"This is my 3rd redundancy"

When Life Hands You a Pink Slip: Focus on these 3 things

I ran into an old client last week. After catching up on the usual small talk, they looked down and mumbled, "This is my 3rd consecutive redundancy." The shame in their eyes was palpable—that mix of embarrassment and desperate need for validation that comes when society equates job status with personal worth.

It immediately transported me back to when my husband's company that he worked for went into administration. As his wife, I'll admit I saw opportunity (was he ever going to leave voluntarily?). I envisioned more holidays together (he had capped leave; I didn't) and the chance for him to find a workplace that actually valued his talents.

But his perspective? Pure emotional quicksand. Despite the situation being entirely beyond his control, he felt embarrassed, ashamed of "not contributing," and—to use his technical term—"just a bit shit all round."

He was fortunate. New role secured in under 2 months, well below the current ABS data showing the median unemployment period is 14 weeks (as of February 2025). But that statistic is deceptively rosy if you're in heavily impacted industries like Financial Services, earn north of $170K annually, or work in mature job families disrupted by technology, regulatory changes, or M&A activity.

At Parity Consulting , our preliminary salary survey results (links below) suggest the reality is more like 6-9 months for many professionals. With redundancies and organizational change looming large in everyone's consciousness, this challenge only seems to be growing.

So what's my advice for protecting your mental health during these transitions?

First, guard your confidence like it's the last chocolate biscuit in the tin. Don't scatter-gun 100 applications using LinkedIn's "one-click" option expecting your phone to ring off the hook. Be targeted, strategic, and maintain direct connections with people inside organizations where possible.

Second, give yourself permission to step back. You cannot single-handedly overpower global economic forces through sheer determination. This requires strategic thinking, and you need to be in fighting shape to tackle it effectively. Consider (if you can) taking 12 weeks to recoup and decompress—stay out of the market noise. This ensures when you're ready to re-enter, you're fresh, confident, and have interesting stories about how you used that time (trust me, headhunters can spot the difference between genuine rejuvenation and half-hearted job searching from a mile away).

Finally, keep grounded in what truly matters: health, family, friends, and mental wellbeing. Develop a career roadmap with clear timing, expectations, financial goals, and the support you need from those around you.

I wish I could offer more tangible assistance, but as a small business owner, we've also felt the economic headwinds. Feel free to follow our company page for regular resources to help navigate these challenging transitions.

Remember: Redundancy impacts your employment status—not your value as a human being.

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