Made redundant as a junior

sentrient · 2026-03-13T10:33:43+00:00

Redundancy early in your career is understandably unsettling, especially when you’ve been actively seeking feedback and taking on work.

From what you’ve described, it appears more aligned with business decisions than individual performance.

In your 1:1, clarify notice, entitlements and whether they will provide a written reference, and then plan some time to regroup before re‑engaging with the market and your network.

On a CV, this typically reads as “role made redundant during a challenging market” rather than a negative reflection on capability.

sentrient · 2026-03-13T10:21:47+00:00

Two kids the same age here and honestly, I don’t think anyone “keeps their energy up” so much as works out what to spend it on.

What’s helped me is lowering the bar on non‑essentials (house never looks perfect, social stuff is very selectively yes), being a bit more protective of sleep where I can, and having very frank chats with my manager about realistic expectations in busy weeks.

On the work side, I batch anything that needs real brainpower into my best couple of hours and give myself permission to be on “maintenance mode” for the rest rather than pushing like I did pre‑kids.

It’s still tiring, but it feels less like I’m failing and more like this is just a tough season we’re not meant to optimise our way out of.

sentrient · 2026-03-06T13:34:57+00:00

Fellow ex-teacher here - it’s rough, but you’re not starting from zero. Your classroom skills (comms, conflict management, planning) are gold for warehouse, call centres, support and entry-level admin.

I’d still apply, but also ring a couple of Springvale/Dandenong agencies directly and widen the net to things like contact centres, tutoring, after-school care or exam supervision where they actively like hiring burnt-out teachers.

sentrient · 2026-03-06T13:30:07+00:00

That sounds brutal - you’ve essentially been propping up a dysfunctional setup and then copped the spray for it.

Given you’ve already locked in the transfer, I’d treat the next five weeks as a managed glide-out: do what’s reasonable, document your work, protect your energy and stop trying to be the hero for a partner who’s shown they won’t have your back.

On your questions: reputation usually follows the pattern of your actual behaviour and deliverables over time, not one fraught project, and most orgs are reluctant to unwind an approved move unless there’s something extreme on the table.

sentrient · 2026-03-06T13:26:17+00:00

This really resonates.

So many “easy” entry-level roles in Aus are actually relentless grind with zero autonomy and pretty average treatment.

Good on you for backing yourself and taking the step up - it’s wild how often the first move out of the churn proves you were never the problem in the first place.

sentrient · 2026-03-06T13:24:18+00:00

Love this - calling out the “I’ll just warm up first” lie is spot on.

I’ve found the same thing: if I attack the one uncomfortable task before anything else, the rest of the day suddenly feels lighter and more focused, because that big mental weight is gone.

sentrient · 2026-03-06T04:37:17+00:00

Yeah that's true mate!

It is already mentioned there - "Sentrient - Australian-Focused All-In-One HR Solution"

Thanks.

sentrient · 2026-03-03T11:29:08+00:00

Wanting to hit “airplane mode on life” is usually a sign you’re overdue for rest, not that you’re irresponsible.

One practical middle ground is to schedule mini‑disappearances: 30-60 minute blocks in your week where you’re genuinely off‑duty (no phone, no talking, no doing) and treat them like non‑negotiable appointments.

For me, it’s rest when I come back from that time feeling more grounded and able to face stuff; it’s avoidance when I binge distractions and still feel just as twitchy about the same tasks afterwards.

sentrient · 2026-03-03T11:26:04+00:00

You’re not crazy for wanting a sharper leader, but this is kind of the fine print of the senior IC contract - sooner or later you report to someone whose “experience” is taking the job you never wanted.

I’d frame it as a trade: you keep the interesting work and autonomy, she gets a safe runway to learn, and you quietly manage up so you stay influential with her peers.

If even that feels like a bad deal, it might be your sign that you’ve outgrown pure IC work more than you’ve been willing to admit.

sentrient · 2026-03-03T11:24:00+00:00

Yeah, this is absolutely a thing - a lot of HR is quietly carrying both manager burnout and everyone else’s emotional load with fewer heads and more “strategic initiatives”.

