Kathryn Jackson is author of How to Keep Your Cool If You Lose Your Job, the essential, hands-on guide for anyone fearing redundancy in the fall-out of the Global Financial Crises. With a foreword by international bestselling author John Lees, the book introduces crucial tips for surviving redundancy, divided into three core phases - Review, Plan, Act - all of which can also be very successfully applied to those considering a career change or entering the workforce.

Jackson is an executive coach with career management consultancy careerbalance, and has significant experience in supporting redundancies and restructures. She also provides executive coaching to a variety of New Zealand corporate businesses, designs and delivers management development solutions, and offers pro bono coaching for the KEA Community Trust in Christchurch.

Jackson has also written Essential Questions to GROW Your Team, an ebook for managers who want to experience the power of coaching as a leadership tool, and has published many articles across national and international media. A graduate of Stirling University (Scotland), Texas A&M University (USA), Kingston University (London) and the Oxford School of Coaching (London), she now lives in North Canterbury, New Zealand, with her husband and son.

How To Keep Your Cool’s workbook format contains helpful charts, worksheets, graphs and diagrams, and is packed with useful information and case studies. Ten crucial tips for surviving redundancy are explored : keep your cool; don’t take it personally; get professional support; lay the foundations; get structured; take your time; get flexible; take action; tell people; stay positive.

There are lists of essential resources (such as relevant book titles, websites and online tools), guidance on selecting a professional coach, a daily planner template and exercises.

Employment Today, New Zealand’s official HR magazine, wrote: ‘this is by far the best [redundancy] handbook I have come across. And from a professional standpoint I whole-heartedly recommend that every generalist HR practitioner gets a copy for their work bookshelf as a guide to career counselling.’

Craig Sisterson, reviewing for NZ Lawyer, wrote: ‘Jackson does a good job of comprehensively covering…the range of considerations that can arise from any redundancy or career change. Along with providing guidance on issues such as learning to embrace change and how to discover what sort of alternate roles or careers could provide personal reward and fulfilment, Jackson also deals with practical concerns such as dealing with both the financial and emotional impacts of you (or a family member) losing a job.’

Professionelle reviewing How To Keep Your Cool If You Lose Your Job called it ‘a low-key, easy to read and practical resource’ written in an ‘empathetic style’ and from a point of ‘extensive experience in assisting those looking for work or looking to make a career change’. The reviewer recommends it to ‘people facing redundancy, those returning to the workforce after a career break or people seeking their first role after completing education and training’.