Gavin Keyte’s Post

How long could you manage if you lost your job tomorrow? I'm going to press on on this subject of preparing financially for a potential redundancy. This post will make most sense to people in the UK, though I am sure there are equivalent policies available elsewhere in the world, particularly in the US. Sadly, I fear that people who would benefit from it most (people already in employment) will likely not be reading this post. This information will not help you if you're already looking for work, but perhaps something to keep in mind for when you do get into work again (and I assure you it will happen). Most of the anxiety around losing one's job comes from the financial pressure it brings. Let's jump right into the point of this post. Even if you think you're in a stable job, maybe consider taking out some unemployment insurance. And I wish I had taken some out before things came tumbling down in my last job. Here's an illustration: The screenshot below is a quote for unemployment insurance from Comparethemarket.com. If you get laid off/made redundant, or you cannot work for health reasons, the policy will pay out an agreed sum for 12 months. The premium is roughly £60 for an £1800 monthly tax-free payment for 12 months. If you do lose your job and have to spend 9 months looking for a job, this policy will pay you that sum for 12 months. For me, a homeowner in the London suburbs, that covers my mortgage and utilities. And for most families like mine, the mortgage and utilities form the biggest chunk of monthly outgoings, and definitely the outgoings that you can't really control. Even if you pay that premium for 12 months, that's £720 of premium for potentially £21,600 of return. And given the current job market, if you do lose your job, there's every possibility that you'll get close to maxing out that limit. I guess what I'm saying is, that if you're scared that you might be next (and let's face it, if you've ever been made redundant, you probably had a spidey-sense tingle months before). Worth noting that most policies won't pay out for anything that happens within 60-90 days of the policy being taken out. So don't wait till you get THAT call from HR. And I chose for the payments to kick in 60 days after I get laid off. Also worth noting that this policy doesn't work if you're in a contract or fixed term contract role like I am in right now. So yeah, that's my TED Talk :-D. The job market being what it is right now, seems like a good investment. Maybe cancel that SkyTV subscription instead. Your kids will be fine. Just look at how Rishi Sunak turned out. Good luck folks.

Yesterday I got a call from a candidate that was referred to me. She is a very successful insurance professional on the carrier side that has stagnated for the last 10 years in the same role. The multi-billion-dollar company she works for said they didn’t have opportunities for growth, promotions, or salary increases. For the first time in many years she got a 6% raise, whoopee. I said, oh boy, you got three percent to keep up with inflation, then an additional 3% bump. Now that is what I call gratitude – NOT. It is hard for me to believe when a dedicated, hardworking team member gets 9 out of 10’s on her review scorecard, the best they could do was a 6% raise. And to be clear, this was the first raise in many years. When I tell you, your company pays you only enough to keep you there, believe me. She obviously is frustrated with the lack of progress her career has not made and owns some of the blame for not acting and doing more to advance her own career. Here’s the thing, if you are stuck in a job that has no next step, it is up to you to take control. If you are looking for something more, such as leadership, having more responsibilities, and new challenges, then it is up to you to pursue those career options. You must advocate for you. She likes the company, and she does get paid well, and I suggested she look within the company for other opportunities that may appeal to her. That is the easiest, least disruptive way to a great new job. Look at what jobs your company is advertising, check with HR and see if there are openings within the company that are not being advertised. Many times, those positions are for internal staff, and they are not publicly advertised. If you have identified a new department you’d like to work in, go see the department head, and let them know you are looking for something new to advance your career. What are they going to tell you? Sorry, we want you to stay in your current position and be bored, and possibly force you to leave. I think not. The best source of new opportunities is within your company. You may be in a toxic part of your firm, but there may be other areas thriving with talented management, and a happy team. That is where you want to be. The rule of thumb is every 18-36 months have a sit down with yourself, ask you are you happy at this job, this company? Does this job still hold promise or is there no next step? A lot of managers don’t share opportunities with staff because they are too valuable to the department. That is called being selfish. Managers should train, mentor, and help their team grow, then let their best people leave the nest to advance their career. Anyone that holds you back by not encouraging you to keep moving in your career, is hindering your progress, not helping you. New job curious? Give me a call. Glenn – The Insurance Recruiter 720-442-8230

