Unemployed? Read on!

Nancy Anderson
Posted by in Career Advice


You quit or lost your job and you wonder about your career because you don't know how soon a job search may show results. Your next position needs to be financially solvent, a step forward and one you can enjoy. Some employers may hire other people ahead of you because of your unemployed status. Luckily, you can mitigate this issue with a few tips and tricks.

Understanding the Length of Time

The length of time you've been out of work is vitally important with regards to landing your next position while unemployed. Hiring managers may not even consider your application if you have been unemployed for a year or longer. That's because employers feel as if your skills aren't up to speed, which is why no one else wants to hire you. If you've been out of a job for more than a year, you need a plan to regain your panache.

Using Your Time Wisely

How you deal with unemployment is the key to getting the interest of employers. Volunteer at a nonprofit to showcase your talents because your volunteer supervisor can vouch for your skills. You can also prove you put your skills to work. The next position might come about because people noticed your volunteer efforts and how hard you worked.

Learn a new skill during your time off by going back to school, earning a certification or attending training courses. This shows a prospective employer that you're willing to learn new things to further your career rather than languishing in unemployment limbo.

Hunting in Relevant Ways

Go beyond a traditional job search for your next position. Instead of applying for work through job boards and sending resumes to generic email addresses, reach out to people at firms that interest you. Network your way to a new job by connecting with people at various employers. Attend industry events to keep your name and face fresh in the minds of hiring managers. Use social media to reach out to people who can hire you.

Managing Your Personal Brand

Tell your story, and manage your message on paper and when you speak to hiring managers. Be succinct and to the point when mentioning why your employment status changed, and then focus on your skills and experience. List your verifiable accomplishments, skills and experience first in your resume before listing the reason why you left your job. Do this during your interview as well.

Your skills are more important than a lengthy layoff. When you prove your skills are still relevant to the next position for which you apply, employers may overlook a long unemployment gap.

If you find yourself without a job for a long period of time, how you fill a gap in employment and then explain this issue can help you land your next position. Yes, not having a job is stressful. However, sitting there and doing nothing doesn't solve the problem either.


Photo courtesy of Sira Anamwong at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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  • Aisha S.
    Aisha S.

    Hi Amy, bless you for helping your family. I agree with Nancy, the work you did with your loved ones keeps your skills sharp, transferrable within the medical community, and highly commendable. Which for a hiring manager, I'd like to think would stand out - showing the level of compassion and care that you have. Also, something any hiring manager in the field of medicine would deem just as important as your clinical skills. Good luck to you :)

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    @Amy H thanks for your comment. I am not a medical professional but I would think that yes they would help since you were still practicing your trade. So I would think that documentation from those professionals would suffice. Of course it depends upon the position you are seeking, also as to how much weight the letters/references would carry. But I would certainly ask for the references and the letters. I think that the only thing that might hurt you is that you were limited in what you practiced with those family members. Take it out for a spin and see what happens. It will be interesting to know if a hiring company would accept them. I am sure that you have kept your license up to date also. All the best.

  • Amy H.
    Amy H.

    Left my LPN job to care for critically ill family member which led to two more family member who had terminal illnesses and I promised they would live out their lives at home. So while I was not practicing in a clinical setting I continued to provide cares in the home that I had at my place of work. Would references from the RN’s, physicians and hospice staff be helpful to establish my skills were not diminished?

  • Bobby H.
    Bobby H.

    It is very frustrating trying to find a CAD job when corps are outsourcing our work to India, Mexico and Turkey!!!

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    @Abigail B - thanks for your comment. You should only include relevant work history on your resume and only the past 10 years. Employers aren't interested in what you did prior to that. @Edward sorry you are struggling to find a job. I have to ask, are you giving it your all - are you treating the job search like a job? Get up in the morning, get dressed and then sit down to do your job - job searching and submitting your resume. You should be submitting several resumes per day and following up the best you can with each one. Are you networking? Are you looking up past coworkers to see if any of them are living in Las Vegas? Are you talking it up that you are looking for a job. Sometimes word of mouth or who you know can make all of the difference. All the best.

  • Edward P.
    Edward P.

    I've been here now in Las Vegas for 4 months now, can not find a job, 45 yrs. work history. Feel very low on my efforts. but I won't give up. First time in my life I can't get a job. please help me. Edward

  • Abigail B.
    Abigail B.

    What if I had jobs over the past year, but they weren't exactly relevant to my field?

  • Marylou R.
    Marylou R.

    Thanks so much, for your advice.

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