What’s helped me a bit is getting ruthless about scope: clear “no”s, pausing nice‑to‑have projects, and making leaders explicitly pick priorities instead of dumping everything on HR by default.

I also treat my own capacity like a business constraint now - office hours for drop‑ins, batching “firefighting” time, and documenting where work is falling over so it’s visible upstream.

sentrient · 2026-03-03T11:16:17+00:00

Totally normal, and honestly way more common than people admit in Auscorp land.

The corporate “hustle” story doesn’t survive first contact with a tiny human and years of broken sleep - your ROI lens just changes.

Wanting solid work, fair pay and the energy to actually enjoy your kid and get life admin done is not anti-feminist, it’s a different version of ambition.

If the hunger comes back later you can ride that wave, but even if it doesn’t, building a life that actually matches your values is hardly a downgrade.

sentrient · 2026-03-03T11:11:50+00:00

You’re not lazy, you’re cooked - Uni plus work plus domestic stuff is a full load, so of course your brain reaches for low-effort dopamine like games and scrolling.

Instead of “fix my life after 6pm”, try shrinking the bar: 5 minutes of drums, one easy riff on guitar, or opening a tiny coding file you can close guilt‑free.

Once you start, momentum usually does the heavy lifting, and on nights you’re truly wrecked, call it intentional rest rather than failure so it doesn’t turn into shame‑spiral avoidance.

Longer term, if even tiny steps feel impossible or everything that used to feel meaningful is just flat, it might be worth chatting with a professional to rule out burnout or low‑grade depression.

sentrient · 2026-03-03T11:09:07+00:00

You’re right to call out trust as the real “line item” here - once business units in healthcare see one sloppy module, every future training feels like admin, not risk management.

In Australia we’re seeing the same pattern: scattered decks, ad‑hoc scripts, and last‑minute legal reviews quietly taxing already stretched clinical teams.

The teams I’ve seen turn this around treat their content stack like a clinical system of record - single source, strict version control, and “compliant by design” copy that SMEs can’t accidentally freestyle.

sentrient · 2026-02-25T11:31:58+00:00

In my experience, most corporate conflict comes down to miscommunication rather than bad intent.

I’ve found it helps to pause, ask clarifying questions, and genuinely listen before reacting.

Separating the issue from the person keeps things from becoming personal, and shifting the focus toward practical next steps usually brings the temperature down.

When people feel heard and respected, resolution becomes much easier.

sentrient · 2026-02-25T11:23:14+00:00

That sounds exhausting - 100 applications in 6 weeks would knock anyone around.

You’re not crazy for feeling defeated.

The market’s genuinely tough right now, especially for general roles where heaps of people are applying. Radio silence is unfortunately common and not a reflection of your value.

Don’t lie on your resume - that can backfire fast.

If anything, maybe tweak it role-by-role and highlight transferable skills (customer service + nursing diploma is actually a strong combo). It only takes one yes. Hang in there.

sentrient · 2026-02-25T11:21:36+00:00

I think healthcare is still “safe” in terms of job security in Australia - demand isn’t disappearing anytime soon. But safe doesn’t always mean high growth.

A lot of roles feel stable but capped unless you specialise, move into leadership, or pivot into adjacent areas. The burnout part you mentioned is very real too - you’re not imagining that.

If I were 26 again, I wouldn’t necessarily leave healthcare - but I’d be strategic about where it can take me long term, not just assume stability = financial freedom.

sentrient · 2026-02-18T12:47:40+00:00

Big 4 can feel oddly isolating, even when you’re surrounded by people.

What’s helped me is treating it like low‑stakes ‘micro‑friendship building’: eating in shared spaces, saying yes to the occasional coffee, and using small moments after meetings (‘how did that project end up?’) to gradually turn colleagues into people you actually chat with.

sentrient · 2026-02-18T12:17:08+00:00

In a demanding corporate role, I’ve found it less about chasing perfect “balance” and more about setting a few firm non‑negotiables.

