Getting The Most Out Of Being Jobless – The Ultimate Guide

Getting The Most Out Of Being Jobless – The Ultimate Guide

By Lilian Wamaitha
Having a job that not only pays well but makes you happy is one of the best feelings in the world.
We all dream of that but few get it.
How long has it been since you started job searching – two months, a year or five years?
Whatever the period you have been unemployed, being jobless doesn’t have to be all about sitting at home feeling sorry for yourself.
Here is the ultimate guide to getting the most out of your jobless situation.
1. Take on a temporary or contract job
Whatever your reasons for being unemployed, it doesn’t have to suck.
While you wait for a job, consider doing temporary jobs or contract ones.
If you do a good job, someone will be more inclined to recommend you for a permanent one rather than just sitting at home wasting your talents away.
2. Take a class
“There was a period of six months last year when I was unemployed but I can assure you that none of those days involved me sitting at home. That going out is what I believe led me to my current permanent position,” reads an email from one of our readers.
Do you have any interests? Maybe you have always wanted to learn a foreign language, an art or just broadening your skills.
When you have the time, consider using that to take up a class.
Who knows, like our friend that could lead you to a better job?
3. Volunteer
60% of employers say that volunteer work makes you more marketable.
“When you volunteer what you are telling a potential employer is that you are passionate about something and find happiness in helping others,” says Ms. Muthoni Ndegwa, a recruitment manager at a leading HR firm in Nairobi.
It also shows that money is not everything in your life.
When companies are hiring, they not only look for people who can get things done but people with character and integrity.
4. Start a business
I know starting a business is a bit expensive and stressful.
But think about it. If you have a business of your own, it is not only a great marketing tool but a CV booster as well.
You can work either full time or part time depending on whether or not you are able to land a job at all.
It is a source of the much needed income when you are jobless and you can still learn valuable transferrable skills for when you get a job.
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5. Start a blog
Most people who have blogs admit to doing it when they could not find a job.
What topics are you passionate about? Is it money, relationships, food, travel?
A blog is a great way to earn cash and if you don’t have a job, it means you have all the time in the world to concentrate on your writing.
Consider reading this article on how to start a blog in Kenya.
6. Stay updated on who is hiring
You need a job, right?
Then keeping up to date with who is hiring and openings in major companies should be one of the things you do with your free time.
Nowadays, online job sites like Career Point Kenya have made things even easier since you can just access hundreds of open positions every day at the comfort of your home.
7. Use this time to come up with fresh ideas
Yu have heard time and time again that candidates who have something unique to offer are the ones who get the job.
Instead of just sitting around, use this time to research on the major trends in the industry.
What is going on? What could be done better?
You have no idea what free time can do and what new perspectives you can get away from a desk.
When the time comes to attend an interview, you will be more vast in knowledge that other candidates.
8. Create networks
How many people do you have in your contact that you can reach out to to recommend you for a job or advance you career?
If the answer is none, when you’re jobless, it is the best time to start creating meaningful connections.
Since you don’t have the limitations that come with a 9-5 job, you are in a better position to attend networking events.
And while there, ensure that you connect with the right people and inform them that you are job searching.
You will be surprised that they will remember you if a position comes up that they know you can fit in.
Being jobless in not such a bad thing. The mistake we make is making it look like we are to blame for our position. However, you can either choose to feel bad about it or you can do something about it. Turn things around and make joblessness work for. You don’t have to do everything on the list but just choose one or two things. You will be better off that that job seeker who just spends their time sitting around binging on the latest movies waiting for a magic god mother to come turn things around for them.
Lilian is a Communication Officer at Career Point Kenya. Got any career related questions? Email them to lilian@www.careerpointkenya.co.ke.