Take the redundo, seize the day and revel in a fresh start
"I'd been working for the company for more than a year when I was made redundant," she says. "I was out the door and in shock. I couldn't talk to anyone. Just six weeks earlier I was told that I had made an outstanding contribution to the company."
Tobias believes her job loss had more to do with her gender than her performance. "The resources sector is male-dominated and very blokey. In the end it boiled down to the fact that I didn't fit in with the culture."
Tobias says the experience left her jaded. "I was embarrassed to tell people I was made redundant. I was concerned that, at 42, I was past my use-by date."
A psychologist specialising in organisational management, Daryl Stillwell, says most of those made redundant involuntarily have a similar reaction to Tobias. As much as they might try not to take the news personally, most do.
"They see it as a reflection on themselves," Stillwell says. "They think they're a failure. Also, they are concerned about their standing among family members and friends. They're worried about the financial impact on their lives."
A few others, he says, are over-confident, think it's the company's loss and they will find a job quickly.
Another extreme is the person who falls apart psychologically. They have invested everything in their job and lost not only their livelihood but also their friends because all their networks are linked to work.
"To them, the employer has effectively taken away the meaning of life," Stillwell says.
The most common reaction is somewhere between the two extremes and it is normal to feel anxiety and confusion over what to do next. A short break to recalibrate is ideal.
Tobias spent several months looking for work. After several failed attempts to land a job, she decided to go out on her own.
"I wanted to do something where I wouldn't be made redundant or lose my job because there was a change of guard or restructure," she says. "I started thinking about going out on my own. I had no idea about running a business. I got talking to other people to learn how to do it. I joined networking groups and I read lots of books."
Today, Tobias runs a home-based business and last year published a book, The Diaries of a Corporate Princess, to help others cope with career change.
Stillwell's recommendation to the recently redundant is to spread the word in a positive way that you are looking for work.
Also, it's important to spend time updating your resume. Finally, he adds, a change in job can turn out to be a positive experience.
Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…
Many people feel shocked, embarrassed or jaded after being made redundant. According to psychologist Daryl Stillwell, most people take it personally, worry they're a failure, and feel anxious about how family and friends will view them. Some become over‑confident and expect to land another job quickly, while a smaller group can fall apart emotionally if their work was their main source of identity.
Redundancy often triggers concern about finances and standing among family and friends. Stillwell notes people worry about the financial impact on their lives and may see the job loss as a reflection on themselves, which can dent self‑esteem even if the reason for redundancy isn’t performance‑related.
Feeling 'past your use‑by date' is a common worry — Hacy Tobias was 42 and embarrassed after being made redundant — but the article shows age doesn’t prevent a fresh start. Tobias spent months job hunting, then retrained herself through networking and reading, and ultimately launched a home‑based business and published a book.
Take a short break to recalibrate, then spread the word in a positive way that you're looking for work and spend time updating your resume. Networking, reaching out to contacts, and refreshing your job search materials are practical early steps recommended by Stillwell and illustrated by Tobias’s experience.
Yes — the article gives an example. After several months of unsuccessful job hunting, Hacy Tobias decided to start her own home‑based business. She taught herself how to run a business by talking to others, joining networking groups and reading books, showing entrepreneurship can be a realistic path after redundancy.
Networking is very important. The article highlights spreading the word positively and joining networking groups as effective strategies. Tobias credits talking to other people and joining networks as key steps in learning to run her business and rebuilding her career.
Feeling that redundancy was unfair or culture‑driven is understandable — Tobias believed her gender played a role in a male‑dominated sector. Stillwell’s advice is to manage the personal impact (take time to recalibrate), then take practical steps like circulating that you’re available for work, updating your resume, and exploring other opportunities that better fit your values.
Yes. The article stresses that a change in job can turn out to be a positive experience. Tobias’s story illustrates this: after redundancy she retrained herself, started a successful home‑based business and published a book to help others cope with career change.
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