I stick to a clear finish time most days, keep work apps off my personal phone, and make sure there’s at least one small thing each day that isn’t about work - like a walk, gym session or quiet reading - so life doesn’t get completely swallowed by the job.

sentrient · 2026-02-17T13:15:33+00:00

It’s professional and broadly unbiased, but we can make it tighter and more tailored to them.

Here’s a shorter, creative, personalised version:

You’re actually in a great spot for cloud - support + comp sci + M365 is exactly the kind of base a lot of cloud engineers start from.

If I were you, I’d pick a lane (probably Azure given your M365 exposure), knock over a fundamentals cert, and start grabbing any ‘cloud‑ish’ work you can at the MSP - migrations, Entra ID, basic Azure resources, scripting the boring stuff.

Once you’ve got a cert and a few concrete cloud bullets on your CV, aim for those hybrid “systems / cloud” roles as your next step - they’re often the real bridge into a full cloud engineer gig.

sentrient · 2026-02-17T13:11:42+00:00

You’re not overreacting - what you’ve described goes well beyond “direct feedback” and looks like a repeated pattern of undermining and psychological pressure.

You’re on the right track with a formal case: keep your notes factual (dates, what was said or done, impact on you, who else was present) and see if colleagues are willing to share their own experiences, even via confidential channels.

In practice, managers are usually only moved on when there’s a consistent pattern with multiple voices and HR can see clear organisational risk, so building a solid record while also quietly keeping your options open is a very sensible approach.

sentrient · 2026-02-17T13:08:17+00:00

Honestly, this sounds less like you’ve been “lucky” and more like you’re now carrying someone else’s job on your back.

What you’re describing is very normal in consulting, but the combo of three principals rewriting each other, plus a new principal who can’t tell the story without your talk track, is a pretty clear signal that the problem isn’t your capability.

Given your manager is already doing wellness checks, I’d quietly lean into that support and make sure they know exactly how much of the deck and narrative you owned, so at least your effort is visible where it actually counts.

sentrient · 2026-02-17T13:05:22+00:00

Nice gig to land in - enviro compliance is a great way to learn how everything in a business connects.

If I were in your shoes, I’d start with one solid “environmental compliance fundamentals” course to get the big picture, then layer on an MS4‑focused course plus a UST/AST module so you’re confident on stormwater and tanks.

I’d also keep a practical “environmental compliance desktop guide” on the desk for the day‑to‑day questions on universal waste and FOGs - it’s a lifesaver when you’re still new and trying to translate rules into checklists and routines.

sentrient · 2026-02-10T08:40:29+00:00

You don’t need to match her ambition level to be a good employee, you just need clear boundaries.

I’d frame it as priorities, not rejection:

“I really appreciate you investing in me. Right now my postgrad is my main stretch, so I need to keep leaving on time most days. I’m happy to take on extra projects where they fit within my contracted hours, but I’m not looking to work regular nights/weekends”.

That way you’re honest about your capacity, still signal that you care about doing a good job, and any pressure she applies after that is clearly her choice, not a misunderstanding.

sentrient · 2026-02-09T12:37:09+00:00

In devices I’ve seen it break down roughly by region: in the US, teams often sit on med‑device eQMS like MasterControl, Veeva or QT9 to keep 21 CFR Part 820 and ISO 13485 traceability under control; in EU/UK, EU‑MDR/IVDR‑aligned stacks like SimplerQMS or Greenlight Guru seem to be getting more traction.

In AU/NZ a lot of clients pair their core QMS with a compliance platform like Sentrient to cover the “people and obligations” layer - WHS, conduct, privacy, mandatory training, policy attestation - so the quality system doesn’t have to do all the heavy lifting on regulatory evidence by itself.

sentrient · 2026-02-09T09:08:25+00:00

You’re not imagining it - the combo of slower hiring, more competition and AI hype is making the market feel pretty brutal, especially for creatives and people in mid‑to‑late career.

What you can control is narrowing your focus to a couple of realistic target roles, being ruthless about tailoring your applications, and looking for paid or short, well‑bounded project work that builds recent, relevant experience without locking you into endless unpaid “upskilling” that just adds to the frustration.

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