Losing your job is one of the most difficult life experiences. Not only does it put you in a tough financial position, but it also shakes your self-esteem. Over the past year-and-a-half, millions more people have unfortunately had to go through this. While the economy is recovering and the world is opening up again, many people are still without work.
If you have lost your job and are trying to survive until you find another one, these 7 tips may help.
1. Prioritize self-care
Most people who lose a job try to avoid doing anything that might seem self-indulgent. They need to make ends meet and, especially if they are responsible for others, they assume that they need to take care with every cent. Self-care is not considered important enough to spend dwindling funds on.
However, people who do not prioritize self-care generally have a much harder time finding work. It is impossible to lose your job without a blow to your confidence, and the longer you go without a job, the lower your self-esteem might sink. Self-care is absolutely crucial.
Seeing a therapist may not be the answer for you, especially if your health insurance won’t pay for it or if you no longer have health insurance. But you should keep your support system close and speak to mentors, coaches, or religious leaders with whom you have a close relationship.
2. Join the gig economy
If you had a permanent position, your instinct is going to be to look for another permanent position. However, you cannot guarantee you will find such a position and you don’t know how long it will take if you do. The good news is that it is easy to join the gig economy in 2021. Simply identify the particular skills you have and start looking at freelance platforms and job boards. You can do jobs to earn some income while you look for full-time work and maybe you will find yourself better-suited to this kind of lifestyle.
3. Ridesharing
Do you have a car in good condition?
If so, you can become a rideshare driver while you look for another job. It may not be what you imagined doing, but it is a good way to make money with an asset you already have. Furthermore, you might find that you actually enjoy driving, meeting new people, and getting better acquainted with neighborhoods and parts of the city you never usually visit. If you do take this suggestion, you’ll probably need rideshare insurance. Make sure you have it in place before you start using your car as a business.
4. Network
Do you know who is most likely to get a job from a pool of candidates? It’s the person who knows the most people.
Networking keeps your name top of mind among people in your industry. While it is probably the last thing you feel like having just lost your job, it is important that you are connected so as to hear about opportunities and get referrals.
LinkedIn is the best place to network, especially with virus fears still preventing events from happening and jobs no longer being confined to location.
5. Keep busy
This may be part of your self-care, but keeping busy is crucial to maintain your energy and confidence. If you cannot find another job and don’t have any work to do in the meantime, find something productive to do. This may be a passion project or some work on the house. Whatever it is, it may just be the thing that keeps you sane.
6. Stick to a schedule
In a similar vein, sticking to a schedule even when you have nowhere to be is important when you are trying to reenter the job market. It may be tempting to sleep late, but it is a surefire way to start feeling down on yourself. Make a schedule that requires you to be up and ready by a certain time, and include your job search, side hustles, and other projects in it.
7. Do an online course
This may be the perfect time to do an online course that teaches you a practical skill. Learn to code or write copy. Find something that will both give you an advantage in your current field while setting you up for opportunities outside of it.
There are tons of online courses available at low prices. Even if it does not end up getting you a job, you will come out of it having grown, with another tool in your arsenal for future work.
Losing your job is tough, and it is important to take steps to survive both emotionally and financially. Prioritize self-care, and don’t be scared to try new things, even if they bear little similarity to your previous job.
