Jobs are a significant part of our lives and identity so when we are made redundant, it can often trigger a personal crisis.
People who identify themselves by their job may start to question who they are when they suddenly become unemployed. As one of my client’s said to me recently “I always tell people I’m an IT programmer, but I’m not anymore so what do I tell them now”?
When your identity is so deeply embedded in what you do, it’s not surprising that redundancy can be stressful and devastating. Redundancy isn’t an easy thing to bounce back from but bounce back you must if you want to move on. If you don’t, there is a risk it will lead to emptiness, anxiety, depression and a lack of direction.
So what should you do to get your head back in the game?