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From redundancy to resilience
Two former editors who faced sudden job losses turned setbacks into opportunities, sharing hard-won lessons on navigating career transitions in 2026.
The power of honesty
Kristina O'Neill and Laura Brown, both editors made redundant after company restructures, initially viewed their dismissals as catastrophic. Brown, former editor-in-chief of a style magazine, described the emotional toll: "I poured my heart into the role... I believed in the values we promoted. Yet, when it came to me, those values weren't there."
Both women advocate using direct language about job loss. "There are so many euphemisms for losing our jobs," Brown said. "But the faster you own it, the faster you're honest about it, the faster you can move on." O'Neill, who spent a decade at a financial magazine before being fired after leadership changes, echoed this sentiment: "So much of the shame is in your head."
Reflection before reinvention
Career strategist Sarah Ellis, co-founder of Squiggly Careers, urges professionals to pause before launching a job search. "Reflect on the past year," she advised. "What do you want to do more or less of? What energizes or drains you?"
Ellis recommends reviewing past successes for recurring themes, cautioning against "recency bias" that overweights recent experiences. Brown added a personal dimension: "Decide where work fits in your life. Be honest about its impact on your social and family time."
Testing the waters
Ellis champions a "try before you buy" approach to career changes. She spent seven years transitioning from corporate work to entrepreneurship, building her business alongside her job. "It took longer, but it was sustainable," she said.
Practical steps include volunteering, joining projects of interest, or exploring new roles within one's current team. "Worst case, you dislike it-but it's better to know now," Ellis noted. She also suggests "bridging roles," temporary positions that align partially with long-term goals. "This isn't forever, but it moves you closer to your target."
Data and mindset shifts
Redundancies in 2025 reached their highest rate since 2021, according to official figures. Brown's team was laid off when her magazine ceased print operations in 2022. "Understanding this wasn't about my performance helped me process it," she said. "What you've learned doesn't vanish with a job loss."
O'Neill emphasized the impersonal nature of layoffs, especially in the U.S. "Don't carry that shame. It's likely not about you."
Strategic job searches
Ellis warns against applying indiscriminately when desperate. Instead, she proposes a "scanning" exercise: collecting 10-15 appealing job descriptions and identifying recurring keywords. "These reveal what matters most to you," she explained. "Create a career checklist to avoid wasting time on mismatched roles."
Brown advises reflecting on past joys and frustrations: "What lit you up? It might not be something you can do daily, but it's a clue to what you've overlooked."
New beginnings
Today, Brown runs her own media company, while O'Neill serves as editor-in-chief of Sotheby's Magazine. Their journeys underscore a key message: "Don't surrender your power. Remember your value," Brown said.
