If you are currently unemployed, I feel you. Like you, I’m in that some transition stage as you are – unemployed and still in the midst of searching for jobs. During this time of unemployment, I’ve been trying out a lot of new things to keep myself occupied. On some days, you felt really awesome that you don’t have to work from 9 to 5 but on some days, you are left in despair, wondering when someone is going to hire you. You are not alone because I feel you.
Thankfully, there are ways to combat this negativity. Below are 5 ways you can do to drive away those negative thoughts while pursuing your dream job. Instead of brooding over the uncertainties, you should be giving yourself a pat on the back for taking the first step to quit your job. It is a milestone! This could possibly be your first step to a breakthrough.
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1. Look for a temporary job
This is exactly what I’ve done. After a month of being unemployed, I figured that maybe I could do adjunct teaching or other part-time roles while I continue to develop my skillset in marketing and apply for jobs. Getting a temporary job will also help pay the bills and tide you through this period of unemployment. It’s also a great opportunity to do some networking and pick up new skills as you work.
I am also exploring ways to earn money online. Starting an online business or earning money online may sound incredulous to some people but time and time again, I’ve witnessed people generating a steady flow of income just by working online.
2. Start a personal project
Is there something which you hope to achieve or create? Are there things in your bucket lists which have yet to be fulfilled? This is the best time to do what you’ve always wanted to do to fulfil your heart desires. For me, I’ve been wanting to embark on a sewing project to create clothes with scrap materials. I also wanted to create more content on my social media channels and pick up live-streaming!
What are some personal projects which you’ve always wanted to start but haven’t got the time to do so? It’s the time to start right now! Whether it’s creating a website or business, just do it! If you would like to find out how I start this blog or create a website with Exabytes, you can read the article here.
3. Take courses to upskill yourself
I was unemployed since the start of June this year. Instead of idling away or spending most of my time at home looking for jobs, I decided to take up as many online courses as I can. I spent the whole of June to take up courses and workshops organised by NTUC LearningHub. The prices of the courses are rather affordable and the best part is I don’t have to pay a single cent because these courses can be paid using my SkillsFuture credits.
But if you are tight on cash, you can always take up free online courses on LinkedIn or other course portal sites to develop your skills and gain knowledge. There are so many online resources which are free for us to access to learn and grow. Sometimes, I would watch YouTube tutorials and videos to pick up a new skillset.
4. Go for career counselling
Do you know that there are free career counselling services provided for us Singapore residents? Workforce Singapore offers complimentary career counselling sessions if you are looking for jobs. I’ve went for a career bounce back workshop where I get to pick up some useful resume writing skills and also signed up for career counselling session. Through these sessions, I’ve gained greater insights on how I can effectively secure a job via the tips and advice shared by the career advisors. With their expertise and current industrial knowledge, they are able to provide me with some suggestions and advice on how I can achieve my career goals.
It is also heartening to know that I am not all alone. Through the career counselling workshop, I also learnt that there are other people who are also unemployed too. Some of them also left their jobs in seek for a new career path.
5. Start Investing
If you have started investing your savings, you should start exploring various investment options to earn some passive income. It’s not as complicated as you think and once you get started, you will start wondering why you hadn’t started earlier. You can start with low-risk investments like investing in Robo-advisors or bonds. You can read more about my financial portfolio here. If you want to learn how to do stock trading, you can find out what are the brokerages (like Moomoo) and platforms available to do so.
When I first started, I knew nothing about investing. But through financial bloggers and YouTubers, I was able to learn how to trade and even earn generate some positive returns from my investments.
Health is important too.
Being unemployed shouldn’t make you feel like a loser. In fact, you should feel empowered by the fact that you have all the time in the world to work on yourself and rest. While you’re hustling and learning, don’t forget to take ample rest, exercise and eat well. It’s also a time for you to rest your body and mind.
