Redundancy is a business decision. Here’s how to bounce back fast

If you’re one of the many talented professionals who have been made redundant this year, the job market may feel unforgiving. Layoffs have swept across creative, media and comms agencies globally, driven by a jittery economic climate and shrinking client budgets.

But while the instinct is to immediately scramble for the next role, the first step is to reset your mindset because redundancy is almost always a business decision, not a personal failure.

Redundancy is structural, not individual

Being made redundant can come as a shock—one day you're planning a pitch and the next you're switching on 'open to work' on LinkedIn. The key focus here is mindset. I often speak to talent who feel ashamed or embarrassed that they've been let go, but in the vast majority of cases, redundancy is a commercial, financially-driven decision. When a multi-million-dollar account is lost, it’s not unusual for entire teams to be cut. Even on a smaller scale, your layoff is most likely tied to P&L, not individual performance.

Allow yourself a defined period (e.g. 48 hours) to process initial frustration or grief. After that, shift into action. Whilst the jobs market may have tightened, do not panic: there is still a demand gap for experienced, high-quality talent. In Australia, for example, the pool of active job seekers for PR and social media is consistently in short supply, creating an ongoing need for talent with specific skill sets.

Your ability to shift gears quickly may even work to your advantage. According to research by the World Economic Forum, resilience and agility are among the most highly sought-after skills for 2025-2030.

Optimise your job search

Start with the easy wins: Make sure your CV is up-to-date and immediately target easy wins on LinkedIn and specialist industry job boards (like Campaign Jobs in the UK or PRCA Jobs).

Despite high application numbers, the majority of applications on platforms like LinkedIn are irrelevant and lack the right experience to be considered. If you are qualified, you are most likely one of a few, not one of hundreds.

Use your LinkedIn network intentionally: Switch on your ‘open to work’ LinkedIn status to get on the radar of hiring managers and recruiters. When layoffs happen, it’s not uncommon for job seekers to seek opportunities within their LinkedIn network by posting about their situation, skills and what they’re looking for.

Connect with specialist recruiters: Contact recruitment agencies that specialise in jobs within your niche and location. They can provide detailed, real-time insight into the current market, salaries, how in-demand your specific experience is, and, crucially, connect you with roles that are not openly advertised.

Reach out to agencies directly: If you want to work somewhere, say so. Email the MD, head of talent, or senior leadership. Follow up more than once. Visibility cuts through.

Interview with clarity and confidence: Once you’ve secured an interview, don’t be nervous about discussing your redundancy. This comes back to mindset. Give a short, sharp and truthful answer that provides clear context. If you have the data, it helps to include this in your response. For example, ‘We lost X client, resulting in a strategic restructure, and I was one of X people affected by that decision.’

Your new superpower: AI fluency

As 2026 approaches, AI capability has moved from a bonus skill to a baseline expectation. Employers aren’t looking for surface-level familiarity but want proof of applied, commercial impact.

That means being able to explain:

• How you’ve used AI in your day-to-day workflow
• What worked, what didn’t, and why
• How you’ve helped teams adopt or upskill on new tools
• How AI has made your work faster, sharper, or more effective for clients

A mid-2025 Latte survey found that only 42% of Australian comms professionals had received any formal AI training at work. That gap is now closing and those who build real fluency, not just curiosity, will stand out sharply in 2026.

-Dean Connelly is the founder and recruitment director of Australia-based PR & Comms recruitment agency, Latte.