Date Added: 17.11.21

We won’t try to sugar coat it, being made redundant is tough. Sometimes it comes out of nowhere and knocks you off balance, other times you can see it approaching a mile off but there isn’t anything you can do to stop it. If you’ve been affected by the latest spate of utilities and energy redundancies, we’re here to tell you that even though it feels hopeless right now – there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

First, let’s set the scene: the energy industry has been hit hard by tariff hikes and spiralling wholesale costs. Many companies have found themselves having to make mass redundancies to stay afloat, or in some cases folding entirely. In fact, in September alone 6 British energy suppliers with a total of 1.5million customers closed their doors for the final time.

It’s a worrying time for those working for an energy supplier in 2021, and if you suspect your company might be in hot water – it’s important not to panic. When there’s an industry-wide threat of redundancy, it can be tempting to jump to the worst conclusion and assume that securing a new job will be impossible due to the competition.

As recruiters, we’ve been able to lend a helping hand to many businesses who’ve found themselves in the difficult spot of having to make redundancies. Yes, the situation does become a little trickier when there’s a large volume of energy experts vying for the same positions – but that’s no reason to despair. We’ve laid out some pointers for you below if you find yourself on the receiving end of more energy redundancies:

Process

You’re likely feeling shocked, upset and worried about the future if you’ve been made redundant. It’s really important to take some time to process what’s happened before you go into “problem solving mode”, not just for your mental health but so you can come up with a solid strategy going forward that isn’t driven by panic. You don’t want to just take any job that will have you, as you could find yourself in an even worse situation later down the line.

Remember that being made redundant isn’t the same as getting fired, it isn’t a reflection on you or your abilities. So rather than dwell on every potential mistake you may have made during your time with your ex-employer, look forwards instead of back. Start to think about the opportunities that lie ahead. Although being made redundant is never an ideal situation, it can sometimes be a catalyst for the career change you’ve always wanted. By all means, grieve your former job, but then take a breath and think about what’s next.

Plan

Once you’ve had some time to process, you should face some of the practicalities of being made redundant. The financial concerns many people face can’t be ignored, so it’s important to get a lay of the land in terms of what, if any, pay-out you’re owed.

This will likely have been detailed in the official letter you’ll have received from your former employer. Once you’ve worked out if you’re due any payment be it from a redundancy package or simply owed holiday days, you might want to get in touch with Citizens Advice to see what other financial help is out there to help bridge the gap between jobs. You’ll find that once you have a plan for how to cover your expenses, you will likely feel a lot less stressed about things.

This step is really important as it will help you determine how much time you have to focus on your job search and whether you need to apply for financial support to keep you going in the meantime.

Measure

Now that you’re in the right headspace to think about the future, it’s a good idea to map out all the skills you’ve acquired at your previous job. Think about some of your key achievements, successful projects or amazing targets that would be an asset to your next employer. You may even find that you can use this opportunity to move up the ranks into a more senior position.

If it’s been some time since you had to give your CV some TLC and you don’t know where to begin, take a look at some of the latest energy vacancies in your area of expertise. Scan relevant job ads for the desired skills and experience, you may be pleasantly surprised and realise that you’re actually  an all-star candidate.

Next Steps

After working out what your strongest attributes are, it’s time to start your job search again. We have to address the elephant in the room: competition will be really high as many people in the energy industry are facing a similar situation. So if you’ve always dreamt of stepping sideways into a different sub-sector of energy, for instance renewables or sustainability, now could be the right time to test the waters.

If you find that there are way more contract roles than permanent, why not foray into the interim world for a while. Try something new and buy yourself some extra time to let the market settle before making your next move. You never know, you may find you won’t want to return to permanent work once you’ve had a taste of the contract life.

The point we’re trying to make here is that being flexible could be your greatest asset in a candidate-led market, so think outside the box when planning your next steps.

Ask for help

Did we mention we’re experts in the energy and utilities job market? Being made redundant is confusing, stressful and can present you with lots of situations you may not have been in for some time. If you’ve been in your role for some time, rewriting your CV and being invited for job interviews or assessment centres can feel like a whole new world. If you find yourself stuck and need someone to put you in touch with great energy opportunities, we’d be delighted to help you through it.

Get in touch with our dedicated energy and utilities recruitment specialists today.

0121 633 3030

hello@consult-energy.co.uk