The stressful rush to jump straight into a new job after the loss of an old one can be incredibly daunting, whatever the reason for being out of work. It’s easy to wonder ‘Well what do I do now?” and other questions filled with urgency. You are not alone in trying to break through the initial barrier before leaping back into the world of work, and here are a number of things to consider and explore, depending on your situation.

It’s possible you’ve just been put out of work and are now left with the prospect of wanting to find a new job right away. If your situation allows, both financially and personally, now may be the perfect opportunity to taking the time to work on improving yourself as a candidate. Finding courses to develop more of some key specific skills can hugely boost your profile as a candidate and can make the later job search all the more successful, both in positions you may be offered and in faster time.

This may also apply if you have recently been let go, fired or lost a job in a position you now realise you didn’t enjoy, or if you have a wider aim of working your way up the employment position ladder. Boosting your qualifications and displaying a willingness to learn and self-improve is massively appreciated by employers in all sectors, so shouldn’t be a potential that is dismissed. This can also act as a boost if you feel you have little experience in your field, and can set yourself ahead of other candidates if you opt to stay in the career path you’re currently in.

If your looking for quick, fast work an important tip is to not neglect networking, of any kind. Asking of local businesses, or positions acquaintances or family members may have seen opening up can hugely aid your job search and opens up numerous positions you might’ve missed applying for otherwise.

Another thing to ensure you utilise is the existence of online job seeking sites, such as Indeed or Glassdoor etc. These sites offer an incredibly wide range of remote, mobile, part-time, full-time or temporary jobs depending on your needs, wants and location straight from the employers. There is no limit on the amount of jobs you can easily apply to, most only requiring a CV submission or potentially partaking in a short questionnaire. This avenue arguably provides the fastest path to a diverse range of positions, so suitable if time is short for you and you require a fast search with specific needs (e.g. fitting around school times, ability to access childcare from the employer), but it may be tough in finding a career right for you.

Overall, finding a new job doesn’t have to be a rushed time of high stress. Your needs, wants and current situation will affect the optimal avenue to start your job search; presented here is the potential for utilising networking and current contacts, online job searching or taking some time to self-improve and boost your candidate profile. Good luck!

Redundancy is something we all hope to avoid – however with planned redundancies rising by 103% in just one month at the start of 2022, this may have happened to you. Being made redundant can leave you feeling lost, unaware of where to try to start again or how to manage the loss of income. In the hope of providing some insight and inspiration, as well as some useful advice, here is a guide on what to do and consider after being faced with redundancy.

Initially, it’s important to cover your personal financial bases. If living on your own, it is important to break down your current spending and any other income avenues you still have. Budgeting is hugely important regardless but especially after having an income stream cut off so suddenly. Make sure over the coming months you have a rough financial plan to ensure you know how you can get by, and reduce the day-to-day stress of spending.

Don’t forget: here is where you can ensure you’re claiming any financial compensation you require. Seeking council tax reductions, chasing up the correct statutory redundancy pay or claiming a jobseeker’s allowance if looking for a job are all key in ensuring safety in your finances and keeping you on your feet. Know your rights, and with growing accessibility online you can find a variety of tools to help you manage what you’re owed if made redundant.

If you have lost your job, it’s possible you don’t want to move straight into finding a new one. This time can allow for searching and exploring different paths; if you felt stuck in a job you didn’t enjoy, take your time to look in a new direction. Consider re-entering education, or taking up a smaller part-time role to allow some time to explore other future career prospects that may require more qualifications or that you simply haven’t found yet. Redundancy doesn’t have to be a scary, fast and stressful problem. You can opt to use your time to explore more, and find a career in something you truly love or simply further your education and qualifications to make yourself a better employee candidate.

Ensuring and solidifying your personal income, and the ability to financially support yourself after losing your job doesn’t have to be day-to-day stress. Seek financial compensation owed to you and draw up a budget, independently or with whomever you may share finances with, and feel freer from the burden of day-to-day financial stresses. From here, it is entirely up to you to decide the path you take. Finding small, local part-time work in the meantime is now easier with online job finders, and the endless opportunities to explore the world of adult education can open so many doors you may not have even been aware you could open for yourself.

Now more than ever people are beginning to realise the importance of doing what you love in a career, yet still it is foregone when seeking, or settling, on a job. Work styles, career goals, fulfilment or sheer interest are all core fundamentals to consider when thinking about a job you love, not only to be more productive and successful but to also ensure your mental well-being stays unharmed by keeping up with workload, and so you can continue to do what you love and love what you do.

Being stuck in a job you dislike, or even simply have no interest in can lead to feeling stuck in a rut of sorts; spending every day running to a destination you have no real interest in reaching is only going to result in feeling burnt out, and leaving the majority of your week dedicated to simply trying to get through something. Or, you may be without a job and feeling as though you’re also in a rut but unable to start running entirely, no path or destination to follow or achieve and both easily leading to feeling down, or anxious about the future, as well as a variety of other negative impacts on your mental well-being. Increased staff turnover, burnout, chronic fatigue and a loss in productivity are all direct consequences of so many people across the UK neglecting their well-being – especially over their job.

To do a job successfully, and to feel that sense of fulfillment you might be chasing after in your job search or in life as a whole, focus on really finding what you love doing first. This isn’t just about all the ‘feel-good’ business boom you’ve heard before, but really improving your day to day again.

Whether that is through focusing on existing interests and how you can enter a field that really stimulates your brain, or discovering ways you prefer to work and hunting for more practical or analytical jobs, there are numerous ways you can begin to prioritise yourself and find a way to spend your weeks without wishing they were drawing to a close. You can discover new interests or work your way up to qualify yourself in existing areas you know you love using convenient adult learning courses, for example.

With so many resources at easy disposal, no matter your situation there will be a way for you to find the time to explore gaining a career in something you truly love, or even simply finding new hobbies to enjoy and make the most of more of your free time. Focus on yourself – and boost your mood, productivity and take back your work week, to be one you enjoy.