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Redundancy can come as a big hit to your confidence, not to mention your career, so it’s natural that people who have recently been made redundant can fall into bad habits during subsequent interview processes.

If you’re asked about the circumstances of a redundancy when in interview, try to avoid the classic mistake of sounding like a victim, or worse, coming across as angry or bitter. After all, no company wants difficult employees with negative attitudes.

Deal with it

Might sound harsh, but the reality is you need to cope emotionally with the rejection you’ve experienced before you can move on. Don’t forget that redundancy is more common than ever before, with virtually no one having the traditional ‘jobs for life’. Add into the mix a volatile economy and redundancy is not so unusual.

Accept what you can’t change, work on what you can

Perhaps your redundancy was nothing to do with you – and perhaps your senior management were devastated to see you go. But it’s also more than possible that there are particular skills or personality traits that could use a little work. And a spot of personal continual professional development never did anyone any harm; so consider sharpening up your recruitment skills, for a start. Working with a professional interview or executive coach at City CV can make all the difference to the toughest interview experiences.

Prepare the story

It’s all about the preparation; it is a cardinal sin not to at least have an idea about how to respond to the classic interview questions, so don’t get surprised if they ask why you left your last job. You’ll be lucky not to babble, and will very likely lose credibility if you don’t have a polished answer.

Think about the reasons for your redundancy well in advance and discuss with friends or an interview coach if possible. After honing and spinning and polishing for a while, you’ll come up with a narrative that puts you in a professional, positive light. Make it the truth, but always in a positive light.

Be confident

Sounds simple, and can be hard, but keep your chin up and act as if you are a valuable asset on the recruitment market, which, with the right attitude, you are. There is sometimes a fine line between looking desperate or looking like an available candidate that can add real value; much of this is about presentation and confidence. Never feel embarrassed about being made redundant. Try saying out loud in preparation that the experience has been character building and a great opportunity for bringing about positive change.

 

If you feel you need help preparing for future interviews to deal with the redundancy question and more, City CV can help. Our talented team of professional CV writers and interview coaches have over 100 years of collective experience, across a wide range of sectors. To find out how we can better your chances of succeeding at interview, give us a call on +44 20 7100 6656 or send an email to enquiries@citycv.com.

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at www.freedigitalphotos.net/