Life after redundancy: Ben's career story

Name: Ben Sellers

Current job role: Marketing manager

Number of times affected by redundancy: 3

How many times have you been through the redundancy process?

I’ve actually been through the redundancy process three times in my working life, twice I was made redundant and the other time I was in danger of redundancy, but managed to secure a new role within the same company.

How did you find you dealt with redundancy?

I think it depends on the circumstances and situation. Both times I was physically made redundant were under very different circumstances and scenarios, so it’s hard to compare. The first time I remember working for a small, family run business and unfortunately the husband fell terminally ill. It was decided that the business was to be sold and all employees would be made redundant. There was definitely an emotional element to that situation, but in fairness it was handled really well and we were given a few months’ notice, which gave me plenty of time to evaluate my next move and look for new work. The second time really hit out of the blue and literally happened on the day with no real warning. There were severe job cuts as the business was no longer making a reasonable enough profit. Looking back, I would say both times I was extremely motivated (and lucky) to find new work so quickly. I remember I was made redundant on a Friday, and by Monday/Tuesday of the following week I had another job to go to.

What advice would you give to someone going through redundancy?

I would say to always be prepared, to imagine every scenario and outcome and give yourself options. Read up on the government guidelines, keep your CV up to date and adaptable, keep an eye on job boards and websites, even if you aren’t actively looking for work at that particular moment. Don’t feel ashamed or remorseful when made redundant, use it in a positive way to find a new and better opportunity.

How did you come out the other side?

I genuinely think I’m a better, more well-rounded person for it. It made me realise what I really wanted. It also made me realise that I won’t take anything for granted moving forward as it’s not always easy to find a really good and secure job that you can thrive in. I’ve lived in Andover all of my life, and being largely an industrial town, there aren’t that many good marketing opportunities. So when I was made redundant, my biggest worry was thinking ‘where am I going to find another really good marketing role locally again?’ I’ve always really enjoyed good work/life balance, so ‘will I have to travel a lot further now?’

Was redundancy a positive or negative experience for you?

I would say that in the moment of redundancy, it was a negative experience for me, but in hindsight it made me realise what I really wanted and I am a firm believer that when one door closes, another one opens - often a better one.