 |
 |
|
 |
||
 |
   |
|
Career Workshop: Describing Redundancy on a CV
“I was made redundant a couple of months
ago and I’m now applying for a new job. How shall I describe my
redundancy on my CV?” asks Paul from Cheltenham. Be honest, says Jeremy
I’Anson from CV Checker.
It’s very important to say that no one should feel embarrassed about redundancy. Particularly in these turbulent economic times there’s no stigma attached to redundancy. You can be sure that the people who are going to read your CV may well have faced redundancy themselves or know someone who has. So, my first tip is to be completely open when you describe your redundancy on your CV. Simply put the end date of your last job and don’t forget that this can be your contractual end date, even if you have been at home for a couple of months on ‘gardening leave’. You can then choose either to add a brief sentence in your CV or in your covering letter stating that you were made redundant ‘following a re-structure of the business’ or a similar clear and simple explanation. If other people were made redundant at the same time as you then mention this. Don’t forget to add the details of a referee from your last employer if available.
The advantage of being absolutely open about your redundancy is that it immediately removes any suspicion that you might have left for some reason other than redundancy, perhaps for poor performance or for some disciplinary reason. Make sure that you are clear about all the circumstances around your redundancy and be prepared to answer any questions that come up at interview.
Redundancy is not always a negative event in people’s lives; for some it means having a little extra money and the time to think about what they would really like to do next. Perhaps you have other skills or interests that you would like to pursue. Additionally if you have some extra time off then now could be a very good time to study or attend a training course.
All of these additional factors will have a direct impact on your CV. If you plan to stay in the same kind of job then now could be a good time to give your CV a makeover and give yourself the best possible chance of getting interviews. If you’re planning to change direction or do some training, then you’ll need to change the emphasis of your CV to highlight any particular skills and experience you have and add the details of any training courses you’ve attended or new qualifications that you’ve obtained.
So, freshen up your CV, think positively and good luck with your job search!
Do you have any career concerns? Are you worried about issues affecting you in the workplace? If you’re looking for expert advice to a career-related problem, email careerworkshop@jobsite.co.uk and your letter could be the subject of a future Careers Workshop.
For more Careers Workshops visit www.jobsite.co.uk. For more CV advice, visit cvchecker.com
Get Jobs-by-Email
Relevant Articles
Email a Friend
Think this article might be of interest to a friend or relative?
