Print
Discuss
Send to friend
RSS feedsGiven that 2002 is said to have been the worst year in the history of the IT industry, it's not surprising that redundancy is far from unusual among IT salespeople and marketers.
It's difficult to estimate exactly how many IT salespeople have lost their positions, but taking into account that, along with numerous smaller companies, Marconi, Intel, Cap Gemini, Ernst and Young, and IBM have all shed jobs, the outlook has been far from rosy.
"Looking forward to 2003, we expect to see spending on IT and communications resume, driving a worldwide growth rate of 5.8 per cent for the industry," said John Gantz, chief research officer at IDC, the market research company that came to such grim conclusions about 2002.
But even if things are looking up, the threat of redundancy and its aftermath are not likely to recede overnight, especially in the light of fears about the international situation.
The negative effects of being made redundant are legion. Worries about money, uncertainty about the future, feelings of rejection and loss of self-esteem are just a few of the obvious ones.
But losing a job, as many people have discovered, can also present opportunities that may not otherwise have been available.
"Redundancy can be a blessing in disguise," explained author and trainer Nick Williams. "It can give us the permission to leave a job we wouldn't have the courage to quit, and can give us some capital to start a new venture. It can give us the freedom we were scared to take for ourselves."
Redundancy can perhaps be borne more easily when you consider that jobs for life, even careers for life, are a thing of the past.
Mike Carey is director of The Change Manifesto, a company that helps executives alter their career direction.
It's something of which Carey has personal experience. He was working for a small IT reseller helping to set up an e-business consultancy when he was given the task of closing down the group working on the project and making himself redundant.
"IT sales is quite an aggressive and competitive environment, and redundancy can be particularly painful and concerning. Age is an issue, as is having to keep up with what's new," he explained.
"Whatever industry you've come from, most people go through the same cycle of reactions to redundancy: shock, anger, the belief that something will somehow rescue the company. Eventually you accept it, but you will probably feel quite frightened about the future."
Where do I go from here?
After the initial shock has subsided, the question anyone who has been made redundant has to ask is whether to stay in the industry or do something new.
"If you're committed to staying in the same industry, you may find yourself competing with lots of other people for a smaller number of jobs," said Carey.
For this reason, an overhaul of your job hunting strategy may be needed. "You have to get in communication with the people who have the jobs," he stressed. "Speak to them and meet with them. Some statistics show that 75 per cent of available jobs are never advertised."
Never say die
But you shouldn't lose heart, even in a competitive market. Simon Bull, reseller sales manager at Oki Systems (UK), said: "If redundancy happens to someone who is confident that they are good at their job, it isn't a negative thing.
"If you're good at your job, you can do it for anyone. If you know deep down that you're not as good as you should be, then maybe it's an opportunity to look for something else."
Bull found that his sales record stood him in good stead in 1997, when he was made redundant from Tektronix's thin client division in 1998.
"The video group was being sold off and there were a few redundancies as a result. It was really a case of last in, first out," he recalled.
Bull was in the position of having to find another job - fast. "I'd only been working there for a year, so I didn't qualify for any exciting benefits. Also, my second daughter had just been born," he said.
As a result he moved temporarily into selling HP Unix servers, but took a position in the colour printer group at Tektronix as soon as one came up.
"I really enjoyed working at Tektronix and understood the reasons behind what had happened," he recalled.
When the division was acquired by Xerox, Bull was reminded of his previous redundancy, but realised that it had had its positive aspects.
"When the Xerox buyout happened I thought to myself: 'Am I going to go through it again?' But I decided that, if it did happen, it would be OK. I would manage. I would get another job," he explained.
"If you are in sales and you know you can go by your results, you can always go to another organisation and say: 'This is what I am, this is what I can do.'"
Moving away
In a shrinking sector, however, you may want look at whether your skills are transferable. This isn't necessarily a bad thing.
"It might seem glib, but it really is an opportunity to sit down and rethink things; to reassess what's important in your life and what your values are," said Carey. "You may find that another type of job embodies those values more."
For many people, this reassessment leads to the freedom of running their own business.
Like Carey, Edwin Minihan made the change from being an employee to setting up his own company when he was made redundant from his position at Logica. He now runs Mobisec, which supplies corporate management software and security systems.
"I came to the realisation that there was no longer a job for life," he explained. "I had quite a few friends who were made redundant from big organisations and who started their own businesses."
Running his own concern is not always easy, but Edwin has no regrets. "It's quite difficult to get new customers, but I've used contacts I had in the industry and that's given me a head start," he said.
"Someone said the best entrepreneurs are those who are forced to start their own business. I was compelled to do something, having been made redundant.
"I could have applied for another job, but instead I'm investing the time in trying to grow the company and I think that's rewarding."
MAKING A FRESH START
If you've been made redundant, chances are you're feeling pretty down in the dumps. The Change Manifesto has several tips for those who find themselves out of a job:
Don't panic! Use the opportunity to discover what's really important to you.
Structure and routine Redundancy can be de-motivating. It's important to get out of bed in the morning. Put in place whatever structures you need to be proactive in your job search. Develop a daily routine to support you, e.g. a daily phone call to a friend.
Keep busy and sociable Get in touch with all your friends. Don't be ashamed. Keep your social life and outside interests going at all costs (only maybe more cheaply!).
Build a support network When you know what job you want next, communicate clearly with everyone you know straight away exactly what you are looking for. Remember to thank them for any help they give you.
Money If money is tight, work out a budget for how long you can last without work.
Take some exercise Make sure you get outside and get some fresh air or go to the gym.
Look after yourself You need to be fit and full of energy for the job hunt ahead, so eat healthily, watch your alcohol intake, take some regular exercise and get sufficient sleep.
See also:
Poor exit procedures leave former staff laughing all the way to the bank 11 Mar 2003
All IT Careers and skills
del.icio.us
Digg this
reddit!
