It will happen to you.
Whether you’re laid off, had your position terminated, resigned, or you’re just in between jobs, a time will come where you’re not in a job. Admittedly time spent away from work when you are not bringing in a paycheck can be a stressful transition. But it doesn’t have to mean bad news all around. It can also be a time for exploring, recharging, and unlocking your passions.
When you’re working full speed at 40+ hours a week, it is challenging to find time to reflect on your career path. The time you have between jobs can be just as rewarding as a job itself. Growing yourself personally and finding ways to improve your resume move you from strength to strength. And if that isn’t appealing enough, it gives you a golden answer to the interview question, “What have you been up to since leaving your last job?”
With all of that in mind, here are a few tips on things to do during that time so you aren’t stagnant:
Volunteer
This can be particularly helpful if you are trying to get into sales. If you find you keep getting rejected because you don’t have experience, how about volunteering with an organization that needs help fundraising? You could be “cold calling” into businesses in efforts to raise fund or solicit donations for an event. This is a great way to get experience either cold calling or using your network to generate leads. If you get connected with an organization that has meaning to you it could also open the door to an opportunity in a field you never thought of.
On top of using volunteer activities to hone your professional skills, it looks remarkably well to hiring managers. Instead of sitting around the house enjoying all your newfound free time, you showed a real initiative to stay active and benefit your community. It shows you’re about the big picture, not just about a paycheck.
Engage your network
It’s easy to get caught up in the daily grind of our routine when we are working. If you aren’t working, it’s the perfect time to be thoughtful about engaging your network. This doesn’t mean sending an email or text to ask if your friend has heard of any job openings. You won’t get far with that approach. Make a list of people in your network that you consider part of your professional alliance. Spend time with a handful of them and get to know their line of work, how they got into it, and whom they know that they might be able to connect you with.
Your network is one of the strongest tools you can use to landing a new gig, but it also has the added benefit of sparking up personal relationships again. Something that can come in handy for business development purposes once you land the new job.
Education
Continuing your education will always be beneficial for you. But, it does not have to require enrolling at a local college … although that’s always an option. While you have time off, absorb all the information you can get your hands on. Watch any of the hundreds of TED talks, take a free (or paid) course on Udemy, Coursera, or Lynda, even peruse tutorials on YouTube for more information. It’s always a good idea to sharpen your skills in any professional software such as: Excel, PowerPoint, SAP, Word, Adobe, etc.
Staying educated on your area of expertise is essential to staying sharp between jobs. You’ve heard of “The Summer Slide” before right? Research that suggests for every summer off, children lose one month of instruction. Granted, this research applies to children, but there is definitely a correlation with adults as well. Even after week long vacations we can come back a little slower than before we left. Staying educated and on top of your game will stop the slide.
Contracting
Contract work is becoming more popular as employers recognize the value in allowing temporary employment. Picking up part time hours is a way to stay active in your career while also allowing enough time to search for the next opportunity. It can be, if the opportunity is right, the best of both worlds.
Freelancing or picking up short-term contract work is a great way to obtain experience in an array of industries. It’s also a great way for you to test the waters of new industries that might be of interest to you. Contracting can give you an opportunity to see what you might have been missing, so take advantage of it while you can.
The time between jobs doesn’t have to be a period of doom and gloom. If you are intentional about improving yourself professionally and personally than you can profoundly improve your career and your chances of landing a new job. Remember, as a recruiter, we are looking for people with life experiences too – not just work experiences. So make the most of the time you have. Volunteer, engage, educate … even contract if need be, but use the time to grow.
