It used to be the case that people could get a job and expect to stay there for as long as they wished. That is no longer the case and we should realistically anticipate 3 or 4 job changes in our working lives.

When we are faced with redundancy, we often feel as though we are out of control. Something is happening to us that we don't want and we feel hurt, sad, anxious and resistant to that change.

No matter what our thoughts about it are, we have to deal with it.

I often speak to people who are faced with this issue .What makes it much worse is when people feel that they have given their work and I quote "their all" ,"the best years of their lives". There are those amongst us who focus too much on work related aspects and neglect personal areas of their life .In these situations, the void that redundancy creates will be so much greater.

Tips

1.Ensure that there is balance between your work and personal life.

2.It can be useful even when you are employed to periodically check out what other employment is available. Send off for job specifications as this may indicate to you what prospective employees are looking for. You will also become clearer about how marketable you are.

3.Have some contingency plan.

4.After the shock has worn off, try to look at your situation as an opportunity for positive change rather than as a problem.

5.Take control by taking action, rather than ruminating and worrying which tends to exacerbate situations.

6.Do some brainstorming exercises to generate ideas about what else you may be able to do.

7.Explore whether your skills and experience to date are transferable to other areas.

8.If you can afford to, it can sometimes be helpful to go away for a few days where you are removed from the situation and may be able to see things more clearly.

9.Sometimes sharing your concerns with others is useful as they may have had similar experiences and will be able to empathise with you and perhaps share ideas about how to manage this change.

10.Optimise your ability to cope with this change by paying attention to your general health .Ensure you eat properly, take regular exercise and have adequate sleep.