How to Find a Job When You Are 6 Months Unemployed

Unemployed Months If you’ve ever been unemployed for over six months or for any extended amount of time, you probably understand how stressful your daily life can become. Friends and family start to worry, bills begin to pile up, and every waking moment spent searching for a job seems endlessly repetitive and fruitless.

Maybe you can’t find the right job offer – maybe you can’t find any offer – or maybe you’ve dropped off the market and stopped looking entirely. In any event, you’re still stuck without a job and it’s making you feel terrible. What can you do?

Remember, being unemployed isn’t the end of the world, and it certainly won’t last forever. Try to stay positive and keep experimenting with your job seeking strategies. Your time and effort will pay off!

Marie is a writer for Recruiter.com covering career advice, recruitment topics, and HR issues. She has an educational background in languages and literature as well as corporate experience in Human Resources.

How I Survived a 6 Month Job Loss | Layoff | Unemployed | Furloughed | Downsized

What to do after being 6 months unemployed

Here are a few tips that can help you keep the right attitude when you are without a job after a long period:

What does long-term unemployment mean?

Long-term unemployment results from multiple factors, including economic, individual and social situations. Long-term unemployment can happen to anybody after losing a job, and it isnt always related to a persons qualifications.

There are two main categories of long-term unemployment:

Those two categories often relate strongly to one another. For example, when a recession occurs, cyclical unemployment often increases. Unemployed people may also find that they need to quickly develop new skills if they stay out of work for an extended period. This situation induces structural unemployment.

How to get a job after long-term unemployment

Follow these steps to get a job after long-term unemployment:

1. Update your skills

It is crucial to show your future employer that you are up to date with new technologies or trends in your field. Take the time to update your skills or gain new ones by taking classes online or in school. You can also attend seminars or volunteer. Networking events are another great option to help you stay informed about the latest tendencies in your branch. Take advantage of all these opportunities to learn more about your industry and improve your skills.

2. Update your resume

Update your resume with your latest experience. Make sure to add any new certifications, degrees or skills you obtained since your last interview. Make sure your resume is completely updated before applying to new positions.

3. Be flexible

Keep in mind that you may not end up with the exact same position you used to have. For example, make sure to fully review job descriptions even if they dont correspond to the job you had in mind. When looking for a new job, its always important to keep yourself open to new possibilities.

You may also want to consider companies outside of your city. This means it may be necessary to move to an area where employment is better and secure a position there before developing a strategy to get the position you truly want.

4. Spread the word

Inform everyone you know that you are looking for a new job. Spread the word among your professional network, friends and family. You can also post the news on your social networking profile or social media. Mention that you are looking for new opportunities and briefly list your skills and experience. Dont hesitate to reach out directly to past co-workers. They might know about an opening in their network. When they tell you about it, remember to stay open to new possibilities, as mentioned in step three.

5. Use job-search platforms

Use online job boards, regional job boards and local employment agencies to find open positions youre qualified for. Make appointments with recruiters to discuss your application. Multiplying your exposure can increase your chances of getting a job.

6. Find an accountability partner

It can be especially valuable to have someone who keeps you accountable during your job search. Being unemployed can challenge the morale, but finding someone who can regularly check on your job search can motivate you to take action. This accountability partner can be anyone from another unemployed person, someone who understands the stress of being unemployed or a friend who shares your motivation to find a new position. Together, you can organize your days and improve your research.

7. Consult social workers

Social workers can help you understand the bigger reason behind the difficulties you are facing with your job search. A clear state of mind can help you search more effectively and improve your energy during interviews.

Social workers can also put you in contact with the resources you need. They can guide you through your application for unemployment benefits. This can help relieve part of the stress of being unemployed so that you can focus on your job search. They can also connect you with job-search resources.

A professional in this field can also provide you with advice on life transition opportunities or careers and assist you in setting new goals. With a defined goal and a plan to achieve it, you are more likely to succeed in your job search.

8. Practice for the interview

Take some time to study your resume and focus on the results youve produced in previous positions. Practice explaining the value you added to your former employer and how this can also serve your new supervisor. If you have a gap in your resume, write down a few words that clarify your absence for that period. For example, you might share information about personal projects, family situations or self-employment experiences. The key is to let your interviewer understand you have been working on something during that period that has helped you become more valuable as an employee.

Look up Interview questions and answers based on the job you are applying for. Doing this can give you an idea of what to expect during the interview and help you prepare your answers.

9. Ask for feedback

If you dont get a job after an interview, consider calling the interviewer to ask for feedback. They can help you understand the areas in which you need to work on. Whether it was due to an additional certification that could have helped, the way you conducted yourself or something you said during the interview, an interviewer can give you clues on how to succeed the next time you meet with an employer. Make sure to also mention that you are looking for this information to improve yourself and that you understand their decision.

FAQ

Is 6 months too long to be unemployed?

It might be better to find a job while you have a job, but you’re not out of luck if you’re caught unaware. You have six months until most employers really start to care about employment gaps. Follow this advice from ZipJob’s team of career experts to quickly find a new job!

How do you explain 6 months employment gap?

Here’s a five step process that will allow you to quickly address these gaps:

Start by listing months and years worked for every job. …
Identify the exact length of the work gap. …
Gather Information about everything you did during the gap. …
Create a two to three line “career note” that addresses the gap.

How long is it OK to be unemployed?

A FiveThirtyEight analysis shows that by far the single biggest predictor of whether someone will be out of work for a year or more is the state of the economy when he or she loses his or her job. The typical cutoff point for long-term unemployment is six months.

How long until you are not considered unemployed?

People are classified as unemployed if they do not have a job, have actively looked for work in the prior 4 weeks, and are currently available for work.