What to expect

The meeting is short and scripted. Access to systems often ends the same day, which feels brutal and is routine. Shock is followed by an administrative scramble: final pay, notice, references, benefits. The emotional hit frequently lands a week or two later, once the admin is done.

How to prepare

• Get everything in writing: notice, final pay, holiday owed, severance, reference.
• Don't sign a settlement agreement the same day — take advice first.
• Download personal contacts and your own work records before access ends.
• Claim any unemployment support immediately; entitlements often start from the claim date.

What people say

What helps

• A weekly structure — applications in the morning, something physical daily.
• Telling your network plainly; most roles still come through people.
• Cutting fixed costs fast and talking early to lenders or landlords if needed.
• One sentence about what happened that you can say without flinching.

Do and don't

• Do check redundancy rights and whether the process followed the law where you live.
• Don't accept the first settlement without understanding what you're waiving.
• Don't hide it from people who could help.

What it costs

Afterwards

Many people describe the next role as better chosen than the last. Keep a record of what you learned about what you want — it fades fast once you're employed again.

Why it matters

Most people report the financial dent recovers faster than the confidence does.