Unemployment How to find a job if youve been out of work for a long time

Unemployment How to find a job if youve been out of work for a long timeUnemployment How to find a job if youve been out of work for a long timeThis is the harsh reality of the long-term unemployed as each month ticks by, your chances of getting employed again shrink. Its not fair the very fact of unemployment can quickly become itself a reason forcontinued unemployment.Northeastern University research found that how long you had been unemployed was the deciding factor between job openings and unemployment. It didnt matter how old you were, what gender or race you were, what industry you worked in- if you had been unemployed for longer than six months, your chances of getting a job decreased significantly.What this research proves is that, unfairly or not, employers penalize applicants who have been out of the job market for more than six months. You should be able to get the job you want based on your skills and value, but this is not the world we live in. The long-term solution for this unemployment discrimination isstructural change at the top, so that its illegal for employers to discriminate against applicants based on their employment duration.In the meantime, here are individual tips on how to marketyourself as employable.Keep up with your industryYou needto prove to your employers that even though youre not employed, youre still working. Keeping up with new technologies in your field helps you look just as qualified as someone who is currently working. Updating your skills may mean taking an online course or going back to school andvolunteering. It could also mean attending networking events, emailing people in your field to talk shop, or attending conferences. Luckily, in our digital world, we have more opportunities than ever to gain the skills we need- even when were not on someones payroll.When your future interviewer asks you what youve been doing, you want to explain your absence from the labormarket with skills you acquired.Be flexible tochangeIf youre holding out for the perfect position and its been more than six months, its time to switch tactics and consider things you would not have before.Be willing to look outside of your city and outside of your network for jobs, even if this means switching career fields or taking a lower-level position. While you may not want to move for a job, its important to think of necessity go where the jobs are, and once youre in a secure position, you can strategize your next step from there.At the same time, you shouldstay active in your professional networks and put in face time with meeting people. Also make sure people know youre looking for a new gig. Tell everyone you know and people you dont about your situation and what youre looking for. You never know who will have a lead on a new job, and you should be open to what they may have to offer.Find an accountability buddyWhen youre unemployed, its all too easy to let your days fly by unstructured. Weeks can turn into months without fo rward movement. Find someone in your network who will call you each week to ask about your progress. This person will keep you accountable, so youre not sitting around all day. This person doesnt necessarily need to be a family member or a close friend sometimes the people closest to usmay not fully understand what stress were under during unemployment.During a period of long-term unemployment, my saving grace was having a friend who had also been laid off. We would go to coffee shops, apply for jobs, look over each others resumes, and keep each other updated on interviews. Knowing that I needed to give a progress report to him each week gave me structure to my days. Having someone in my corner who knew exactly what I was going through made an isolating time in my career a little less lonely.Tailoryour resume and practice interview skillsIf you keep getting close to being hired, but just miss it, then its likely that youre not showing employers your true value. Thats when its time t o craft your resume and brush up on your interview skills to make sure people know how capable you are.You want to focus your resume on what results you produced, not just what tasks you can do. The former reminds employers of your value. Recruiters dont care if you were paid for a project they want to see what you can do and how youve changed things.If you have a gap on your resume, you can close the gaps in your employment with personal projects. Instead of leaving a blank after your last position, consider self-employed, as a job title, with a description of what youve been planning and working on. Doing this means giving each resume you send out a personal touch. You should be customizing your resume for each job application. That may mean reordering your resume and highlighting differentskills each time you apply.Similarly, interview skills are an important discipline. Sometimes even the most capable people just dont interview well. This list of crucial interview skills is help ful project positive energy, focus on firm goals, be approachable, and above all, remember that interviews are about what you can do for your employer.Stay positiveWhen youre going through long-term unemployment, its easy to feel discouraged. But you must remain hopeful, not only for your peace of mind, but also so that you can present yourself as a strong, capable candidate to employers.How do you stay positive? There are a few concrete steps you can take. First, practice mindfulness or meditation, which are just the art of breathing and being present both practices calm your nervous system and allow you to think clearly. Second, dont believe your own negative thoughts about your worth or value based on what your job is. You have value as a human being no matter whats on your business cards. Third, practice gratitude find at least one or two things each day that youre grateful for, which will create perspective on the good things in your life. Fourth, seek counseling from friends a nd professionals, especially close professional contacts, if it starts to get to be too much. Fifth, make sure you are not spending your days with nothing to do any productive activity, from building your own website to exploring your career to traveling, will make sure that you stay active and dont fall victim to negative thoughts.Above all, you dont want to be defensive when your employer asks about your unemployment. If you were laid off, tell employers about this upfront. fruchtwein employers understand and will never hold it against you. The important part, however, is that you dont hold unemployment against yourself.