Avoiding Underemployment how not to Waste your Talent
More often than not, you may find yourself having to take a survival job to pay the bills. This can be very frustrating, particularly if you have advance skills or education. However here are a few tips I have learned along the way to allievate the unemployment blues.
1. Volunteer with something you are passionate about and can help you develop new skills. I know, not everyone has ten to twenty hours a week to devote to unpaid work, but many non-profits will accept weekly or monthly help. Idealist.org always has a host of great local organizations looking for someone just like you. This is also a great way to network with people in your field, and in many cases can lead to full time employment.
2. Extracurricular activites can also be a great way to use your skills, develop new ones and network. Whether an athletic club, cooking class, book club or knitting circle, finding something you love to do for fun has the potential to strengthen bonds with others who can, in turn, help with your employment search.
3. Write a great resume. There are plenty of free templates on line, and job boards where you can get feedback. Tailor your resume to the specific job you are applying for, and reduce un-needed information. I have seen plenty of resumes, when applying for something in administration, that feature employment history in unrelated fields and also list hobbies and objectives not pertinent to the job. In many cases, less is more! This simple philosophy can get your foot in the door.
4. Unsure about exactly what it is you want to do? Call up some folks in different fields and ask about job shadowing. Most folks love to talk about themselves, and would be happy for you to take a look into their day to day working lives. This is also a great way to pick between two or three careers.
5. Intern. Even at a more mature age than the stereotypical intern, you can again have great access to employment opportunities to network. Most people are more comfortable higher someone they know works hard, if given the choice. Also, many internships do offer pay, and so can supplement your survival job.
6. Consider a move. Many regions now have specific industry clusters; its a lot easier to get a film job in Los Angeles and a political job in Washington DC. Check out other regions, or even nearby cities or counties to see what the job market is like there.
7. Take a class or two to refresh your skills once a year. Current experience always is appealing to human resources.
8. Finally, don't give up hope. With tenancity and intelligence, the perfect job is waiting right around the corner.
