A few weeks ago I was interviewed for a story in MindFOOD magazine about being made redundant and how I coped. A few years ago I was working for an interior designer and 9 months into the job was made redundant and how I started Nest Designs. I’ve included the text below because the article comes out quite small!
“I was working for an interior designer who had to make my job redundant after nine months. It was a week before Christmas, and I thought, ‘Oh, right. Now what?’ Trying to find a job over Christmas, then the January holidays, was pretty much impossible. It was really poor timing and scary.
However, I also felt relieved, because I’d reached the point in the job where I was starting to wonder what my career progression would be.
I still lived at home, so was lucky in that regard, and I decided I would travel. When I came back, I really wanted to start my own business.
Finding clients was the biggest challenge I had building my own business. I had no trouble setting up the website d3367525.i238.quadrahosting.com.au, and using social media … but then it was just a matter of waiting. I mainly stuck to online advertising, and using Twitter and Facebook, to get my name out there.
Social media has worked an absolute treat; it’s amazing. I don’t really pay for advertising anymore because I just use my social media networks. I can get clients simply by posting a photo on Instagram. Ten years ago this would not have been possible. I would have just had to have waited until I got a new job.
The important thing is to not lose hope, because there is always going to be something, even if it’s a job in a cafe down the road. I had friends who finished uni the same time as me and had taken jobs in retail just because there was nothing else on offer.
I did a short course in business planning, as it was important for me to use the time wisely after I was made redundant, and not just sit around moping. You just need to get out there and do something.”