Why you can’t just rely on the day job. Here’s my sob story… It’s Christmas 2008. Despite working 400 (no typo) 12 hour days on the bounce for literal pennies I’ve just been let go from my first ever flying job. The economy is horrendous and for some obscure reason I can’t really recall I’m not even entitled to job-seekers allowance either. Oh, and I am also now technically homeless for good measure. I do not have a single pot to piss in. So every week I walked to the Job Centre just for my National Insurance stamp. As part of that process I’d show them my list of how many jobs I’d applied for that week, the picture below being one of them. And the lady would tell me there was nothing available and to come back next week. Then a 23 year old with about 6 kids in tow would walk in moaning she wasn’t getting enough in child benefits and I’d walk out shaking my head about the complete fucking unfairness of it all. As the weeks wore on and nothing changed I gradually got more depressed that maybe this was my future. These were dark, dark times looking back. And if I’m being really honest, I’ve probably had a massive chip on my shoulder about this period of my life ever since. So when I eventually fluked a decent job a year or so afterwards I vowed I would never be reliant on one company or a dickhead of a boss again. And I made some sacrifices and started buying some very cheap property as soon as I could. As my pay crept up I started buying a bit more. Eventually I had a nice little portfolio that kicked out enough to pay my bills and then a bit. And fuck me, am I glad I did that. Because it turns out that was only number one of THREE redundancies before I hit 35. The last two were from apparently “safe” career companies too. But with a bit of hindsight it’s blatantly obvious there’s not really many safe careers in ANY industry these days and there definitely isn’t in flying. In fact, if you look at the names on this post-it that lived above my desk for years as a reminder of those dark days you’ll realise very few of them still exist. And even fewer give a solitary fuck about you or your ability to feed your family. Like British Airways didn’t in 2020, who made me redundant on the day my second daughter was due. Fortunately this story has a happy ending because by that point the only way I was ever seeing the inside of a Job Centre again was to buy it. But that didn’t happen overnight; it took the best part of a decade of investing in property to get anywhere meaningful with it. As history has shown, it only takes someone to eat a bat in China and even the safest job disappears. So whatever it is, be that property, shares, Onlyfans, whatever… Just get started. Like, today. [Rate my sob story out of ten in the comments…]

Getting laid off is never easy, and I know it can feel overwhelming. But before you jump into job hunting mode, there are five crucial questions you need to ask your employer right after the news hits. Trust me, these questions will help you gain clarity and protect your rights during this transition. Here’s what you need to know: When Will I Receive My Final Paycheck? This might seem straightforward, but it’s super important. You’ll want to know when and how you'll get that last paycheck. Is it direct deposit, a physical check, or something else? Don’t leave it to chance—get it in writing! Will My Vacation and PTO Be Paid Out? Don’t assume your unused vacation and paid time off (PTO) will be compensated. Policies vary widely, so ask directly and ensure you get it confirmed in writing to avoid surprises. You deserve to know! When Will My Benefits End? This is a biggie! You need to find out exactly when your health insurance benefits will end. Am I Eligible for Rehire? This question is crucial for your future opportunities. If they say you’re not eligible, dig deeper to understand why. Knowing your standing can shape your next steps. Will I Be Offered Outplacement Services? These services can help you with job searches, resumes, and more. Even if they don’t offer them, asking plants the seed and might give you leverage to negotiate later. Don’t hesitate to negotiate for more support! Sometimes, companies are willing to extend benefits or increase severance if you ask. Remember, it’s all about advocating for yourself during this challenging time. You’ve got this! #JobSearch #LayoffSupport #CareerTransition #EmployeeRights #HRAdvice #OutplacementServices #WorkplaceWellness

No matter the circumstances, losing a job brings a range of emotions and questions. The good news is that there are steps you can take to lessen the burden of losing your job. I’m here to support you and provide options based on your specific situation.

A resume client of ours just turned down a $165k job offer. Crazy? Not at all. She’s a single mom, picking up 2 kids and moving across the country for this new job. The real offer was $145k and a $20k sign on bonus. Which, in theory, sounds great. But in reality, it’s not. She told them she needed $170k to make it work. In fact, $170k was right in the their range. But when the offer came, it was packaged a little “creatively.” When she crunched the numbers, she can’t make it work. The job she’d be moving for is in a place with a high cost of living. Her current employer pays 100% of her health insurance premiums. The new employer only pays 80%. She’d be giving up 5 weeks of vacation. And starting her new job with 3. I’m not a huge fan of the sign on bonus. I know they make you feel like a world class athlete to get that “up front money”…. But honestly, you are just being trapped. I’ve seen plenty of people scrambling to pay back sign on bonuses when they wanted to bail on a shitty job before the year was up. So, she’s passing on the offer and continuing in her search. One that includes more vacation, not less. #resumewriting #empowered #jobsearch

No matter the circumstances, losing a job brings a range of emotions and questions. The good news is that there are steps you can take to lessen the burden of losing your job. We're here to support you and provide options based on your specific situation.

No matter the circumstances, losing a job brings a range of emotions and questions. The good news is that there are steps you can take to lessen the burden of losing your job. We're here to support you and provide options based on your specific situation.

No matter the circumstances, losing a job brings a range of emotions and questions. The good news is that there are steps you can take to lessen the burden of losing your job. We're here to support you and provide options based on your specific situation.

No matter the circumstances, losing a job brings a range of emotions and questions. The good news is that there are steps you can take to lessen the burden of losing your job. We're here to support you and provide options based on your specific situation.