-regarded Are You a Corporate Refugee? A survival guide for downsized, disillusioned and displaced workers (Penguin, 2001), suggests that rather than suffer angst as you wait for the final news, update your CV, organise your files and finances, and get your life in order. Investigate options with medical insurance and company superannuation while your policies still have some time on the clock.

It's an approach Auckland career counsellor and former BNZ change manager Debra Knox endorses.

She suggests that if you have the time, increase your skills - one laid-off worker she met had been given two years' notice, and was able to fill some skills gaps in the meantime.

Sadly, she says, many people still adopt the ostrich approach - "a lot of people have the idea that it won't happen to them. But the more senior you are, the harder it is to find another job."

Take outplacement services seriously

"A small proportion of people are suspicious," admits Reece Notton, executive director of Auckland redundancy services company DBM, as the services of companies like his are offered by the company laying off workers.

"But it's a form of career management. And for a majority of people, it's the first time they've had a look at where their career is, and it's often the first time they have had proper career advice."

A complete programme ranges from how to deal with the emotional impact of a layoff and what to do with the payout, to values and skills assessments.

The earlier it is started the better: ideally, out-placement companies should be involved from the very beginning of redundancy plans.

Wellington HR consultant Jane Campbell, who offers outplacement services, says: "Companies should see them as part of being a good employer."

She sees such services as "making people really self-aware of what their strengths are so they can resell themselves".

Campbell, who has been made redundant by manufacturers twice, also uses psychological testing.

Vent and grieve ...

... to those close to you and trusted, and preferably third party: family, friends, and mentors rather than colleagues and bosses.

But don't take redundancy personally, says Knox: "It's about the position, not the person - companies reinvent themselves regularly."

And everyone "goes on the same [emotional] rollercoaster" when facing redundancy.

Crispin Garden-Webster, a former Telecom HR manager now in business as Talent Solutions, says: "You'll go through different stages ranging from festering resentment to 'gee, it's not that bad'."

But resist the temptation to "climb in on yourself and worry. The more you talk about it with people, the more perspective you get". And you'll be in much better shape for interviews.

If you're working out notice, keep your dignity as much as possible, no matter how pained you feel. "Leave on good terms," says Garden-Webster.

Reflect

Redundancy offers the chance to re-evaluate career and lifestyle options, says career counsellor Debra Knox.

"Don't make a knee-jerk reaction. Take a step to the side and look at your life from a more holistic point of view."

To find some direction, Garden-Webster recommends Richard Bolles' What Colour is Your Parachute? (Ten Speed Press, $49.95). Subtitled "a practical manual for job-hunters and career-changers", it helps readers to define their job-search goals and reach them.

Make lists

Friends, family, acquaintances - everyone you know, full-stop, says Garden-Webster - "even if you've got just their business card or email address".

He suggests doing a stocktake of yourself - "what you're good at, and also the less tangible, like managing relationships and researching."

Network and stay visible

Go to public events and conferences, says Garden-Webster, and network with contacts and colleagues like crazy.

And don't feel stigmatised: "There isn't much any more - a lot of people have been touched by redundancy or know someone who has."

But Auckland career counsellor Fran Harre reminds that you don't have to tell the whole story, and that the first round of networking isn't about asking for work.

"It's about finding out what's going on in the industry, and who's doing what."

According to the DBM survey, 54 per cent of their clients found new jobs through people they knew.

It is estimated that about two-thirds of jobs are never advertised, being filled through networks, referrals, internal promotions and, occasionally, a CV on file.

Just 16 per cent got new jobs through a recruitment agency.

DBM managing director Karen Russell recommends that job-seekers dedicate some time every day to making contacts, and researching companies or new business ideas. She also suggests offering yourself to voluntary groups to keep up skills and interest.

Forget the net

It can't touch face-to-face networking. Just 1 per cent of DBM's retrenched New Zealand workers found their next job on-line. Recruiters in general don't regard the internet as an effective way to fill high-end posts; it tends to to deliver large numbers of CVs but poor quality candidates.

Make your CV unmissable

Elaborate, but don't fabricate, says Russell. In the wake of the John Davy debacle, she says, "hiring managers have heightened their screening requirements and are looking for the perfect candidate, so make sure you highlight how your experience matches their exact needs".

Garden-Webster concurs: "Don't write about what you've done, write about what you can do."

Knox recommends that you have two different styles of CV: one focusing on skills and strengths, the other a chronological run-down. "Remember," she says, "that this is your personal brochure."

Consider being your own boss - or change fields

"Don't assume you have to look for a role as an employee. There are other ways to earn a living than corporate slavery," says Garden-Webster. The temporary and contract market is growing.

Adds Russell: "Investigate options in different fields and industries."

She notices growing numbers of people becoming "disillusioned with corporate life and seeking out opportunities in academia and not-for-profit sectors, as well as starting their own business".

DBM's survey found that of those laid off whom it worked with last year, 61 per cent ended up in a full-time job. Eight per cent started consulting, and 7 per cent started their own business.

Knox warns: "Coming from a corporate environment to being your own boss can be very difficult. You have to be all things to all people."

Corporate Refugees