5 Ways You Can Take Advantage of Unemployment
5 Ways You Can Take Advantage of Unemployment
If you have been out of work for a while or have recently lost your job then you have probably become familiar with the wide range of emotions that come along with a sudden shift to joining the ranks of the unemployed. Your initial outlook on the situation may seem bleak at first, but there is a bright side to being out of work and ways you can take advantage of the opportunity that unemployment can be.
- Get involved
- Develop yourself
- Take the time to realign
- Don’t compromise
- Take a breath and take it easy
Take an interest in your community and get involved in it. Find community groups that you can volunteer for and give them some of your time. Employers love applicants that are actively involved in their community. Besides looking good to an employer working with a group is a great way to meet new people, creating possibilities for networking, something that may turn a new opportunity for a job.
In addition to getting your body up and moving, get your mind active as well. Learn a new skill or take a class that can help you improve an existing one, maybe something that gives you a certification. With a little bit of digging you may find some low cost or even free training seminars and many community colleges even offer adult training courses.
One of the stigmas associated with people that are out of work is that they may have skills that are dulled or are no longer relevant. Even if your skills are still sharp it never hurts to keep them honed by taking a class or two.
With the time you have it is a great opportunity to feel out what you want to accomplish. With the time off from working you can evaluate what your priorities and what you want to accomplish with a career.
From my own experience, I briefly entertained the notion of a job in the culinary field. I loved cooking and there was certainly no shortage of culinary jobs as people still need to eat even in a bad economy. After a few classes and some holiday gigs working in a kitchen I realized I wanted to work anywhere that wasn’t a restaurant. My personal goals changed and I ended up working in a different career that I loving.
Many employers are often hiring part-time, temporary, or seasonal employees to fill in some vacancies. This can be a perfect opportunity for you to try out a field that may be interesting to you or even prove your worth to an employer, which might lead to a more permanent position.
Being out of work can be nerve-wracking. After a while of being unemployed you may even start to worry about finding a job. You may even take the first offer that comes your way. Don’t give in to fear and don’t compromise. Taking a job offer just because you need it could be a mistake if you end up quitting because it was a terrible job.
You have the power of choice, believe it or not, and you don’t have to take the first offer to come your way. Instead, take the right offer.
Anybody who has been out of work can tell you, the hunt for employment itself can easily become a full time job, and like any other job it definitely comes with its own share of stress. Before it all becomes too much to deal with, take a break from it all.
Taking a weekend off to just relax won’t hurt. Sit down for a little bit, put your feet up, and start cleaning up your Netflix queue. You’ll feel refreshed and ready to handle the next task, which, is, well, finding a job.
Dennis Aimes is a writer and insurance advisor that with AAMI provides income insurance to Australian clients.
