Have you been made redundant and wondering what to do with all your spare time? Here’s what – practice what you’re good at.  

In these unprecedented times we have spoken to many candidates who were made redundant (or furloughed) and then started a new role or returned to their previous job. After a long period of time off work, our brains can become a little rusty to say the least. It’s like riding a bike, you never forget how to do it but getting back into it after a long time can make you feel a little fuzzy.  

After hearing from candidates in this position, who have struggled to get back into the routine of work or have found their usual work software daunting, we figured it would be useful to list some tips on how to keep your momentum going whilst not at work.  

1.) PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT 

As said above, if you don’t practice, you won’t improve your current skillset and will end up feeling overwhelmed when you return to work. If you have a PC or laptop at home, practice using the software you usually use. If you have a hands-on kind of role, practice that too! A bit of role–play never hurt anyone!  

2.) IMPROVE YOUR SKILLS 

Why waste this time off that you wouldn’t normally have by sitting around watching Netflix? Use the time wisely and gain new skills. Take an online course, do some research or even just use Google! Your current employer will love you even more for it, or if you’ve been made redundant, you will be doing yourself a huge favour when it comes to explaining your skills in an interview. Being able to self-motivate is a huge brownie point with an employer, so get productive and crack on.  

3.) WORK ON YOURSELF  

Use this time to stay healthy and motivated. Work on your mental health and wellbeing as well as your professional skills. The better you feel in yourself, the better you will portray yourself at work or in an interview. A mood can be contagious, so if you enter an interview with self-confidence and a positive attitude, your aura will pass on to others around you. Things like yoga, walking and eating healthily will help with this a lot.  

4.) REMEMBER WHY 

Remember why you chose your profession in the first place. If you’re a designer or an architect, take yourself back to what made you fall in love with the industry to begin with. Remind yourself which software you enjoy using, what you find easy and what you find hard and then challenge yourself. Work on what you find challenging so that you are at the top of your game – it’s currently a very competitive market out there. If you work in construction…. well, you probably haven’t really stopped working at all.  

5.) BE PROACTIVE IN YOUR SEARCH (IF YOU’RE UNEMPLOYED) 

If you lost your job and looking for a new one, don’t sit around and wait for something to fall in your lap, it’s not going to happen. Get your CV and/or portfolio up to date and looking incredible and get in touch with your recruiter. Don’t waste time applying for roles that won’t actually suit you just because you’re unemployed. If a role is too much of a commute for you or it’s not the sector you want to work in, why waste time? Now is a better time than ever to apply for your dream role.  

NEED HELP WITH YOUR JOB SEARCH? WE’RE HERE TO MAKE IT EASY.   

To search our current jobs visit the Hunter Dunning jobs section and use our search function to find the perfect jobs in property, jobs in Architecture, or jobs in interior design.   

Let Hunter Dunning do the hard work of finding a job or candidate for you so you can concentrate on making the best use of your time. As an exclusive candidate or client, we can offer professional advice as experts in our field, quality service, or even just a friendly chat if you need someone to talk to confidentially. See more about us here.