Part II: Ack! I've just been made redundant! Now What!?!

In 2017 the company I'd worked at for 2 years decided to "go in a new direction".  It was a 12 person company, so it wasn't like I'd expected to retire from there or anything...still.

I was really sad about it. We'd been working so hard, had accomplished so much, yet the company was putting all that (and me) to one side.

However, it wasn't my first rodeo.  Business is hard.  We're expensive.  The junior devs who were on their first or second job out of university saw it as an apocalypse.

I wrote this article to help them:
https://www.kencorey.com/personal-blog/ack-ive-just-been-made-redundant-now-what

I wanted to emphasise the first point in that article.  Respect the feelings.  Process them, do not deny them.  Give yourself some time.

When the company you work for has to take the drastic step of making a large number of people redundant, there's rule that means the company *must* try to make decisions in as impersonal a way as possible.

That means, even though the redundancy or layoff feels personal to you (of course it does), to the company and the managers making the decisions it is a tool to try to keep the company going.

It does *not* mean anything bad about you.

Points to hold on to for today:
1. You are a valuable employee.
2. You were doing great work.
3. Believe in yourself.
4. Something else is out there waiting for you to find it.

Process your feelings so you can get through them.  Once processed, let them go, let the anger, hurt, recriminations or even guilt go.  Don't wear it as a badge, or use it to beat yourself.  Release it.

You had some good lessons, had some rough edges knocked off, made some great connections, and have a better idea of what you don't want which means you know more about what you really do.

You'll then be free to chase the next big dream!

For tomorrow ask yourself a few important questions:
+) What do I want to do?  (same career?  New career? Manage? Stay technical?)
+) What do I want to be known for?
+) What do I want my career to accomplish in the long term?
+) Do I want to work for a paycheque, or work for a cause?
+) What does 'happy' or 'satisfied' look like to me?

Ask yourself these questions.  Think about them.  Don't just dash off a 5 minute answer.  Think about them in the shower tomorrow, next week, next month.  Give your best answer for today.

Once you have answers, you have clues to what's going to make you a better you.

Come back in 6 months and reassess.  If your answers to those questions have changed (Got married? Had a child? Discovered a passion for the environment/social work/animal rights, etc) maybe it's time to adjust course.

Most importantly through all this: believe in yourself.  Show that to other people.