10 things I would do if I was made redundant tomorrow…
(I currently work for myself, so hopefully my boss aka me won’t get any ideas!)
1. Remind myself it’s not ME that has been made redundant, it is my role. It might sound pedantic, but language matters – in how you talk to employers, and how you talk to yourself.
2. Do some journaling and reflection with an AI tool such as Claude to work out my USP. This doesn’t need to be one insanely unusual thing, but an interesting blend of skills, strengths and experience that genuinely feels like you.
3. Make sure my CV and LinkedIn profile are up to date. Get feedback from AI on the content, structure and wording, but ensure my USP and tone of voice are still there. AI can flatten wording to sound generic, so I would make sure I’m being specific about what I want to say.
4. Book in as many coffee catch-ups as my diary can manage. With friends, colleagues, old work friends, friends of friends. Position them as informal chats to learn more about different jobs and what is going on in their world. Ask questions such as, What’s a typical day like? What do you enjoy most? What have you learnt since starting?
5. Look after myself. Come up with a simple routine that works – scheduling in exercise, meditation, reading, and listening to podcasts to boost motivation (my personal favourites are How to Fail and Parenting Hell).
6. Set up job alerts on one or two targeted job boards to avoid endless scrolling. I would aim to never apply to a job cold, and reach out to someone at that company for an informal chat first. Not to ask for favours, but to learn more and get a vibe for the role and the culture.
7. Alongside this, I would consider setting up a side hustle straight away – to keep me occupied, add something to my CV, and earn some money. I’d pick something I enjoyed and that felt lower risk of being taken over by AI in the short term, possibly something like nannying, dog walking, or painting and decorating.
8. Explore freelance opportunities in my existing industry. I’d reach out individually to a handful of relevant contacts with a short, personal note about my availability and what problems I could solve – rather than a generic email.
9. Start being more visible on LinkedIn. I’d follow people and businesses I’m interested in, and like and comment on their content. I would also consider writing about my own experience of being made redundant, sharing what I’ve learnt and practical advice.
10. Set written daily and weekly targets – for example, networking outreach to 5 people, draft 3 job applications, 4 coffee catch-ups – and find an accountability buddy to keep me on track. That might be a friend who is also job searching, a mentor, or a coach.
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Feeling stuck in your career? Start with your values!