Being out of work is an economic and emotional ordeal. But it is not a moral stigma. Nor is it a unique situation. Those who work in safety and in other corporate jobs can expect to find themselves unemployed at least once during their careers. In fact, the unemployed constitute a kind of fraternity. Finding and reaching out to your unemployed brethren (and sistren) can go a long way toward surviving the out of work experience.

You Are Not Alone

If you’re currently out of work, take comfort from the words of Paul Mathews, president and founder of Connecticut-based Hire Aspirations. “You are not alone,” he says. “There are lots of others like you out there.” But Mathews isn’t just offering solace. The out-of-work also represent a resource. “People who are unemployed are in a position to help others who don’t have jobs and to receive help in return,” he says.

What Mathews is talking about is building a support system with other unemployed men and women in your area. Include as many people as possible in your support system, he advises. Tell these individuals what you are looking for (your career objective, what you want in a target company), so they can help you; and find out what they’re looking for so you can help them back.

The Value of a Support System

It’s all well and good to rely on friends and family to get us through the hard times. But that’s not enough. It’s unfortunate but true that many people experience disappointment by the level of support or lack thereof that they receive from their loved ones. Even the most supportive of spouses, parents and best friends tend to get tired of our “stories” after a while. Or, even worse, they experience our stress as their own.

We therefore need to look beyond our immediate circle of intimates for emotional support. Unemployed colleagues are a perfect place to turn. Not only are the fellow unemployed experiencing the same thing we are, but they’re in a position to provide the kind of professional insights that we can’t get from our families and friends.

Conclusion

Going through a spate of unemployment is a universal experience. But some handle the experience better than others. Reaching out to others in your situation greatly enhances your chances of surviving the ordeal with your confidence and emotions intact.

Wishing you career success,
Lauryn Franzoni
ExecuNet, www.execunet.com

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