Made Redundant? What to Do in the First 30 Days, From People Who've Sat on the Hiring Side
Redundancy lands hard, even when you saw it coming. One day you have a role, a routine and colleagues. The next you have a notice period and a question: what now?
Having sat on both sides of the hiring table, we have seen people handle this well and badly. The difference is rarely talent. It is usually what they do in the first month. Here is a plan for it.
Why are more people being made redundant right now?
Employers have been cutting costs for a while, and white-collar roles are increasingly affected. In September 2026, Jaguar Land Rover announced it would cut up to 4,000 jobs over two years, mainly salaried and management roles rather than factory staff (IBTimes). Recruiters are seeing the effect: the KPMG and REC Report on Jobs found the number of candidates available for work rose at its fastest rate in three months, with redundancies a major factor (KPMG and REC).
That means more experienced people in the market at once, and a clear plan matters more than ever.
What should you do in week one?
Get the practical side right before you start applying.
- Check the numbers. You are entitled to statutory redundancy pay if you have worked for your employer for two years or more. Check your notice pay, any holiday pay you are owed, whether there is an enhanced package, and what happens to your pension (gov.uk). The government's redundancy pay calculator shows the statutory minimum.
- Ask about time off. If you have two years' service, you are usually entitled to reasonable paid time off during your notice to look for work or arrange training.
- Agree your reference. Ask now what reference the company will give and who will give it. It is easier to agree while everyone is still in the building.
- Get the facts in writing. Your last day, your final pay and any settlement terms.
- Check what support you can claim. Depending on your National Insurance record, you may be able to claim New Style Jobseeker's Allowance. The gov.uk redundancy guidance links to what is available.
- Give yourself a reset. Take a couple of days to process it before you launch into applications. People who apply in a panic tend to aim at the wrong roles.
If you think the redundancy process was unfair, get advice early from Acas or Citizens Advice. For events from 1 October 2026, the time limit for most employment tribunal claims doubles from three months to six, but advice is still best taken quickly.
How do you explain redundancy to employers?
Plainly, and in one line. Redundancy carries very little stigma. Hiring managers know it happens to strong people for reasons that have nothing to do with performance, and many have been through it themselves.
Something like this works: "My role was one of several made redundant when the company restructured its operations team. I'm now looking for a role where I can build on my work in supplier management."
Then move on to what you can do. Don't criticise your old employer, and don't over-explain. If a gap opens up on your CV while you search, that is normal too. We cover how recruiters really see gaps in CV gaps are not career killers.
What should you do in week two?
Rebuild your CV around outcomes, not duties. After years at one company, most CVs drift into a list of responsibilities written in internal language nobody outside understands.
Go role by role and ask: what changed because I was there? Money saved, time saved, problems fixed, people trained, customers kept. Translate internal job titles and jargon into terms any recruiter would recognise. If you are considering a change of direction, our guide to transferable skills shows how to reframe your experience for a new field.
Then decide on the two or three types of role you are going for and build a version of your CV for each, rather than one CV that tries to fit everything.
What should you do in week three?
Start a focused search. Pick your target roles, set up alerts and aim for a steady number of well-matched applications each week rather than a burst of scattergun ones.
Track everything from the start: company, role, date applied, which CV you sent, contacts and follow-ups. A few weeks in, it is easy to lose track, and a missed follow-up can cost you a role. Our job application tracker checklist lists what to log.
Tell your network too. A short, specific message, such as "I'm looking for operations manager roles in manufacturing or logistics in the North West", gets far more useful replies than "open to opportunities".
It is also worth considering temporary or contract work as a bridge. Temp hiring is growing faster than permanent hiring right now, and a good contract can lead to a permanent offer. We explain how in is temp work worth it.
What should you do in week four?
Get interview-ready before the invitations arrive. Practise your redundancy line until it sounds calm and matter-of-fact. Then prepare four or five strong examples from your career that match the roles you are applying for, and say them out loud until they flow.
If it has been years since your last interview, the format may have changed. Many employers now use video interviews, competency questions and structured scoring. Practising out loud is the fastest way to shake off the rust. MyPathfinder's Interview Simulator lets you rehearse with Elise, our AI interviewer, with feedback after every answer.
What does the 30-day plan look like at a glance?
| Week | Focus | By the end of the week |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Money, rights and reset | Pay, notice, reference and support confirmed |
| 2 | CV | A CV built around outcomes, in two or three versions |
| 3 | Search | A target list, alerts, a tracker and first applications sent |
| 4 | Interviews | A calm redundancy answer and four or five practised examples |
What if you're being offered voluntary redundancy?
Then you have a decision to make rather than a situation to manage. Weigh the package against how long you could realistically be job hunting in your field, how easily your skills move to other employers, and what staying would look like after the restructure. If the scheme has a deadline, don't let the clock make the decision for you. This isn't financial or legal advice, so for anything complex, speak to Acas, Citizens Advice or a financial adviser.
The bottom line
Redundancy is a setback, not a verdict. The people who bounce back fastest treat the first month as a project: sort the practical side, tell a simple story, rebuild the CV around outcomes, search with focus and practise for interviews. Start with week one today.