The Tao of Unemployment

It’s no secret that I’m looking for employment at the moment, and I’d be lying if I said that the process hasn’t gotten to me occasionally. It can be extremely difficult to deal with the constant rejection and indifference from potential employers. For months I’ve been looking for and applying to jobs via every conceivable method available to me. The thing is that for all of the hundreds of jobs I’ve tried to get, the times when I’ve been closest to employment have been the times when I’ve done the least amount of work and not tried to fight the situation.

What I mean by this is that on these occasions, I let my personal and/or professional network work for me. A friend, family member or colleague would recommend me to someone, citing my particular skill set and experience and all I’d have to do is answer a few questions. I can’t say whether or not these situations have been successful or not only because they are still ongoing, but I have hope that at least one of these opportunities will work out and that I’ll find a position which fits me.

I find that when I don’t try to force things, I am more relaxed and therefore perform better when faced with a legitimate employment opportunity. This being said, obviously trying to get a job is something which requires a certain amount of effort. The important thing to remember is that when doing this, the best and most productive way is to spread the news about your job search is through your existing network. Even if you end up only hearing about an opportunity through a friend of a friend of a friend, you may still end up with information about a position to which the general public is not privy. This can often bring up strange opportunities which may not have occurred to you otherwise, but you shouldn’t dismiss them.

It is really worth considering unemployment itself as an opportunity rather than a curse. It can give you a chance to think about your priorities and consider different directions to pursue in your career, to build a network of contacts or to work on improving skills and knowledge. It has given me the chance to consider my long term goals, assess my career path and think about where I want to end up, both professionally and geographically. It may not be the most stable point of your life but it can be just what you need at just the right time in order to rejuvenate your life and prevent career stagnation. So, to recap -

Don’t fight your situation
Let your skills, experience, and network work for you
Don’t force things or dismiss unique opportunities
See unemployment as an opportunity for growth