Stuff I'M Thinking About

This is a list of everything you will need to think about, or at least that I can think of. If you think of something else to add, let me know.

Self-care

Restructuring is about forces outside your control, as I noted in a previous post. That doesn’t really help though, and for the weeks after you leave you will feel like shit. There is no other way to put it.

If your employer has an employee assistance programme (EAP), use it. See if they will allow you to access the service after you leave. It is OK to not have it all together, and to maximise your use of EAP. Southern Cross members can also get three sessions a year for free

Talk to your partner and family about how you feel, and check in regularly with them about your emotional temperature. A friend or extended family member is also an option if you live alone.

If things are starting to overwhelm you, seek help early.

Check out Miramar Mike’s excellent post on the subject.

Go for walks and get out into nature. Forests and beaches are good places to relax. Waves crashing on the shore or the rustling of trees have a calming effect on the soul and the mind.

If you are a person of faith, prayer is also a good way to work through what you are experiencing.

Work and Income (MSD)

I previously posted about this subject, and I recommend reading that post in conjunction with this one. In summary, get onto WINZ as soon as possible and apply quickly. There is no shame in getting support; you are entitled to it. Be prepared and take a support person with you. Their role is to take notes.

Be aware that MSD restructured last year, and that a higher than usual number of people are applying for benefits at the moment, so service may not be up to previous levels.

Final Pay

Check your final pay, and if you don’t understand it, get someone to talk you through it in person. Try to do this before you leave, as it much harder to do via email and phone.

Legal Obligations

You may have non-compete or confidentiality clauses in your employment agreement. It is possible that any non-compete clauses have been nullified, or may be unenforceable, because of the way you left the company. Consult a lawyer on this if you are unsure and it is an issue.

Personal Grievance

You may feel the company has not followed a good process in disestablishing your position. To lodge a PG you’ll need good evidence, so keep a copy of every email and consultation document, and take notes in every meeting you attend. If you are comfortable doing so, ask to make an audio recording of any meetings. Do not under any circumstances make secret recordings.

If you are considering a personal grievance (PG), get good legal advice. Be careful that any PG is driven by the facts and not anger.

I have supported people going through the PG process, and it can be a huge emotional and financial investment. Explore all the options carefully with a lawyer before proceeding.

One point to consider is that if you lodge a PG, and reach a confidential settlement, you will be constrained about what you can say about your employer. This includes not expressing any negative opinions about your previous boss, the restructuring process, or your company.

I am not saying don’t do it, just count the costs carefully.

Budgeting

WINZ payments, if you are eligible, may not cover all your current living expenses. Don’t panic. Put together a budget with a view to keeping close tabs on spending and expenses with a view to making the money from your final pay-out last as long as possible.

The CAP money course is excellent and will give you the tools you need to manage your money more effectively during this period.

Referees

Get the names of referees organised, with contact numbers. If your company does not allow bosses to give formal references, get a letter of service. Ask if you can draft this and include some of your major achievements.

Networking

There are two kinds of networking—personal and event-based—the first is as simple as having a coffee together. This is not a chance for you to complain about your lot in life, this is a chance to catch up and find out what the other person is up to. You may feel desperate, but don’t let that drive the conversation.

If you attend any events, the same applies. Take an interest in others first. The aim is to get out there, and get visible. I got my last three gigs due to personal contacts, and visibility of what I could do at the time someone else needed those skills.

Have a story ready if people ask you what you do, and keep it brief. If the other person wants to know more, they will ask. Have an idea of the sort of roles you are looking for, and keep that short too.

One tip: don’t say “I was made redundant”, say “my position was disestablished”. This makes it about the company, and not about you. It was about the company, and not about you.

Professional Development

If you have the chance and can afford it, undertake some professional development. There are also many free opportunities to learn. There are many meetups on a range of subjects. This is a chance to learn from others, but also to network.

Ask friends and colleagues about any regular events they attend.

You might also consider if this is the time to do something different. Someone in our street lost their job last year and spend time landscape gardening. They loved it.

CV

Get your CV in order, but be warned, everyone has an opinion of how to write a CV, some of it conflicting, some of it crap. Keep is simple, and focus on what you achieved, not what the job description said.

Looking for jobs

Sign up for Seek and TradeMe jobs. Both platforms allow you to save your job search parameters, and to setup daily email alerts. I suggest setting up a broad search, with a wide pay range. Start with a wide net as the market is tight and you might not get a role in your specialisation.

Track all the jobs you apply for with the date the job listed, the day you applied, when it closes. Here is a Google Sheet you can use. You are welcome!

If you are receiving jobseeker support, you will need to keep good records to provide to your case manager.

Make a set time every day to review and apply for jobs. Get into a routine. Call or email to get extra information if anything in the advertisement is not clear.

I tweak the top section of my CV for every role, and I hand-write my cover letters. I do not use AI because I find what it writes to be bland and without any personality. Having reviewed hundreds of CV and cover letters in my time as a manager, this stuff can count (at least it does for me as a hiring manager).

Sadly, many companies now use technology to screen CVs and cover letters, which is why you often see advice to ensure the right keywords are included in both documents.

I think this is a shame. Recruiting effectively is one of the key tasks of a manager, and it should not be delegated to machines, in my humble opinion.

Prejudice and discrimination

Sometimes you will be the subject of prejudice or discrimination when looking for work. Recruitment processes are frequently not designed for many people who might apply for the role.

Impediments might be the style of interview, the time allowed, physical access, or the location. Some companies now ask if you need any accommodations during the recruitment process. This is a positive change, and I wish more companies did this.

Discrimination is not fair, but there is nothing you can do about it. A friend recently told me (which is why I am including it) that after applying for a role, he was contacted by the recruiter and told that the company were looking to make a diversity hire, and he did not fit the demographic. This is illegal, hard to challenge, and my friend won’t be applying for any more roles at this organisation. Neither will I.

Blatant and obvious abuses of this fundamental human right (to be treated fairly) should be challenged if possible, but there is rarely proof.

The only insight I can offer is that companies that behave this way have a culture you probably want to avoid.

Recruiters

Dealing with recruiters can be challenging. Some are fantastic, others not so fantastic. The quality of recruiters is not something any one talks about because it’s generally not in your interests to make a fuss if you have a bad experience.

I will make a few important points, though.

The recruiter is not working for you, they are working for the company who engaged them. Some do a good job of representing the company, other will be purely transactional. Some companies will use technology to shortcut finding candidates on their books. The best recruiters get to know the candidates on their books, so they can make good matches, not just fill seats.

Temporary Work

Looking for a job is a bigger time commitment that you expect. I’d allow 3-4 hours a day. You may want to consider temporary work, short-term contracts, or even voluntary work, to keep active.

Home Workspace

You probably already have a space setup to work from home. If you don’t, it can be helpful to set up a space to work on job applications and have on-line meetings. This helps create a physical and psychological separation between ‘work’ and your home life.

Personal Projects

This can be a good time to do some personal projects. I made a go-cart for my grand-daughter in the weeks after I lost my job in 2022. Getting hands-on and stuck into a project can be very therapeutic.

Beware of ‘painting the house` and other long-term projects, as the longer you are out of work, the harder it may be to get interviews for roles; some companies might see the gap as a negative

Also, beware of getting sucked into watching endless YouTube videos. Yes, they help distract you from the pain and feelings of loss, but like all ‘drugs’ this effect will be short-lived.

Closing thoughts

The loss of a job is a challenging time, but it is also time to reflect on all the good things in your life. You probably had a good run are your last role, you achieved some really good things while there, so focus on those.

And as I mentioned above, if you start to feel bad about your situation, talk to someone you trust and get support.