Whether you left your last job relieved or dejected, unemployment can be challenging. Finding a new gig is often a full time job in itself, and the work involved in seeking positions paired with a lack of regular income can make it difficult to stay active and engaged. We’ve all been there – the longer you are out of work and in this cycle, the harder it can be to stay motivated and actually find the job at the end of the tunnel.
How can we break the vicious cycle? Friendly advice to ‘stay positive’ and ‘just keep trying’ eventually seems trite when you’re spending your days scrolling through job ads and Googling how much your organs are worth. Well, close that tab and focus your attention here for some real answers; to find out what can really improve your time out of work, we looked at cities succeeding even with high unemployment to see how they handle the issue.
Volunteer Locally
We know staying optimistic can be hard no matter what the reason is behind your unemployment, but positivity is perhaps the most crucial factor in the success of your job search. The road to a great new position could be hampered by rejection, or sometimes worse, radio silence after you’ve sent out your carefully crafted cover letter. At the very least, unemployed time can get monotonous and boring. Keeping your mind and body occupied with volunteer projects can be an excellent way to keep busy, gain experience, get involved in your community, and reach personally satisfying goals while on the hunt for a new professional role.
Although its unemployed levels are higher than the national average, Cleveland, OH has seen city-wide success with many of its recent initiatives and efforts toward sustainability. The volunteer community is thriving in kind with its work toward the ultimate goal of a ‘Sustainable Cleveland’ by 2019. Groups like the Ohio City Bicycle Co-op give members the opportunity to improve their community by “helping people use their bicycles.” Volunteers are primarily needed to assist in repairing bikes, but are encouraged to participate with any abilities they can contribute to the cause.
In Santa Cruz, CA, high unemployment is countered by quality of life and high level of community engagement in volunteer state park preservation groups, farmer’s markets, and community art centers.
Using your own skills as a volunteer can keep you sharp while you’re not working professionally, and also provides interim experience to fill your resume gap. And as an additional benefit, volunteer work by nature does not have the same pressure to perform as a typical full time job. With the right frame of mind, unemployed periods can be utilized to gain perspective on your own skill set, and help you focus on what you really want from your next position.
Expand Your Search
An extended job search can make you feel like you’ve applied to just about everything. If your local options have been exhausted, it might be time to relocate for your next gig. Moving might seem like an impossibility without the security of a full time job, but it could be the perfect opportunity to reinvigorate your search with the unexpected opportunities waiting outside your comfort zone. There are many unique relocation opportunities that won’t even cost you anything.
Are you a writer making less than $39,750 a year? If so, you may qualify for Detroit’s Write A House program – a non-profit organization that works to “enliven the literary arts of Detroit by renovating homes and giving them to authors, journalists, poets, aka writers.” Detroit’s historically high unemployment rate has steadily decreased over the last few years – from 30% in 2009 to just 1.3% higher than the U.S. average at 6.6% today – due in large part to continued efforts by the city to increase community engagement through the celebration of art and culture. While they don’t guarantee a job with your gifted home, the group does promise to, “work very hard to make sure you land softly, finding work in your chosen field.” A free house with a built in job network and the opportunity to enrich a community – it’s no wonder these and other efforts having such a positive effect on local unemployment.
If writing isn’t your thing, programs like Teach for America, the Peace Corps, the Red Cross, and countless others provide the opportunity to travel, get involved in a great cause, and take a break from your traditional 9-5.
Learn Something New
If you’re home bound during your job search or just too busy furiously sending out your resume to take advantage of opportunities outside the house, don’t fear – you can still utilize your downtime and improve the quality of your time unemployed. Resources like Coursera and edX allow users to take college level courses on a range of topics, online, for free. Improve your understanding of the industry you want to work in, or learn a new skill and broaden your search, all from your couch.
If you have a little money saved, check out your local recreation center or technical school for reduced rate trade courses. There are multiple makerspaces in Los Angeles, CA available to fill the time of a higher than average unemployed population by offering volunteer-instructed classes on topics like graphic design, robotics and 3D printing. Even if tangible trades are not directly related to your dream job a range of skills looks great on a resume, and c’mon, how cool is robotics as an interview conversation starter?
Yeah, unemployment can be hard, but a change of perspective can turn the professional lull into a productive break from full time. Enjoy the freedom now, with all your new experience and a revitalized job search you may not be out of work for long.
