With resume gaps now the norm, workers should pay attention to how they spend their time between jobs.
The reason is simple: Employers
want to know how job candidates spent their time when they were out of work.
Learning? Traveling? Moping?
Being productive or non-productive? Planning for the future and doing
things or just sitting around as if you were putting in time in a prison
cell? Unless the candidate projects the
image of a can-do job seeker, they are likely to have a tough time bouncing
back from periods of unemployment.
Most job interviewers will be
looking at what the candidate is doing to be productive with their time during
the period between jobs.
One cannot stress the importance
of demonstrating continued involvement with career-oriented activities. It's not only critically important to the
employer, but it's important to the candidate as well. It takes away feelings of depression,
discouragement and hopelessness.
To project an active, engaged
attitude during a job search the contender could consider these tips for being
productive when they're out of work.
Volunteer their services.
Volunteering provides “a double benefit".
In addition to giving back to a cause or organization, they get to work
with people who see them in action. It
becomes a great new networking environment.
Be a Leader. Join a professional organization,
but not simply attending meetings. Instead, taking their involvement to the
next level by serving on a board or organizing events. Through that they will
often end up finding their next job.
Taking classes. Employers are often wary about job
candidates with outdated skills, especially in technical fields. If they take a
class, or even begin pursuing an advanced degree, they already have a
ready-made way of countering that perception as they demonstrate their
engagement in the field.
Finding an internship. Those
early in their careers may want to consider an internship, even if they have
previously held a full-time job. The same goes for workers considering a career
transition. An internship may even help with career transitions.
Applicants may want to try
teaching a class. Universities, community colleges and continuing-education
programs local school board often seek experienced people as well as
professionals to teach classes. Aside from being a potential avenue for
networking, teaching gigs look impressive to employers, positioning the
applicant as someone with expertise in their field and the ability to impart
that expertise to others.
Candidates can even try to be a consultant
to local organizations, businesses or local non-profit groups. If involved in a drawn-out job search, they
might try setting themselves up as an independent consultant.
Get business cards and a
website. Candidates assignments may be
small ones, but being a consultant allows them to market themselves as someone
active and involved in their field.
Perhaps candidates should join a
"Job Seekers Group".
Churches, libraries and other organizations often host groups for job
seekers. These groups often serve to help people make contacts and provide
support.
Candidates could build social
networks. With jobs and other commitments, many people find they don't have
time to develop the sort of social networks crucial to a productive life -- and
career. Often people "get it done
after they get everything else done,"
Interviewees could spend their time
expanding social networks. Those connections often mean as much as professional
ones during a job search. Talking to neighbours, and learning they know X, Y, Z
and B. It has been said that ”if you know 5 people you know the world” -
Raymond Strokon.
Life should not always be serious.
Everything always seems to work out. Remember that "in the long run we all
will be dead."
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