Made Redundant: Should You Stick or Twist?
If you’ve recently been made redundant, you might be wondering whether this is the worst thing that’s happened to you - or the push you secretly needed.
Facing redundancy is a difficult time, especially in midlife. It’s common to lose confidence, question your direction, and fear that your whole life might fall apart.
According to Renovo research, 53% of employees facing redundancy said they were worried about finding a new role. This concern is especially common among mid-career professionals, who often face age bias and worry about being too expensive or over-qualified for roles.
It’s not just the loss of a job - it’s the loss of routine, identity, and the sudden shift in how you see yourself contributing and being valued. Questions like “What next?”, “Am I still relevant?”, and “Can I still change course?” typically crop up. At the same time, practical realities start to bite - finances, health, and the worry of being less attractive to employers.
These feelings are natural - but they don’t have to define what comes next.
Redundancy can also be a great time to ensure your career is aligned for future success and happiness. As much as it can seem like a low point, it’s also an opportunity to set yourself on a better path. Many lose sight of this, rush through, and make mistakes they later regret.
When you’ve been made redundant, you face a choice - stick with what you know and rebuild in the same direction, or twist and explore something new.
I’m a career coach for men over 40 - here’s my advice about whether to stick or twist.
Have You Been in the Right Role?
Some people are a great fit for their careers and jobs. For them, being made redundant is just bad luck - being in the wrong place at the wrong time. But for many others, redundancy creates feelings of being lost and confused. There are nagging doubts about whether you’re still good at your job, or whether it’s something you still really want to do.
A poor fit means you’re likely to find yourself in the same situation again. It’s just a short-term fix.
It can be a tough question to answer. There’s so much noise and fear, making it difficult to assess the situation clearly. You might feel a desperation to find something quickly. You can feel like a failure and want to retreat to something safe.
But if you handle the situation well and don’t shy away from the hard questions, it will lead to a happier and more fulfilling future.
If you’re unsure whether being made redundant was just bad luck or a sign of deeper misalignment, it helps to look closer.
Made redundant: How to assess if your job is a good fit
When you’re in the middle of uncertainty, it’s tempting to rush toward the next thing. But taking time to reflect on what truly fits you now can turn redundancy into a positive event rather than a setback.
Start by noticing how your work makes you feel. Do you end most days energised or drained? Your emotions are often the first signs that something isn’t aligned. Feeling bored, frustrated, or undervalued doesn’t always mean you need a complete career change - but it does mean something important needs attention.
Look at how well your job matches your natural strengths and needs. How often do you get to use the strengths you love most? Are your core needs - growth, recognition, autonomy, or purpose - being met? If not, that mismatch could explain a drop in motivation.
Finally, reflect on whether your values still align with your work. Roles that once felt right can lose their fit as you evolve. What mattered most a few years ago - perhaps ambition or financial security - may now have shifted toward balance, meaning, or impact.
Assessing fit isn’t about criticism; it’s about clarity. When you understand what truly drives you, you can make more deliberate choices - whether that means reshaping your current role or exploring something new.
Redundancy can be the catalyst for this reflection. It may feel like an ending, but it’s often the moment that creates space to ask, “What kind of work really fits me now?” With the right mindset, it becomes less about loss and more about rediscovery.
How to rebuild confidence after being made redundant
Even with new clarity, it’s not always wise to jump straight into action.
You might need some time to figure things out. This is not a popular point to make, but I’ve seen it with clients time and time again.
A redundancy is often a significant transition in our lives. When we’re in transition, we’re between states - the person (and identity) we were, and the new person we’ll become.
There’s an in-between time that shouldn’t be rushed - what William Bridges calls the “neutral zone.” If we allow it, during this time a new, better future will evolve and become clear.
There are two common mistakes during this period:
A tendency to “fast forward” - to get out of this uncomfortable phase as quickly as possible. But this often leads to rushed decisions that we later regret.
A desire to “go back” to what we were doing before - even if we know it’s not right.
So what can you do?
Don’t ignore your intuition.
Don’t suppress the “in-between” phase - ask yourself if you’re falling into one of the two common traps.
Let your body and creativity help and guide you.
Allow the future to unfold without letting fear or rigid ideas drive you.
Transitions are a natural part of life - you can’t, and shouldn’t, wish them away.
When you’ve been made redundant, reflection leads to growth
Whether you stick or twist, redundancy can become one of those defining moments - the time you stopped drifting and started steering again.
If this moment feels uncertain, remember - clarity grows from curiosity. The more you explore, the clearer your next step becomes.
You might be interested in this further reading:
A Call to Action
Want help navigating redundancy?
Book a free Discovery Call to understand how I can help you gain clarity on your career direction and future.
About the Author: Tim Storrie
I’m an ICF-accredited career coach with an Oxbridge education, an MBA, and a corporate background.
Drawing from my own mid-life experience of burnout and transition to a more fulfilling career, I help men over 40 who feel lost or frustrated to find a career that excites them through clarity and confidence.
My coaching approach is both nurturing and challenging, combining structured, exercise-based reflection with deep personal insight.
Would you like to understand how career coaching can help you get clarity on a more fulfilling future?