The sooner you take action, the sooner you'll regain a sense of control over your life

Being retrenched is rarely a pleasant experience, but it doesn't have to be a traumatic one. With the right mindset, you can be one of the millions of people who have moved on to bigger and better things after being made redundant. Here are some tips for dealing with sudden joblessness.

Accept you are going to feel emotional

Your work has probably been a major part of your life and identity, so it's unrealistic to think you're just going to shrug off the loss of it overnight. Even the most levelheaded people can feel overwhelmed with shock, anger and sadness for months after being made redundant. But try not to take the redundancy personally and concentrate on moving on with your life.

Realistically assess your finances

You need a clear idea of your financial situation to determine how quickly you need to get another job and what kind of budget you need to stick to in the meantime.

Don't let the crisis go to waste

It might not be one you asked for, but redundancy is nonetheless an opportunity to take some time out and consider what you'd like to do for the rest of your life. Could now be a good time to make a career change? Should you do some study to improve your skill set? Can you start your own business?

Start taking constructive action

The sooner you take action, the sooner you'll regain a sense of control over your life. Look into what TAFE NSW courses are offered at your local institution, research what's involved in starting a business or start applying for new jobs.

Many people – including Steve Jobs, who was once retrenched from Apple, a company he created – have gone on to extraordinary achievements after being made redundant. With any luck, you too may end up viewing your redundancy as a blessing in disguise.