How to explain being made redundant in a job interview

This is one of the questions I get asked most often by candidates I work with. And I understand why - it feels vulnerable to talk about, and people worry about how it will be perceived.

So let me tell you what it actually looks like from the other side of the table.

Redundancy is not a red flag

Every recruiter and hiring manager understands that redundancies happen. Businesses restructure. Industries go through downturns. Companies make decisions that have nothing to do with the performance of the people they let go.

A well-handled redundancy - explained simply and without bitterness - is not a problem. What can become a problem is how you talk about it. Defensiveness, over-explanation, or obvious negativity about the company that let you go are all things that create hesitation in an interviewer's mind.

The redundancy itself rarely does.

The formula

Short, factual, forward-looking.

That's it.

You're not trying to justify yourself. You're not trying to convince them it wasn't your fault. You're just providing context and moving on.

What to say — scripted examples

For a straightforward redundancy:

"My role was made redundant as part of a broader organisational restructure. It was disappointing but I understood the business context. I've used the time since to [update my skills / reflect on what I want next / explore opportunities like this one] and I'm genuinely excited about what's next."

For a redundancy due to the company downsizing or closing:

"The business went through a significant downsizing [or: the company closed its Australian operations] and my role was one of several that were affected. It was a hard period but I left on good terms and I'm proud of what I contributed while I was there."

For a redundancy that happened quickly and recently:

"I was made redundant [timeframe] ago. It was unexpected but not something I've taken personally — these decisions are usually about the business, not the individual. I've been focused since then on finding the right next opportunity rather than the first one."

What not to say

Don't criticise the company or the people who made the decision, even if you feel they handled it poorly. It doesn't reflect well on you and it makes interviewers wonder how you'd talk about them if things went wrong.

Don't over-explain or apologise. You didn't do anything wrong. A long, defensive explanation implies you think you did.

Don't make it the centrepiece of your interview narrative. Answer the question simply and move forward.

If you were let go for performance reasons

This is different from redundancy and deserves its own conversation - but the principle is similar. Be honest, take appropriate ownership, and show what you learned. What you don't want is to describe it as a redundancy if it wasn't - discrepancies between your explanation and a reference check will cause far more damage than the original situation.

The energy matters as much as the words

You can say all the right things and still leave an interviewer with a negative impression if you seem bitter, flat, or unconfident. Practice saying your redundancy explanation out loud - ideally to someone who will give you honest feedback. The goal is to sound settled, not defensive.

Career Kit covers how to handle the most challenging interview questions — including redundancy, gaps in employment, and career changes — with the exact framing I use when preparing candidates I'm personally representing. careerkit.com.au.