How To Survive If You’ve Lost Your Job

Losing your job might not sound ideal, but these three women reveal how it made them find unexpected riches:

FAYE HOLLANDS, 41

I worked in an investment bank in London and loved the lifestyle it afforded me. We worked hard and played hard. I was often in the office until 1am, but enjoyed partying and spending money on nice clothes. When I was offered a promotion I took it; the title and salary were both impressive. But I started to become disillusioned. The novelty of my affluent lifestyle was wearing off. I had zero career satisfaction and my days dragged.

Then, my role was made redundant. It gave me the push I needed; at 28, I sold my house, rehomed my cats and got on a plane to travel the world. I ended up in Australia where I studied for my coaching qualifications. I wanted to help people in the same situation I had been in – stuck in a job I didn’t like, but not knowing how to change it. I set up Outshine Consulting eight years ago and the job satisfaction is still immense.

It hugely outweighs the salary I used to earn. I don’t have a feeling of dread every Monday morning – I love my job. Taking some time out helped me open my mind to new things. In the same month I set up my business, I met my husband, and we now have two children.

I sometimes wonder what would have happened if I hadn’t been made redundant. Perhaps I would have still been single, working long hours in London and living a materialistic life.

Thankfully, I lost my job and my priorities shifted. Now I have a real sense of focus and direction.

Visit outshineconsulting.com.au.

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RUIMIN GAO, 29

After studying law at university, I worked in the Attorney-General’s Department as a legal officer and became interested in politics. In 2012, Kevin Rudd was working as a backbencher after resigning as foreign minister [and earlier being deposed as prime minister], and he advertised for an adviser to help with his international policy work. I applied for and got the job. It was amazing – I travelled all over the world with him, and met Bill Gates and Colin Powell.

In June 2013, a spill was announced, and Kevin became prime minister again. My job ramped up a lot. One minute I’d be researching something for Question Time, the next I’d be writing a speech or dealing with an incoming briefing. When the election was announced [in September 2013] things went into overdrive. The work was nonstop, exhilarating and exhausting. But when we lost the election, Kevin was out of a job – and so was I.

It can be easy for the public to forget that when a politician loses their job, the people behind the scenes making things run are also affected. It felt very abrupt; suddenly, I had to pack up my stuff and piece together the rest of my life. It felt like I’d gone from sprinting to stopping dead.

Being unemployed was hard. I’d always defined myself by my job. Having time off made me think about my sense of self, my values and my passions.

Eventually, I understood that that’s what makes me who I am, not [my work]. I’d fallen in to politics by accident and I realised that it’s important for me to be purposeful in what I do. I wanted to make a distinct decision about my career, and decided to go back to law.

I started working as a prosecutor in criminal litigation and now I’m a commercial lawyer specialising in litigation and China projects. Even when I have a rough day, I remember that I chose to be here and things feel a lot better.

Losing my job allowed me to choose another with intent, and now I truly believe in what I do.

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JONI BURLING, 30

I’d been working in a boring admin job for three years. I hated it, but it was well paid. I’d been through a bad break-up and was in a lot of debt. I was stuck in a rut and fed up with my life. Then last year, out of the blue, my role was made redundant. I was very stressed. I had no savings and didn’t know how I’d pay my rent. I was a mess.

I went for a drink with a friend to cheer myself up. He was running an event at [Mercedes-Benz] Fashion Week and asked if I could help. I agreed.

Suddenly, I was working out seating plans, sorting out a venue, finding sponsors – at one point I was even designing a revolving mirrored floor!

Doing something creative lifted my spirits. I realised I needed to change my life and take some responsibility for my own happiness. Through Fashion Week I became friends with a girl who was looking for a flatmate, so I moved out of my overpriced apartment and in to a house share. I lost 10kg and started to pay off my debts.

I found a job working in corporate events. It’s not as creative as I’d like, but it’s a step in the right direction. I’d never have got the job without my experience at Fashion Week; you never know where being open to opportunities might lead you.

Losing my job at 28 was a shock; I thought that was something that happened to 60-year-olds. It brought me back to reality and made me realise I need to take care of myself – nobody else is going to look after me.

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