6 Ways to Cope With Unemployment

check out these practical ways to conquer unemployment

Chris has been without a job for the past 12months. He has just completed his National Youth Corp. Chris used to be very optimistic about getting a job immediately after school.

But these days, he isn’t sure about that anymore. Chris is beginning to feel the heat of staying unemployed. Aside from his small savings which have run out, he has completely lost confidence in himself and his ability.

He is finding it hard to cope with just sitting at home and hoping that he’ll get a call from all the numerous applications he submitted in the past weeks. Chris is getting used to sleeping long hours, and this bothers him.

This is the story of many youths today. Unemployment is a menace that is biting very hard. Truth is, while it can be hard to cope, it is not impossible. Do read on to find out about how to cope with this trying circumstance.

1. Connect, network and maintain social interaction

Connecting and networking should not be disregarded. At a time like this, you need to maintain social interactions. Joining a group dedicated to job seekers helps you get the latest information about who is hiring next. Social interaction gives you a sort of support system that helps to keep you going. Networking also allows you to put yourself out there. If done right, you can attract employers to yourself. LinkedIn is a good networking platform for job seekers. With the right content and engagements, you can have a voice and leverage the spotlight that it gives.

2. Learn a skill and engage in professional development

Perhaps, this is the right time to develop and skill up. Now that you have enough time on your hands. Take free courses. Platforms like Udemy, Youtube, Coursera, and LinkedIn offer free training.

However, if you have skills that you have not yet perfected, now is the time to practice them. The more you practice, the better adept you become.

3. Volunteer

Volunteering keeps you busy and happy. More to this, it’s a plus to your resume. It helps you build experience, and this can give a boost to your career profile. You also have something to talk about with friends and families. Non-governmental organisations are good sources for volunteering roles. UN is one NGO that seeks volunteers from time to time.

4. Be proactive

The rut of unemployment makes it easy for one to become redundant, grow unhealthy habits and slip into inactivity. Proactivity will help you remain strong-willed and be on the constant lookout for opportunities wherever they may be.

Try not to see it as a good time to relax and sleep some more. For instance, you can begin to think up options that might be open to you. If you are looking for a permanent job, could you consider something temporary?

The gig economy can provide you with temporary positions in organisations within and outside where you stay. If you have taken the suggestion about developing a skill, or you already have a service you can render, why not sign up as a freelancer on any gig platform and offer your service at a cost?

SpottR is a platform that enables individuals to sell services. The best part is, the app through AI reccommends your services to people looking for it.

5. Stay positive

Negativity saps strength. But strength is exactly what you need at the moment. You need Strength to think, stay active, and confident. If you find yourself overcome by negativity, take a walk, listen to music, spend time with positive people, practice positive self-talk by telling yourself it would be fine. and try to start every day on a positive note.

Staying positive will help you see some sort of positivity in your situation and look for ways to harness it. Unemployment might be the opportunity you need to reevaluate and reflect on what you really like to do and see how you can start all over again.

Some people saw it as an opportunity to be entrepreneurs — they start a business. They didn’t stop there but pursued that course and succeeded. These days, some online business opportunities are easy to start. Affiliate marketing and dropshipping need little capital to start. All you need is to train yourself and succeed at any of them.

6. Be active and productive

Every day think of something you want to achieve for the day. It doesn’t matter how significant it is. By being active and productive like this each day, you end your day feeling a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment. You would be glad that you successfully carried out the activity.

Looking for a job is a whole lot of work by itself. It is just not proper work and an unpaid one at that. But you can make the best of the free time you have at hand. All you need is to stay determined about it, and you will come out successfully. Good luck as you await your time.