Being unemployed can be a scary time. Whether you just got out of school, had to quit your last job, you were fired, you were laid off, or something else, you might be looking for a job.
If you are currently unemployed, continue reading the below (in no particular order):
Brush up your resume.
The first thing you need to do is check your resume. You may need to add updates, make changes, and so on.
Your resume needs to be updated so that it’s modern. You may laugh at that but I remember once seeing a resume from the 1970s where the person included a picture on it for a union job.
Apply for positions.
If you are searching for a job, then you need to actually apply for positions. I remember when I was first out of college, there were many people who were waiting for jobs to come to them. It was very odd, and I didn’t get that. They thought that networking alone would do all the work for them.
In reality, most people need to actually apply for jobs. You will have to search job boards, wanted ads, company job postings, and more.
Volunteer.
If you have free time, then you might want to try volunteering. This can be a great way to put something on your resume so that it doesn’t look like you’ve been doing nothing with your time. Volunteering is also great because you can network (see below).
Network.
Networking is very important when you are looking for a job. You can network in many different ways. You can meet people through volunteer work, conferences, past jobs, friends, and more.
Have a LinkedIn account.
LinkedIn is a great tool. Whether you have a job or not, I think you should always have an up-to-date LinkedIn profile. Even though I’m not in the market for a new job, I often receive emails from recruiters and headhunters looking to fill needed positions.
In fact, I was recently even offered a sign-up bonus for a position. This person would have never found me if it wasn’t for my LinkedIn profile.
Clean up your social media accounts.
Always make sure that your social media accounts are clean and professional when searching for a job. You never know if a job interview may search your profile to see if you are professional or not.
You may want to delete any bad statuses, photos, and so on.
What else am I missing? Have you ever been unemployed?
Image via Flickr by deanmeyers
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