How To Be Unemployed, Successfully

In the current tragic state of our continually worsening economy, and with more and more layoffs becoming eminent, stretching our resources and using our imagination is now more important than ever. Having been laid off myself a few months back (fortunately, I've found work since), and having quite an alarming number of friends and acquaintances been recently laid off, I am inspired to share my thoughts on How To Be Unemployed, Successfully.

While the completely natural first reaction to unemployment is a minor panic attack, a quick bout of depression, maybe a swing of anger followed by a wave of frustration, unemployment does not have to be all that bad. At least not on the surface. Of course there will be stress of finding new or creative ways to make ends meet, but everyone needs a break from stress. So in the meantime...

Step 1: Breathe.
It's incredible easy to get sucked into the downward spiral of anxiety while unemployed, especially in today's economy. And, if you in any way identify with the general public, you'll probably spend a few days ripping your hair out trying to figure your life out in as little time as possible. However, in the long run, this only delays the process of productively moving forward. Take it all in stride and realize "ok, I can do this", and proceed to step two.

Step 2: Evaluate your options.
While I'm sure most people's first choice would be to continue along your current career path, take a look at what else is out there. With times being pretty rough, maybe allow yourself some flexibility. Nothing is permanent**, and not everything has to go on your resume. And those time gaps between jobs on your resume? With mass layoffs being headline news nearly everyday, employers certainly understand your 6 months between jobs. Do a little soul searching and ask yourself if there's something you've always wanted to do but never had the guts to try it. Look for your dream company and see if there are any positions available and jump at whatever one they have (providing you meet at least most of the qualifications). Opportunities are out there, you just have to have a little bit of an open mind and flexibility. Also, bug your friends and throw your resume everywhere you can. You never know who knows who. Part time jobs at your favorite restaurant or local boutique are not bad ideas either. You can collect partial unemployment while working part time (though I'm unsure of specifics).


Step 3: Plan your time line.
I'm a list maker, so much so that if I've already completed something I've been meaning to do, I'll write it down just to cross it out. This translated into scheduling. Not everyone agrees with scheduling, and frankly, yes I find it kind of depressing to literally plan out your day by the hour like a high school class schedule. However, it gave me realistic goals to reach in specific and short time frames. For example:

9:00am wake up (because let's be real, if I was still working for The Man I'd be up at 6, so enjoy)
9:30am check email, facebook, linked-in
10:00am get on criagslist and apply to at least 4 jobs
1:00pm lunch/get outside* (more on that later)
3:00pm check email, facebook
3:30pm check other career search websites (monster.com, careerbuilder.com, dice.com)
4:30pm google search
5:30pm get outside/happy hour with those lucky enough to be employed still
5:30pm to whenever: do nothing job related. Finding a job is now your new job. And, we don't want to work overtime if we're not going to get paid for it!

Also, give yourself bigger-picture time lines and goals. Keep a record of the companies you applied to, contact info, date you applied, then follow up with various jobs in a week (or however long you're comfortable with). Maybe set a goal of landing a first interview within 2 or 3 weeks, and so on. Having goals set farther out will help move your days along if you have something to work for.

Step 4: Get outside.
Seriously, this is what got me through my unemployment. It's amazing what boredom can do for creativity; have fun with it! And, get really creative and challenge yourself to spending little to nothing at each outing. I am incredibly fortunate to live in a fantastic area in one of the best cities in the world, so this was pretty easy for me. For those living in the SFBA, you've got it great, just look around. I could (and might) go on for a whole other blog post with suggestions of cheap and free fun things to do in and around San Francisco (my previous blog posts detail some of these). To name a few:

-Think about a part of the city you haven't explored yet and research parks, cafes, galleries, and museums in that area. Many museums throughout the city have one day during the week with free or discounted admissions, and most galleries are free to explore.

-Get out of the city via BART ($6), CalTrain ($7), ferry ($7), bus ($1.50), bike ($0) or car (gas) and head across the Bay for a hike in the Marin Headlands, a coffee ($3) or gelato ($4) in Sausalito, pack a lunch and picnic on the beach in Half Moon Bay, head out for a bike ride along the coast...

-Too cold out? Reorganize your bedroom. Lose yourself in the cleaning of your closet, the purging of old junk you've been meaning to get rid of, trying on old clothes that don't fit and pack them up to sell to Buffalo Exchange (normally I'd say for Goodwill, but hey, times are tough for us too). However you don't have to be in San Francisco to do this :).

-Walk to a nearby cafe armed with your computer and do your job search from there. A change of scenery and the buzz of nearby conversations can be quite stimulating.

-Go to the library. Read, research, people watch...surprisingly entertaining.

Step 5: Make money.
Find ways to bring money in while you're waiting to hear back from other employers. Check out the "gigs" section of Craigslist; I've seen a number of posts for resume reviews, cover letter writing, editing...all things that you can do from home in a short amount of time and make you a few extra dollars. What are you good at and can you make money doing it? Who knows, this could turn into the entrepreneurial window you never knew you were looking for! Sell your space-taking dust-collecting junk; cleaning out your closet/room/apartment will not only feel good but you can reap some monetary rewards from doing so. Like dogs? Walk them. Like kids? Babysit them.

Step 6: Relax, & Stay Positive.
It's hard. It's frustrating. But it wont last forever. A part time job, a new career path, odd jobs, living unemployment check to unemployment check is understandably not ideal, I know. And taking a moment here to get back to the harsh reality, it is a pretty scary time. My point though, is that freaking out and falling into depression have not proved to be very productive. So take the energy you save from not stressing too much, and use that as your motivation to do your best to stay positive, look ahead, and move forward.

And, get outside. :)

Good luck out there.



( **This was my strategy and my motto in my last job search while unemployed. There were paths I wanted to explore, but knowing my personal financial situation and acquired lifestyle, I knew I had to just do something. So I took a job that was not anywhere near my dream job, nor was it even on my career path. I just happened to get incredibly lucky and ended up really liking the company and my job. I went into it though, with the mindset of "I'll give it 6 months, or until the economy starts to improve", and I made the most of it focusing on the fair salary and the great company benefits. Part of me wishes I would have pursued other avenues a little stronger prior to taking the plunge into this new job, but hey, I'm at work right now and blogging away, so it's not all bad! )