5 Tips to End Your Long-Term Unemployment

5 Tips to End Your Long-Term Unemployment 5 Tips to End Your Long-Term Unemployment At first, you tried to find your way through your unemployed status. You thought of all the potential jobs you could apply for, the brand new interview suit you’d buy, and how you would learn to write the perfect cover letter. But months have since gone by, and your enthusiasm has waned considerably. In fact, you’re downright depressed. If you’ve been unemployed for quite some time, don’t despair. Here are five tips to end your long-term unemployment. Reassess your job search routine. By now, you’ve probably developed a certain way in which you conduct your job search. But if you haven’t received any solid job offers in a while, it might be time to take another look at how you’re handling your job hunt. Look at where you’ve had success and where you haven’t. Maybe you don’t hear back from hiring managers after submitting your resume, or you don’t get called back after a job interview. Try to find the area that is the most problematic, and look for ways to improve it so you can move on to the next stage of the job search process. Learn to network even if you hate it. Even if you abhor networking, it is typically one of the most effective ways to meet new people, create new connections, and get your foot in at a company, especially if you want to work from home. Networking for remote workers is crucial, so dry clean your interview suit, bring a stack of resumes and business cards, and attend some of the networking events in your area. But attitude is key, though. If you go into the event already checking the clock and holding up the wall, you’re wasting your time. Instead, go in with a positive attitude, and focus on making real connections with people. Heres how to network when you hate networking. Find a part-time job. Sure, you want a full-time position, but if all the doors are closed, you’ll need to find another way in to the company of your choice. One way to achieve this is through part-time work. Not only will working part-time help boost your self-esteem (and give you a paycheck!), but it can provide fresh workplace skills and new work experience on your resume. Plus, it gives you the opportunity to network within your organization, making important contacts- and an opportunity to obtain full-time employment. Complete projects. Until you have a firm job offer in hand, looking for a job can feel like an unpleasant, never-ending task. In order to feel that much-needed sense of accomplishment, try to tackle projects that you may have put off while you previously had a job. Maybe it’s as simple as cleaning out the garage or finally backing up your computer. Whatever the task is, make sure that you see it through to completion. You’ll feel better about yourself and more motivated about your job search, too! Learn something new. Every day, you click through the job listings, you send in your job application…and you wait. That routine can get boring pretty quickly. So try to find something new that you can learn. While it can be job-related (such as learning how to write a cover letter that works), it’s actually better if it has absolutely nothing to do with your job search. Take a pottery class, or learn how to finally perfect your Photoshop skills. Giving your mind a break from the job of hunting for a job (and yes, looking for a job is a job in and of itself!) will help to restore your happiness. And you never know: you might meet your next boss at your Indian cooking class! members save on classes through Skillshare. Long-term unemployment might feel like a curse, but it can actually be a blessing in disguise. Use the time wisely to bone up on skills and finish up projects. Be sure to stay flexible in your job search and consider part-time job opportunities until the position you truly want is offered to you. Readers, are you trying to figure out how to end your long-term unemployment? What have you done to help get yourself through the process? Share your experiences in the comments section below!