Cope with retrenchment

● Retrenchment is devastating financially and emotionally and it can take perseverance to get back on track.

“South Africa is currently at a 35.2% unemployment rate, which is understandably an amplifier to all the fears and anxiety. It’s devastating if you have been retrenched and are forced back in line with the other thousands and thousands of job seekers,” says life coach Lizette Volkwyn. She advises:

● Don’t navigate this very hard time on your own — talk to friends and family or even a professional and be willing to accept support.

● Make sure you have been treated fairly by your previous employer and received the benefits you are entitled to.

● Reassess your budget and adjust it to ensure your retrenchment package lasts as long as possible.

● Retrenchment gives you a chance to re-evaluate you career. “Even though it is really hard, this is an opportune time to determine where you want to go, be and want out of life.”

● Use the time to update your CV. “Don’t just send a generic CV — make sure you stand out and tailor each CV with a pitch of why you will be a great asset to that target company.” — Margaret Harris