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My role as a Talent Acquisition Manager was recently made redundant.
Unfortunately, it’s not an uncommon situation to be in, with many of my peers in Talent Acquisition find themselves in the same boat right now, but it’s been a real roller coaster of an experience. It’s somewhat cathartic to be able to reflect and share my personal journey, navigating the challenges of redundancy while searching for new professional opportunities.
From the initial shock to the ongoing pursuit of a new chapter, here is how I have been managing and processing the experience of redundancy.
When I received the news of my redundancy, I was overwhelmed by a whirlwind of emotions. While I had heard of peers in the industry facing similar circumstances, it still came as a shock when I found out that my role was impacted. I wasn’t alone – there were others who had also been impacted in my organisation and in fact I had been a pillar of support for a couple of them. I guess it was my turn. While I was glad that my team was safe with enough work for 2 operational recruiters to stay on (for now), uncertainty loomed.
I still remember the first words to my manager after hearing the news was “but I just booked Bali!”. Isn’t it funny how the mind works?
While not easy, I embraced the transition process with determination. I wanted to ensure that regardless of what I was feeling, I was going to exit my role with integrity and professionalism. I had been in my role for just under 2 years, and in some way that helped – I had been there long enough to form some amazing bonds, but searching for a new role wasn’t too distant a memory.
I shared the news with family and friends, but tried to keep it light with a “onwards and upwards” attitude. However, let’s be real — I was still grappling with the news, and it was going to take some time to fully comprehend what lay ahead.
It didn’t take long before my ‘positive attitude’ started to waver as the news started to sink in; “I no longer have a job to go to, what if I am not good enough and no one will want to hire me again?”
Coping with the range of emotions became a daily challenge. From frustration to self-doubt (and occasional sparks of hope and resilience), I rode the waves as best as I could. To take care of myself, I made a conscious decision to take a break from anything work related – at least initially. I needed time to process the change, so I surrounded myself with supportive friends, indulged in some Netflix binge-watching, and took a step back from the job search frenzy. I also reached out to others who had (or were currently) going through a similar journey. It helped to know I wasn’t alone.
As enough time passed, I was finally ready to let my larger network know that my role had been impacted, and I was ready to put myself out there. As part of my redundancy, I was fortunate enough to be connected to an outplacement and career transition firm called Directioneering. Here I sought guidance from a coach and utilised her to help refine my resume and attend workshops related to LinkedIn searching, networking, and personal branding.
I also reached out to professionals in my industry, attended industry events (hello ATC Events!), and sought mentorship from those who were in my networks and doing interesting work. Through these connections, I have uncovered potential new paths and possibilities I had not previously considered. Networking has become a lifeline of support and inspiration. LinkedIn has become my daily news sight.
What has been interesting is the number of complete strangers who are willing to give their time to have a chat with you, because they get it and want to help. Don’t be afraid to ask!
As I write this reflection, I am still on the journey to finding my next role. The path ahead remains uncertain, but my resilience and determination remain unwavering. The redundancy experience has taught me to adapt and embrace change, igniting a desire for fresh challenges. I’m looking at potentially doing some additional study, to expand my skillset into areas broader than Talent Acquisition.
More importantly, I remind myself that my worth extends beyond the confines of my previous position. I trust that the right opportunity will present itself, and until then, I will continue exploring, learning, and embracing the ever-changing nature of life.
In the meantime, anyone else going to Bali in November?
