Being Unemployed Is Tough... Doing These 8 Things Can Make Your Life Better

We hear all the time how good unemployment rates are looking. As of right now, they’re hovering around record lows of just 3.7%. What you don’t hear much about are the people that comprise that 3.7%.

That percentage represents millions of Americans that want to be working right now but can’t find a job that they feel suits their unique talents and sensibilities. If you’re one of the people that are in the midst of searching for a good gig, we want you to know that you shouldn’t treat being unemployed like it’s a permanent problem.

There are a number of things that you can do right now to make the most out of your situation. Here are 8 of the top things that we recommend.

1. Stay on a Schedule

Being unemployed shouldn’t be an excuse for you to stay awake until 3 am and stay sleep until 3 pm. Not only does that schedule make it so you’re not able to fully maximize your time but it also will be hard to transition out of when you do get a job again.

Do everything in your power to manage your schedule the same way that you would if you were working a full-time job. Get up at a reasonable hour, be productive during the day and go to sleep before midnight.

2. Engage With Temp Agencies

If being unemployed is causing you financial stress and you need to earn cash ASAP, head over to a temp agency. Temp agencies are groups that have connections with a variety of companies. When the companies that they work with need jobs filled for limited periods of time, temp agencies send people to fill the need.

That person that gets sent in could be you. Many temp jobs pay rather well. Furthermore, temp jobs have been known to serve as excellent gateways into full-time employment.

3. Learn New Skills

The best way to get the job of your dreams is to learn something new. Since you’re currently not working, there’s no better time than the present to improve your knowledge base. Go to school and get details on how to become a pharmacy technician or get your A+ certification to work on computers or choose some other skills-based certification. One good glace to start is by taking a class on Lynda.com where you can specialize in Software, Design, Business, Web Development, or Photography. Any of these subjects could easily give you the boost that you need to get hired much faster than other people that are competing for work.

You’ve got a lot of options here so pick whichever ones work best for you and start expanding your mind!

4. Apply for at least 2 Jobs Per Day

Getting hired is a numbers game. The more applications you fill out, the more likely you are to get a callback. Get into the routine of starting your morning by applying to at least two jobs per day, Monday – Friday. That’ll equal roughly 50 jobs per month.

If you’re applying to 50 jobs per month and aren’t getting a callback… Well… We’d guess that that’s not likely to happen. But if it does in this tight job market, there is probably a problem with your resume or your approach to getting the interview. So get some professional help in that area.

5. Follow Up

Most employers get hundreds of applications for every job that they post because “one-click” applications are actually too easy. Therefore, the vast majority of those applications are from people who are not qualified for the job. And unfortunately, all that clutter leads to qualified candidates getting lost in the shuffle.

Making sure that your good application doesn’t get ignored is as easy as reaching out to a company you’re interested in directly, letting them know that you applied and asking if there’s anything else that they’d like you to do. Creating that touchpoint with a prospective employer by placing a phone call can skyrocket you to the top of an application pile so don’t be shy and reach out! The same holds true after the interview… you need to follow up immediately.

6. Volunteer

Being unemployed can be depressing by itself. When you combine that with sitting at home all day, it can get really hard to stay happy. Doing fulfilling activities can help make things a little brighter. In our opinion, there’s nothing that’s more fulfilling than helping your community.

There are a number of volunteer opportunities out there that operate during standard work hours. Many of these operations are short-handed given that most people are unavailable during weekdays. If you’re willing to give your time, you’ll feel appreciated and a lot better about your unemployment situation.

7. Purge

When you don’t have a job, it’s a great time to start uncluttering your life. Take all of the junk in your house that you don’t use anymore and start selling. Selling stuff that’s not important can net you some quick cash but more importantly, it’ll help you to feel like you’re turning to another chapter in your existence.

That mental shift can be a powerful motivator when it comes to finding that next great career opportunity.

8. Learn to Appreciate Your Position

There will be plenty of time for you to work in life. Believe us when we say that after you’ve been working for years on end, you’ll wish that you could be out of work for a few months to catch a breather. Our point here is that being unemployed can be a really rare opportunity. Appreciate it, reevaluate what it is that you want out of life, rekindle relationships and do anything else that you wouldn’t normally have the time to do.

Closing Out Our Tips While Being Unemployed

Being unemployed should inspire you to focus on:

A) Finding new work opportunities and B) Re-centering your life.

If you do those things, you’ll find that your well-being will eventually get to a place that was much better than where it was prior to you being out of work. If you need more career inspiration, we’ve got you covered. We publish new, content to our website every week so check in now to see what’s new!

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Being Unemployed Is Tough… Doing These 8 Things Can Make Your Life Better