The Power of Being Unemployed

I decided to write a post about the power of being unemployed and what I have learned over the years. I had my first job working at a retail store over a decade ago, and it got me through college and university. It wasn’t my chosen career path, but everyone has to get by right?

When I finished university I began my job hunt and was so passionate about becoming a journalist that I chased that goal. I wrote letters, I bombarded people with messages on social media, I had no luck. I grew up believing that you get your first job, spend about 20 years working there and potentially move to another company and somewhere along the lines you retire.

There was a little naivety that I would just get a job after university. I was unemployed for over a year, the days turned to months and eventually became a blur and I felt so low. I fell into the comparison battle thanks to the amount of time I spent on social media. I felt so paranoid that people were laughing at me and that I had to get a job to succeed. I began to withdraw myself from society and started telling myself negative thoughts. I worked at 16 different placements to get my foot in the door, there was something inside of me that said keep fighting, you’ll get there.

A few months later I began suffer from insomnia and anxiety about my future “I’m still not there yet…, what if I never get a job...”

I went to see a few careers advisors and the most I got was change a bullet point from x,y and z. I then had advice from different people, just go into teaching, how about a retail job, go back and just study something.

I felt nothing, I was simply just existing.

I then partially gave up and started applying for anything and everything, call centre vacancies, banks, I even asked for my old retail job back.

It was only when my mum said what feedback have you been getting? I replied with, I don’t know because I haven’t been asking. Every job application after I called up asking for feedback. I constantly asked for interview updates, when they were being held. I started to write more speculative letters and finally, finally I was offered a job working for an agency.

I moved around since and even created my own role for a smaller company.  I was made redundant shortly after. From the moment I was told I was no longer employed or eligible for a redundancy package I began my job hunt again. If it wasn't for the experience of feeling lost I wouldn’t have found direction and focus.

My next role was in-house and wasn’t what I expected so I decided to take my mortgage savings and spend it on travel. When I returned I was again looking for a new role, I had a response of you look like all you do is move around, with good reason though.

This month marks one year since I have happily been “unemployed”. It’s safe to say I am celebrating my one year anniversary of setting up my own business by working remotely. Yes it’s difficult working for yourself, grafting tirelessly, not knowing where your next pay cheque is coming from and the long hours, but I have learned a lot.

I would never have thought I would be working for myself, I always valued the comfort of a salaried job but knowing you can get made redundant made me anxious.

Being able to produce strategies for clients and train businesses on behalf of Google wouldn’t have been possible without the previous battles. So if you are just graduating, looking for your first role, or still haven’t figured it out yet! It’s ok, there is nothing wrong with taking some time out or trying something new. And if the thought of setting up your own business appeals to you then my advice would be, just go for it.

Top tips:

• Learn as much as you can from people.
• Research the companies you want to work for and write to them.
• Always pitch the value you can add to a company.
• Network, network, network you never know who may need your skills.
• Go after what you want no matter how ambitious it may seem to some people you can certainly achieve what you want.

Good luck.