New career after redundancy?

davecon1

I'm not sure if this or the redundancy is the right place to post this question but here goes.

I was made redundant last year after working in retail for a number of years. My job was very niche so there aren't a lot of jobs going in that area. I applied to all the jobs available at that time and got nowhere and was lucky enough to be able to take some time off to travel and work abroad.

Fast forward 9 months and I'm back in the UK and looking for jobs again. As before I haven't had any luck at all despite having a ton of experience. It's pretty demoralising and after having my CV professionally rewritten I can only put it down to my age (45!) and/or the fact I worked in a family business.

My question is how long should I wait before effectively giving up on my old career? I really enjoyed my last job but each day that goes by I think that is a wasted day and that I should try looking for an alternative career. I'm beginning to see how and why so many people start up their own businesses in the 30's and 40's!

Thanks for any input!

[Deleted User]

Try to get in at a 'start up' new business?

They are the easiest to persuade when it comes to trying new positions in my humble opinion

mikecc

Hey

You're not alone! However I certainly wouldn't give up. Niche roles do take time depending on market demand, but don't abandon what appears to be a specialist career.

Firstly I would reach out to former employers, colleagues and peers, not necessarily just for leads on jobs, but general market intelligence, advice and perhaps a referral to a good recruiter or HR Manager.

In the time you've been 'out of the game' relative salaries might have dipped (pricing you out of the market if you have made your expectations known to recruiters etc.), there could be a new qualification requirement you don't have (which you could study for in your spare time) or any number of other things.

Where are you looking for jobs? Do you have a LinkedIn profile? Have you made contact directly (phone or direct email) with prospective employers?

The person who did your CV, were they a professional with experience in the staffing industry, or just a copywriter?

It doesn't hurt to have a second income, and indeed a contingency plan, but I think there are many more avenues to explore before you give up hope just yet!

If you want to provide any more specific detail, either here or in PM I could expand on my ideas for you.