What’s next?

Working Paper No. 33

Working all weekend preparing a workshop and getting ready to travel to a new client. Just another day in advertising. You put in the extra hours for tight deadlines, to secure the contract, and appease the new client. Setting a high standard from the get-go. It is tough. We’ve all been there.

Now imagine, you did all that. With only a couple of slides to tweak on the road, your bags packed, and comfy travel joggers on… then the email comes through. Company announcement, it’s not good news. And within the hour you are made redundant. Told not to bother travelling. Told not to worry about the workshop. It’s someone else’s problem now. They’ll handle it.

First, there’s shock and disbelief. How can this be when you are so busy? And why you? Why not that person in the team, or that person? Redundancy selection is a business decision. Not personal. But it sure as hell feels personal.

Panic sets in. What are you going to do? How will you find a new job? What will people think? Money.

Then comes the anger. You worked your ass off all weekend and for what? To be told that someone else will hash something together for the workshop. Your hard work and dedication devalued in an instant.

Redundancy slaps you in the face. It stings… but then, quite quickly it doesn’t. That negative energy transforms into curiosity. Excitement for the potential opportunities ahead. With a big question staring you in the face…

What’s next?

The question itself might leave you feeling a little overwhelmed. But you’re not alone. There’s a reason the 2022 word of the year was permacrisis. And global economic uncertainty continues to loom in 2023. So, the team at The 30 Minute University of Planning reached out to its members -- mentors and mentees -- to learn from their experiences of redundancy and career crossroads.

Through a series of in-depth but informal conversations surrounding the question “What next?” we uncovered some thought-provoking and invaluable advice to help you navigate these challenging times. Our thanks to AP, AS, BK, KW, and NSS for their time and for sharing their insights with our community. Here is what they had to say.

Make time for self-reflection

Making time for reflection was unanimous advice in our conversations. But whilst this might sound obvious, it’s surprising how easily you can forget to do this when money and stability become your short-term priority. This is especially true when you have no redundancy payout or gardening leave.

But how you approach reflection doesn’t have to be a long or mentally taxing process either. With a few simple questions, you can discover your superpower. Here’s an example of some simple questions to ask yourself to aid reflection:

·      What type of work do you enjoy doing?

·      Which categories are you most excited about?

·      What type of stuff do you want to do less of?

·      What are you awesome at?

·      What new things do you want to learn?

These questions are posed from an agency Strategist’s POV. But regardless of your career, you should find some value. Grab a pen and paper and write from the heart. Just 10 minutes per question and see what you discover.

Whilst you reflect, steer clear of comparison. Comparing yourself to others, be that friends or colleagues can lead you down a path of toxic thoughts. Reflection is about you and you only, so just focus on your journey, and your growth and development.

Redundancy has been forced on you, but you can take back control. You have choices in your life, and you don’t have to jump straight into the same old thing or the first thing to come along. Empower yourself to start thinking about work differently. As NSS said:

“On average, we spend 90,000 hours at work in our lives (the only thing we spend more time doing is sleeping). So what do you want to do with them? And what kind of relationship do you want to have with your work?”

A final thought on reflection echoed in the discussions is to be easy on yourself, and don’t forget to have fun. In life and work. Because you will ultimately find success in the things you love.

Your Future Self

Shift your perspective to the future and visualise who you want to become and what you want to achieve.  Ask yourself what are the steps you need to take to get there. Your next job role has the potential to shape and influence future chapters of your story.

This type of life planning doesn’t need to be fatalistic either. Redundancy teaches you that you can’t always control your career path. But, being prepared can help us adapt and go with the flow more comfortably. Think of it this way; there is no good weather or bad weather, it is all about preparation.

Avoid limiting yourself. Much of what holds you back is a product of your own thinking. As a Strategist, you have many transferable skills so don’t feel confined to one path. As BK says:

“When you are in the business of ideas, there are endless possibilities for your career.”

And don’t fall into the trap of thinking about your career progression in a linear way (e.g. by X years I should be CSO). Because time doesn’t change things, people do. Allow for a more fluid and subjective approach to achieving your goals and ambitions.

Finding Work

Landing your next gig is the end goal. But naturally there are lots of ups and downs when it comes to finding work.

And a word of warning for you, be prepared for time wasters. The truth is many recruiters and agency talent teams have no idea what the strategy role entails. Recruitment has become less human, in favour of automation. As KW says:

“These efficiencies don’t support strategists who want to tell a story or showcase a proposition or brand platform.”

One solution you can consider is crafting keywords into your CV via a skills section. It is a simple change that won’t disrupt the flow of your narrative. Another popular option is to look for recruiters who specialise in Planning (perhaps they were once planners themselves) and find opportunities to liaise directly with hiring managers.

Lean on your network. You built it for a reason and this is one of them. Who can your old managers, ex-colleagues, clients and mentors introduce you to? This doesn’t mean there has to be a job at the other end of that introduction. A chat over coffee can be as fulfilling and insightful for your job hunt.

And what advice and support can they offer you right now? From feedback on your CV to a written recommendation. Even something as small as a thumbs up on your latest LinkedIn post can help boost visibility when you’re open to work.

Through the application process, remember that it’s easy to be swayed by a job title or the name above the door. Yet, this doesn’t always amount to the role you want. Be transparent with yourself and your future employers about your priorities and what’s important to you. But remain open-minded and know where you are happy to make trade-offs.

These decisions will be made much easier if you take the time to reconnect with your values. Because no matter the money on the table, you don’t want to find yourself working somewhere where your values don’t align. It is not sustainable for you, the team or the business.

Moreover, knowing where your transferable skills lie could open a host of job opportunities you might have not considered and even places that are better aligned with your values. Don’t put yourself in a box, instead be open-mind and explore a melange of options.

Who knows, maybe you are even thinking about freelancing and working for yourself. If this is the case, think about building your network outside of strategy. Partnering with creatives and copywriters enables you to take on bigger projects and share non-competing opportunities.

Our vision for this piece was to provide some helpful guidance and support to you, our community members if you’ve found yourself navigating the uncertainty of redundancy.

One of the most sobering facts that came to light in our discussions is that statistically speaking, you will likely be made redundant at least once before you retire. So please remember that you are not alone. And whilst it is an emotional rollercoaster, don’t let those feelings hold you back from moving forward.

This is not a reflection of your worth or abilities. You have a lot to offer… and this might actually be the best thing to happen to you.

Our mentors standing by should you need further guidance on this and a plethora of other topics.

And best of luck on your journey ahead.