THE current situation has impacted millions of people across the island of Ireland. With almost 2,500 redundancies proposed by employers in Northern Ireland, due in some way to Covid-19, redundancy is an all-too-familiar reminder of how drastically the business landscape has changed in the last six months.
Losing your job can be stressful and impact you negatively particularly in the short term, but that doesn’t have to be the whole story.
Here are my three top tips to keep your head above water when you’re faced with redundancy during uncertain times. It can also be a blessing, allowing you to revaluate your career choices to date, could a change of direction to a sector like marketing be for the better? In this column, I consider both points.
1 Seek help and advice where you can::
Unfortunately, the far-reaching impact of Covid-19 is affecting many people across Northern Ireland and the Republic. This does mean that if you’re at risk of redundancy, however, you are not alone, and there are more resources than ever to support you through this difficult time such as the nidirect government services website, which provides free, impartial advice on your workplace rights. Contact them at https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/contacts/contacts-az/advice-ni
The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development have published a bespoke Covid-19 guide for anyone affected by redundancy at this time: https://www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/fundamentals/emp-law/redundancy/coronavirus-guide
2 Utilise your contacts:
You’ve undoubtedly picked up contacts throughout your career, now is the time to make the most of these contacts. LinkedIn maybe the first port of call, but you can find entire communities set up to help jobseekers, such as NIJobs: https://www.nijobs.com/
3 Refresh your prospects and revaluate:
Building a new CV - in whatever format that takes - can be a positive process as you discover just how much you have learned over the years and the types of skills you now have to interest a potential employer. Some professionals will also be faced with seeking opportunities outside of their known sector but making a fresh start doesn’t have to be daunting.
If you have been made redundant, what help is out there to make the next step in your marketing career?
At CIM, there are a portfolio of marketing qualifications available for new marketers and experienced marketers, depending on what level you are at, to equip you with the essential skills needed to be a successful marketer.
There are qualifications at every level from Levels 3 and 4, designed for new marketers, covering key skills and knowledge needed to be a marketer at an operational level. While qualifications at Level 6, are designed for those who are at a managerial stage, covering key skills to be a strategic marketer.
To find out more about how you can become CIM qualified, go to https://www.cim.co.uk/qualifications/
:: Eileen Curry is chair of CIM Ireland
