It can be discouraging to be unemployed for a long period of time. Having no work can make the days seem long and sap your energy to get up in the morning.
Plus, it can be hard to summon the enthusiasm to send out resumes and go to interviews if they have not panned out in a while. In fact, many people get so discouraged that they give up. Almost sixty percent of people who have been unemployed for two years or more have stopped looking for a job.
There is no reason to give up! After all, everyone looking only needs one employer to say yes to change their circumstances. The U.S. unemployment rate is currently low. If you keep looking, eventually, you’ll find a job.
What you might need to do if you have been looking for a long time is change up certain things. Here are three things you can do if you have been looking for longer than you would like.
1. Volunteer for a worthy cause
Many nonprofit organizations need volunteers. Choose a cause you would like to work for, whether it is an animal rescue, environmental quality, or heart health. The possibilities are endless.
Think about the skills you have to offer. These organizations need all the jobs that organizations and businesses do, so whether you’re a warehouse packer or have database skills, you can do something to help.
You can also add your volunteer work to your resume, as long as you clearly indicate it is a volunteer position. It shows you have kept up with your skills and are engaged in productive work. After you have worked there a certain amount of time, you can also ask for a reference, to have a current one.
2. Start Looking for Different Jobs
Sometimes, people who have been out of work for some time need to adjust their expectations about jobs.
It could be that the work you did is no longer in as much demand as it was. Customer service work, for example, is increasingly being automated. Companies who employed people with your skills may have left the area.
Write down a list of all of the skills you have. Are you a machinist? An administrative assistant? Don’t be confined to only skills you had for a previous job. Can you garden? Repair your own house? Write down every skill you use in a week or month.
Then, start looking for jobs that use these skills. If you’re a gardener, maybe you can find work with a landscape crew. If you can do home repair, construction crews in many areas are looking for more people.
3. Upgrade Your Skills
Just as some skills may not be in as much demand as they once were, new skills are always needed. If you’ve been out of work for a while, it may be time to develop some new skills.
Be sure to upgrade into an area that is likely to get you a new job. Construction, truck driving, and cybersecurity are just three areas with many job opportunities.
You can either take a class or look for jobs that promise to train. Volunteering in these areas is also a way to develop new skills.
Work With a Staffing Agency That Can Help
It can help to work with a staffing agency when you’re looking for a job. They can provide advice on developing a resume, interviewing, and who’s hiring in the area. For more information, contact Nesco Resource today.
