The first time is a shock. The second time, something else creeps in. A quiet, uncomfortable question that is hard to shake: is it me?
We hear this from senior professionals often, including experienced HR and People leaders who have managed countless redundancies themselves. They know, better than anyone, that redundancy is about roles and budgets, not people. And yet when it happens to them, more than once, that knowledge does not stop the self-doubt from creeping in.
If you have been made redundant two or three times, this one is for you.
Why It Happens More Than Once, And Why It Is Rarely About You
Redundancy is a decision about a position, not a verdict on a person. Restructures, funding changes, mergers, cost pressures, a new CEO with a new structure. None of these are a measure of how good you are at your job.
There is also a pattern worth naming. The more senior you are, the more exposed you can be. Leadership roles are the first to be reshaped when an organisation restructures, and there are simply fewer of them. So experienced, high-performing people can find themselves made redundant more than once, not because they underperformed, but because they operate at the level where change hits first.
You would tell a colleague all of this in a heartbeat. The challenge is believing it about yourself.
The Story You Tell Yourself Matters Most
Before you worry about how to explain it to anyone else, notice how you are explaining it to you.
After a second or third redundancy, it is natural for your brain to start building a case against you. That is your nervous system trying to make sense of something painful, not the truth. Left unchecked, it shows up in interviews as apology and hesitation, and people feel it.
So the first piece of work is internal. You held those roles, in those organisations, for the time that you did, because you are good at what you do. That does not disappear because a structure changed around you.
How To Tell Your Story With Confidence
When it comes to talking about it with recruiters and hiring managers, a few things help.
Keep it factual and brief. Name the reason plainly. “The role was made redundant in a restructure” needs no apology and no long explanation.
Lead with impact, not circumstance. Move the conversation quickly to what you achieved while you were there. Talk about what you delivered, not what happened to the role.
Own the through-line. Multiple roles at a senior level, with real results in each, is a story of a capable operator who keeps getting hired by good organisations. Frame it that way, because it is true.
Do not over-explain. The moment you start justifying, you hand the interviewer a problem to solve. State it calmly and move on.
Be Kind To Yourself While You Find The Next One
You have likely spent your career carrying other people through hard moments like this. This is the time to extend that same compassion to yourself. Give your search structure, protect your energy, and remember that a hard season is not a reflection of your value. It is a season, and seasons change.
You Do Not Have To Navigate This Alone
Helping people move through career transitions, including the ones that sting, is exactly what we do. If you have been made redundant more than once, a good place to start is knowing how findable you actually are to the recruiters searching right now.
Try our free LinkedIn Visibility Assessment. In a few minutes it shows you how well your profile is set up to be found for the roles you want, and where a few small changes could make a real difference.
Reply to this email if you would like a hand, or take the free assessment and see where you stand.
People & Purpose helps HR and People & Culture professionals navigate their own career change and job transition with recruiter-led support, market insight, and a steadier way through the search.
Come join us in our new home
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If you are an HR professional navigating change, growth, or a transition, this is a space made for you. Somewhere to think clearly, get practical support, and be surrounded by people who understand the work you do.
Here is what is waiting for you inside:
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