Made Redundant as a Finance Manager: Your First 30 Days
Redundancy is hard, even when you saw it coming. One day you are running month end and managing a team. The next, you are working out your final pay and wondering what comes next.
For Finance Managers and Financial Controllers, redundancy often comes through restructures, acquisitions, offshoring or finance transformation. It is almost never a reflection of your capability. But it can still knock your confidence and create financial pressure.
The first 30 days after a redundancy matter. What you do in that time can shape how quickly and how well you land your next role. This article sets out a practical plan.
Days 1 to 7: steady yourself
The first week is about stability, not job applications.
Understand your entitlements. Check your redundancy pay, notice, unused leave, long service leave and superannuation or KiwiSaver. Make sure the numbers are right. As a finance professional, you are well placed to check them, but get advice if anything is unclear.
Review your finances. Work out how long your savings and payout will last. Build a simple budget. This reduces pressure and helps you avoid taking the wrong role out of panic.
Look after yourself. Redundancy is stressful. Talk to people you trust. Use any employee assistance program offered. Keep routines such as exercise and sleep.
Do not rush. Resist the urge to apply for everything straight away. A few days of clear thinking will save you weeks later.
Days 8 to 14: get clear
The second week is about direction.
Reflect on what you want. Is this a chance to step up, change industry, move towards business partnering, try contract work or find better balance? Redundancy can be an opportunity to reset.
Define your target role. Write one sentence describing the role you want, including title, industry, business size and location. Clarity makes every other step easier.
List your achievements. While your last role is fresh, write down everything you delivered, with numbers. Month end improvements, audit results, cash released, systems implemented, people developed.
Days 15 to 21: build your materials
Update your resume. Write it for the role you want next, not the one you left. Lead with scope and quantified achievements. For guidance, see what hiring managers want in a Finance Manager resume.
Update LinkedIn. Refresh your headline, About section and experience. Consider using the recruiter-only Open to Work setting. For more, see LinkedIn after redundancy.
Prepare your redundancy explanation. Write a short, factual statement you can use with recruiters and in interviews. “My role was one of several removed when the finance function was restructured after an acquisition. I delivered the transition and handed over before leaving.” Keep it calm and brief.
Line up referees. Contact former managers and colleagues who can speak to your work. Brief them on the roles you are targeting.
Days 22 to 30: start your search
Contact recruiters. Choose two or three specialist finance recruiters and speak to them directly. Be clear about what you want and your salary range.
Reach out to your network. Let former colleagues, managers, auditors and industry contacts know you are looking. Many roles are filled through referrals.
Apply selectively. Focus on roles that genuinely fit your target. Quality applications work better than volume.
Set a routine. Treat your job search like a project. Set weekly goals for conversations, applications and follow-ups.
Consider contract work
Contract or interim roles can be a good option after redundancy. They provide income, keep your skills current and sometimes lead to permanent roles. Many Finance Managers and Financial Controllers find their next permanent role through a contract. For more, see contract or permanent finance roles.
How to talk about it
Redundancy is common and employers understand it. What they want to know is that you handled it professionally and that you are ready to contribute.
Keep your explanation short and factual. Do not criticise your former employer. Move quickly to what you achieved and what you want next. For more, see explaining a redundancy without sounding defensive.
Protect your confidence
Redundancy can make capable people doubt themselves. Remember that the decision was about the role, not you. Keep your achievement list close. Talk to people who know your work. Confidence comes more easily when you can see your own evidence clearly.
What to avoid in the first month
A few things can make the first month harder.
Posting publicly about your redundancy in an emotional way
Criticising your former employer to recruiters or on LinkedIn
Registering with every recruitment agency and losing track of where your resume has gone
Applying for roles well below your level out of panic
Signing a separation agreement without understanding it
Take your time. A calm, planned approach almost always leads to a better outcome.
Using the time well
If your payout gives you some breathing space, use it. Complete a short course, learn a new system, refresh technical knowledge or volunteer your skills. These activities keep you sharp and give you something positive to talk about in interviews.
Some people also use the time to reconsider their direction entirely. A redundancy can be the push to try business partnering, a new industry or a more flexible arrangement. For ideas, see where Finance Managers go next.
How long it may take
Finance Manager and Financial Controller searches often take a few months, depending on the market, your target role and your flexibility. Plan for that. For more on typical timelines, see how long it takes to find a Finance Manager role.
A worked example
Sarah is a Financial Controller at a Perth engineering services business with revenue of $140 million. After an acquisition by a larger group, her role is removed and the finance work moves to the new owner’s head office.
Here is how her first month runs.
Week 1. She checks her payout, leave and super against her contract. She finds an error in her long service leave calculation and has it corrected. She works out that her savings and payout give her about seven months of runway.
Week 2. She decides she wants another Financial Controller role in project-based businesses, in Perth, with revenue of $80 million to $300 million. She writes down 15 achievements from her last role, each with a number.
Week 3. She rewrites her resume and LinkedIn, and prepares a two-sentence redundancy explanation. She calls three former managers to be referees.
Week 4. She meets two specialist finance recruiters and contacts 20 people in her network. Two conversations lead to introductions.
By day 30, she has not applied for many roles. But she has a clear target, strong materials and real conversations under way. That is a far better position than 40 rushed applications.
A weekly job search routine
Once the first month is done, a simple weekly rhythm keeps momentum without burning you out.
Monday: review new roles and choose the three to five that fit best.
Tuesday: write targeted applications for those roles.
Wednesday: two or three network conversations, by phone or coffee.
Thursday: follow up with recruiters and anyone you have applied to.
Friday: learning, such as a course, a system or technical reading, and a quick review of the week.
Keep a simple tracker with each role, contact, date and next action. It stops things slipping and shows you what is working.
A LinkedIn headline after redundancy
Your headline should describe what you do, not what happened to you.
Weak: “Recently made redundant, seeking new opportunities”
Stronger: “Financial Controller | Project Accounting, Month End and Cash | Engineering and Construction | CA”
Recruiters search for skills and titles. A headline built around them brings you into more searches.
Interview questions about the redundancy
“Why did your role end?”
Give your short, factual statement, then move to what you delivered before you left.
“Why were you chosen, and not someone else?”
Explain calmly that the role was removed, not the person. If the whole function moved, say so.
“What have you been doing since?”
Name the specific things you have done, such as a course, a contract role or volunteer work.
“Are you taking this role just to get back into work?”
Link your answer to the target role you defined in week two. Show that this role fits the plan, not just the timing.
Common mistakes
Applying for everything in the first week
Not checking redundancy entitlements
Updating the resume for the old role rather than the next one
Explaining the redundancy defensively or at length
Relying only on job boards
Taking the first offer out of fear
Your next step
If you have just been made redundant, start with the first-week steps. Check your entitlements, build a simple budget and give yourself a few days before you apply. Then work through the plan above.
If you want your resume and LinkedIn ready for a strong next move, my Gold package covers your resume, cover letter, LinkedIn and positioning strategy.
If you want help planning your next step, book a complimentary Clarity Session.
