How to explain being made redundant in an interview
Explain a redundancy in one or two calm sentences: the role was disestablished in a restructure, here is what you achieved while you were there, and here is why this job is the right next step. Redundancy is a decision about a position, so say it plainly, without apology or detail, and move the conversation to what you offer. Practise it until it sounds ordinary.
Redundancy is about the role, and how to say so
In New Zealand, redundancy means an employer has decided a position is no longer needed, usually because of a restructure, a change in the business or a cut in funding. It is a decision about a role. Performance and conduct are dealt with through different processes altogether, and interviewers who hire regularly know that.
That matters for how you talk about it. The words to use are the ones that describe what happened to the role:
- "My role was disestablished in a restructure."
- "The team was merged and my position was one of those removed."
- "The business closed its Christchurch office and my role went with it."
Phrases such as "I was let go" or "I lost my job" are accurate in everyday speech, but they can sound as if something went wrong with you. Describing the role is both more precise and easier on you. Our guide to redundancy in New Zealand explains the process and your rights if you are still going through it.
The 20-second answer
When an interviewer asks why you left, the best answer is short, true and pointed forward. It has three parts: what happened, one thing you are proud of from the role, and why this job appeals.
That is about twenty seconds. It answers the question, gives the interviewer something positive to ask about, and hands the conversation back.
The follow-up people dread is "why was your role chosen?" Answer it the same way, about the role:
Calling a redundancy a resignation, or leaving it vague, causes more trouble than the redundancy ever would if a reference check tells a different story.
What to leave out: the politics of the restructure, what you think of the decision, how you were told, and any settlement. If the interviewer asks a follow-up, answer it honestly and briefly, then return to the role you are applying for. Our guide to NZ job interview questions covers the other questions that tend to follow.
Restructures in the news and how to reference them
If your redundancy was part of a restructure that made the news, such as a public sector change or a large employer closing a site, you can use that. Interviewers will often already know about it, and naming it gives your answer immediate context.
Keep to the facts that were public. Do not share internal detail, criticise your former employer, or speculate about why decisions were made. An interviewer is quietly assessing how you would talk about their organisation in the same situation.
If the restructure was small and private, you do not need to explain its reasons. "The business restructured and my role was one of those affected" is complete.
On your CV and LinkedIn
You do not need to write "made redundant" on your CV. List the role with its dates as usual and let your achievements carry it. If there is a noticeable gap since your last role, a single line can close it before anyone wonders:
- "Role disestablished in a restructure, June 2026."
- "Position ended in a restructure; since then, completed a project management certificate."
On LinkedIn, it is your choice whether to say anything. Many people who were affected by a restructure post a short, positive note saying they are looking, and it often brings in introductions from people who remember their work. Others prefer to keep it quiet. Both are reasonable. Our guide to writing a CV in New Zealand covers gaps and dates in more detail.
Rehearse it until it is boring
Practice is what makes the answer sound confident. Say your 20-second answer out loud several times, then to a friend, then recorded on your phone and played back. Listen for three things: whether you apologise, whether you drift into the story of the restructure, and whether you finish on why you want this job.
Write the answer down and keep it with your other interview preparation, so you can read it on the morning of each interview. The demo opens with no account and shows how a job's interview notes and preparation sit with the application, ready to read before you walk in. After each interview, the debrief on the job records what they asked and what you would answer better next time, so each version of your answer improves on the last.
It is also worth being kind to yourself. A redundancy can be a real loss, even when it was nobody's fault, and it is normal for the first few answers to feel raw. If it is weighing on you, the wellbeing support available through your GP or an employee assistance programme, if your former employer offered one, can help. If you are not yet in work, Work and Income can tell you what support is available after a redundancy.
Carry the answer into every interview
A jobtracker.co.nz account keeps your interview notes, answers and every application in one place, and it is free for as long as you are between jobs, with no card needed. If you would rather look around first, the demo opens a full job hunt with no account.
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