7 Things You Should Be Doing During Unemployment

Today’s world is very competitive world. You will get hired for your skill, but you can get fired for somebody else’s skill. He or she may or may not be doing the job better than you, but definitely cheaper than you. This scenario is bound to make you frustrated and lose your cool; but what’s going to be the benefit other than losing your happiness, sleep and sometime family. So, what you should ideally be doing during this period. I have prepared a list, which may help you a little bit:

1)      Take a short break before starting your next sojourn: You were working hard, your skills were also relevant to the work you were doing. But one day your HR Manager and your Reviewing Officer called you in a meeting room and told you that you are a good worker and they are equally pained in saying this thing, but for organization’s overall benefit, they are firing you. You are hit and you are badly hit. You don’t know what to do, where to go, whom to tell. You have your kid’s education fee to be paid, institutions which lend you home loan and credit card will also remember their dates. So, what to do? Just ‘take a break’ from everything; take a break from all the worries for few days, go somewhere and enjoy the freedom. Believe me, you must not have done this thing since ages; no phone call from boss, no waking up and dressing up in the morning. Take it as recess to reassess your strength.

2)      Switch off from past and think about future: Daniel Kahneman, nobel laureate in economics has given the theory of two system thinking process of brain. One is something you instantly connect with, and next one is something which take time and pain to connect with. For example, if you see a fire somewhere, the instant feeling you will have is of ‘danger’. But this fire may be of furnace as well, which you can figure out only after going near. So, when you lose your job, System 1 of your brain tells you about your immediate worries of children’s school fee, unpaid credit card bill and home loan, but if you let these feelings engulf you, then you are all gone. These all things are points of past; you need to listen to system 2 of your brain and find out the way for tomorrow and work today. So, sit somewhere calmly during this recess period and tell yourself that digging past will only bring out ghost and finding roadmap for tomorrow and working on it today can only make your today and tomorrow better.

3)      Keep yourself updated: You may lose the job in a moment but getting won’t be that easy. Till the time you are unemployed, stay focussed on updating yourself with what is happening latest in your industry and in general. If possible, acquire new skills. It may open new avenues for you.

4)      Build an online presence: Internet has made everything and everybody open and distributed and every company in this world is scouting for talent online; through various job portals, through networking sites. Build a strong online identity and let the world know what you have done and what you are capable of.

5)       Network: Network with the people who matter in industry you want to join. They may know the job openings before any placement agency knows it.

6)      Send out resume: Almost all the company’s websites have ‘Career’ page, where they post vacancies. Keep looking for these communications and keep sending your resume. You may land up in your dream job this way also.

7)      Freelance: During your recess period, try to look for freelancing. It will keep your skill set in practical mode rather than theoretical mode.