"I wouldn't say the bias [against hiring the unemployed] is pervasive, but too many hiring managers don't realize that the world has changed and that people have had a hard time finding jobs through no fault of their own," says Cheryl Ferguson, president of Recruiter's Studio and recruiter for Decision Toolbox.
Throw in the towel? Don't even think about it, career experts say. They suggest these practical steps to help even the most discouraged unemployed job seeker get motivated and beat the odds.
1. Check your mental
attitudes.
It's a vicious circle: the
longer you're out of work, the
more anxious, insecure, or
depressed you may be--and this
can hurt your chances of landing
a job. "Attitude is a crucial
part of the job search, and
unfortunately it's easy to be
caught up in negative mental
self-talk, especially with the
media telling us how terrible
everything is," says Helaine Z.
Harris, a Los Angeles-based
psychotherapist.
If anxiety or depression is significant, don't be afraid to seek counseling. If that's not an option, simple calming breaths and even meditation can be effective, Harris says. "It's essential to relax and clear the mind, so you'll know the right actions to take and be able to magnetize the opportunities you want." Connecting with nurturing friends and sharing your feelings about being unemployed can also help if you're feeling isolated.
2. Move your body.
There's documented evidence that
physical exercise improves
mental health and reduces
anxiety. And a gym regimen or
even daily walks around the
neighborhood can help your
job-search efforts by adding
structure to your day. "Regular
exercise creates more
self-discipline and shows that
you can do hard things, which
makes it easier to handle tasks
like making difficult phone
calls," says Penelope Trunk,
creator of the social network
site Brazen Careerist.
3. Step away from the
computer.
Job boards and social
networking sites such as
Twitter can be helpful, but
they are not the only ways to
connect. And relying on them can
perpetuate the unemployment
"hermit" trap. "If you've been
out of circulation for a while,
you have to remind people you're
still around," Ferguson says.
"You're also likely to be a
little rusty in networking, so
it's important to get out once
or twice a week, at least, for a
face-to-face meeting, lunch, or
networking event."
4. Re-examine employment
strategies and tactics.
With a clearer mind, an
energized body, and a fuller
social calendar, you can better
gauge the effectiveness of your
search. Career coach and author
Dr. Marty Nemko urges unemployed
job hunters to not assume
they've been doing everything
right:
"Are you really spending 30 hours a week job searching? Do you have a job-search buddy, so you can be accountable to each other? Are you active in your professional association, in-person and online? After an interview, have you sent a proposal that explains what you'd do for the employer? Have you followed up relentlessly with warm leads? If you've done all of those things and still aren't getting a job, you probably need to change your job target to a more in-demand job title or a lower-level job," says Nemko.
5. Fill the resume gap.
A resume should be a history of
things you've accomplished, not
necessarily a chronology of
things you've been paid for,
according to Trunk. With that
philosophy, there's no reason to
have a gap in your resume.
"There are very few professions
where you have to be on the
payroll in order to do the
work," Trunk says. "If you're a
programmer, write a patch on
your own time. If you're a shoe
designer, design your own shoes.
Just do it. You'll have
something to show on the resume,
and you'll be taking back your
power." (See all
HotJobs articles about resumes.)
6. Don't be defensive
about unemployment.
You've been out of work for a
while. So what? So have many of
the other candidates. "Don't
hide the fact you've been
unemployed," says John M. McKee,
job coach and founder of
BussinessSuccessCoach.net.
"People won't hire others who
are prickly."
McKee adds that you might need to stop saying the word "unemployed" if the word is getting in your way. Trunk agrees: "When someone asks what you're doing now, don't say you're out of work, because you're not. You're just not getting paid. Talk about the projects you've done and what you're learning, and then mention, 'I'm looking for a paid position like this.'"