It won't happen to me will it?!

23rd March

BoJo announces we were going into lockdown and furlough was ramping up. 

I’d already been working from home for 2 weeks; Talent Attraction has always been a function where this has always been possible. For a lot of people, this signalled the start of a period of uncertainty, the length of which no one could possibly know during these unprecedented times. 

Later that week, the invite everyone was dreading dropped into my inbox:

Subject: Furlough

My emotions started going into overdrive…did I want to be furloughed (MB had already confirmed they were generously topping up salaries) or did I want to continue working from home to provide me and my family with a (potentially misplaced) sense of security? After a period of reflection, I definitely wanted to continue working.  The thought of doing nothing for what could be weeks or even months was just not appealing. I hate DIY, I don’t have any ‘home-based’ hobbies and I’m pretty sure my wife would divorce me if stuck with me for that long!

The next day I was told that the TA team were being furloughed however my role was deemed critical and I would be required to continue working. Phew! Being deemed ‘critical’ made me feel I was safe, particularly as what followed was a 3 month period during which I’ve never been so busy! Long hours, working on my ‘days off’ and just generally not stopping whilst my poor (not to mention amazing!) wife home-schooled our 8 and 12 year olds whilst on maternity leave looking after our baby!

1st June

Car showrooms open

15th June

Shops begin to open

I’d made it! Shops reopening, bars and restaurants soon to open, colleagues back from furlough, what could go wrong?! Then it happened…

Subject: Team Structure Update

Having been made redundant by my previous company, I knew the writing was on the wall and what followed was a week of utter despair. I just didn’t see it coming – 3 months ago I was deemed critical, what was happening? As much as you are told in your consultation ‘it’s not you, it’s your role that’s being made redundant’, I just don’t buy it. The work I do will still need to be completed once I’m gone so how can it be anything other than it is me? Why don't they want me anymore? Twice in a row a company hasn't wanted me anymore, what's wrong with me? Then the self doubt started to creep in and escalate and a million questions started circling in my head…

If my current company doesn’t want me, will any other company? 

How am I going to pay my mortgage? 

How will I be able to look after my family?

Will I need to take a big pay cut just so I can work?

Will I have to sign up to Universal Credit? 

Will we lose the house?

It was a downward spiral and I could feel myself slipping into a very dark place. 

It was evident early on there would not be any suitable vacancies for me and at this point, my employer offered me outplacement support and suggested I shift my focus to looking for an external position. As a TA professional, I was too stubborn to take them up on this offer – with all my years of experience why would I need any help?! 'Why not' should have been my answer!

I was on my own.  

My family were very supportive as you would expect however I knew deep down, they were as worried as I was so I knew I had to act fast and had to formulate a strategy.

OPERATION GET A JOB BEGINS!

I learnt a lot from the last time I was made redundant. It was a very different world back in 2017 – lots of opportunities to choose from and a candidate driven market but the tide has turned. We are now living in a world where pretty much every job receives hundreds if not thousands of applications and TA has been one of the worst hit professions following the continued fallout from Covid-19.  

Employers no longer need to be flexible. They don’t need to consider candidates with no industry experience or candidates that don’t live within spitting distance of the office. There are candidates for every job that tick every single requirement which makes it almost impossible to get an interview let alone secure a job.

I needed a plan…I still retained the belief that I have some great experience and something to offer an employer. I decided I wanted to maintain the notion that I was ‘working’ to avoid the shellshock of getting back to work once I secured a role so I followed the below timetable:

7:30-8:00 Breakfast

8:00-8:30 Spend time with the family

8:30-9:00          Shower and get ready for ‘work’

9:00-12:00         Job searching

12:00-13:00       Lunch

13:00-15:00       CV prep for applications / speaking to agencies and network

15:00-17:00       Spending time with the family

17:00-18:00       Go for a walk

18:00-18:30       Dinner

18:30-19:30       Spending time with the family / watching TV

19:30-21:00       Ad hoc interview prep

21:00-23:00       Disney+ binging (currently reworking my way through the entire MCU!)

Whilst this may seem excessive, I needed focus and I needed structure. I soon established that the key was to be one of the first applicants for every job that matched my profile. I signed up to every single job board I could for alerts (including some I’d never heard of!) and I took out a LinkedIn premium package (free trial) to help me understand if I was pitching myself for the right roles.  

Key Job Boards

LinkedIn

Reed.co.uk

Indeed

Google for Jobs

CV Library

Glassdoor

ZipRecruiter

Changeboard

Neuvoo

Total Jobs

The jobs started coming through thick and fast – volume wasn’t the issue but I quickly learned that the majority were at FinTech start-ups or Pharmaceutical companies requiring experience from within their industry which I do not have. 

I targeted positions I knew I was qualified for and made it clear on my applications that location was not an issue and I was prepared to relocate during the week or commute if possible. 

During these difficult times flexibility as a candidate is an absolute must. I’d love to work on my doorstep, but I would more love to be able to put food on the table for my family! Unfortunately these 'perfect' options don’t tend to be available any more – if you’re not prepared to be flexible, you will struggle to find a role. I see so many posts on LinkedIn with people turning their noses up due to location, requirements or expectations – this is not the time to stick to your guns on what you want, it’s more about what you need!!

One area I was not prepared to be flexible on was package. At no stage did I want to compromise on what I believe is a fair salary for the experience I have (I also have a mortgage to pay!). I have seen a number of employers trying to take advantage of the current situation and in some cases paying 20-30% below the market rate for what the position is! This is a false economy as whoever you hire will leave for the salary they deserve once things begin to pick up (and they will!). 

My CV was tailored to focus on the key requirements for the roles I was applying for (I think I have about 10 versions now!) and I submitted a personalised covering letter with every single application. I needed to be sure I’d done EVERYTHING I could to be at the top of the list and stand out from other candidates.

After 2 weeks of this approach, sure enough interviews started to come through. With Teams and Zoom interviews now the norm, processes are much quicker and slicker and as the following week progressed, all of a sudden I had my confidence and self-worth back. I was feeling back to my old self again which could only be a positive with interviews lined up. 

Within a month of finding out I was being made redundant, I did it. I received not one but two offers of employment with a whole host of interviews lined up. In the end it came down to my gut feel – my interviews with Rachel and Amanda at Carpetright felt good, it felt like a business that really valued TA and really wanted ME specifically to join the team and after 3 days in my new role this has been reaffirmed. 

I truly believe there is a job out there for everyone, you just have to be prepared to put the work in to find it. I have never felt as low as I did that first week, I’m now on top of the world in a job I already love and know will be great for my career and development.

TOP TIPS

• Get your alerts switched on and act fast!
• Plan and prioritise
• Be flexible
• Speak to and maximise your network
• Tailor your CV
• Don’t undersell yourself
• Take time over your applications and personalise to the company you are applying
• Don’t pray and spray with applications – only apply for roles that match your experience
• KEEP GOING!!!