I am an investment banker in Spain and I have just been laid off. How do I get a job during the pandemic’s economic fallout? I am an associate, speak fluent Spanish and have many senior contacts. The bank I worked for has a good domestic reputation, but it is not in the bulge bracket. I feel lost. Am I unrealistic in thinking I can get a job? Male, 30s
Jonathan’s answer
It is always a shock to be made redundant, however predictable it might have been, and the shock can damage your self-confidence. It might be helpful to separate the emotional knock you have had from the facts of your career to date. You will need to manage your emotional resources so that you are feeling suitably positive and resourceful when deciding on your career path; if that is best done with a holiday, volunteering, or manual labour, then take time to do that.