At the job post · 7 min read
How do I write my CV after redundancy or a layoff?
Redundancy is about the role, not you. How to show it on your CV, explain it in one line, and use the weeks after to apply well rather than fast.
The short answer
After redundancy or a layoff, keep your CV focused on what you achieved, not why you left: end the role's date normally and don't mention redundancy on the CV itself. Explain it in one neutral line in your cover letter or interview: 'My role was made redundant when the company closed its Leeds office.' Then use the first weeks to decide what you want next before applying in volume.
Key takeaways
- Redundancy is a role ending, not a judgement on you, and employers know it.
- The CV doesn't need to mention it; the cover letter or interview can, in one line.
- Update the CV with results from the last role while you remember them.
- Take a week to choose targets before mass-applying.
- Ask for a reference and a written note of your duties before you leave.
On this pageWeek one: write down what you did
Week one: write down what you did
The details fade fast. In the first week, write every project, number and piece of feedback from the role into a master CV: the system you rolled out, the clients you kept, the time you saved. You'll pick from this list for months.
How the role looks on your CV
- End date as normal: 'Operations Manager, Acme Ltd, 2019 to 2026'.
- Results first, as with any role, and nothing about why it ended.
- If the company closed or restructured publicly, a few words of context are fine: 'site closed in 2026'.
Your one line
| Reads well | Reads poorly |
|---|---|
| My role was one of 40 cut when the company closed its Leeds office. | They got rid of me after seven years. |
| The team was merged into the US office, and my role went. | It was all politics, honestly. |
| The funding ended and the project closed. | I don't really know why I was picked. |
Choose targets before you apply
Redundancy is a forced pause, and also a chance to choose. Before applying widely, spend a week deciding: the same role elsewhere, a step up, or a change of direction. Test the change with one small piece of real work before committing. Then apply at a steady pace you can keep.
Keep the gap visible
If the search takes months, do one visible thing: a course with a project, volunteering, freelance work, or helping a former colleague's business. It gives you something current to talk about and fills the CV honestly.
OffLadder CV, our free Chrome extension, rewrites your CV for the post you have open, in the post's own words and order. Every change is checked against the CV you gave it, so it never adds a skill, a number or a job you don't have. You download it as a PDF or Word file.
What happens to the gaps
Applying shows you what employers want that you can't show yet: a must-have your CV doesn't mention, or a question you couldn't answer well. Hand the job from OffLadder CV to Laddie, our AI coach, and it turns each one into three steps:
- Learn the skill: a short lesson on what the post asks for, starting from the basics.
- Try the work: a 15-minute task taken from the job itself, so you have a real example to talk about.
- Practise the interview: a five-question mock interview for that role, weighted to the parts you're least sure of.
The conversation stays in your OffLadder account. Once you've done the work, add it to your CV in your own words, and the next post you tailor for can point to it.
Questions people ask
- Should I put redundancy on my CV?
- No need. Show the role with its dates and results like any other. If someone asks why the role ended, or if the gap since is growing, say it plainly in your cover letter or interview. It's a common, neutral reason that rarely counts against you.
- How do I explain being laid off in an interview?
- Keep it short and factual, then move on: 'The business cut 30% of roles after losing its biggest client, including my team. Since then I've been focusing on roles like this one, because…' Don't criticise the employer, and don't over-explain.
- Is it harder to get a job after redundancy?
- Not because of the redundancy itself. It's harder if you rush into applications without a clear target, or if a gap grows without anything to show for it. Keep a steady pace and do something visible in the gap, like a course, project or volunteering.
- What should I ask for before I leave?
- A reference, or at least confirmation of what the employer will say. A written summary of your role and results if you can get one. Contact details for colleagues who could speak for you. In the UK, Acas explains what employers can and can't say in references.
- Should I take the first job I'm offered?
- Only if it fits your floor on pay and conditions and doesn't stop you looking for the right one. Sometimes a stopgap is the sensible choice. Decide with your deal-breakers in front of you, not in a panic.
Exercises are practice, not evidence of career fit or a qualification. How to read our guides and report a correction.
Sources
- Job references · Acas
- How to write a CV · National Careers Service (England)
How this page is written
Sources support the factual background, not a guarantee that an exercise predicts career fit. Fictional practice material is labelled. Dates record content updates; no independent expert review is implied. More about OffLadder.