Staying inspired and adding value!

With a great deal of upheaval and change happening to many of us right now, we’ve seen much of our industry forced to reduce their head-count in many ways; e.g. redundancies, being stood down, or having to take pay cuts.

We have been speaking to a lot of people that are frustrated, demotivated, and worried about their job security and the ability to find work when nobody seems to be hiring right now.

Albeit the sentiment from the market is looking much more positive, it can be difficult to pick ourselves up during these periods.

Finding ways to stay inspired and adding value whilst we are in these very unprecedented times is important. Here are a few ideas of what you could try;

LEARNING NEW SKILLS

I’ve seen an overwhelming amount of FREE online courses being made available right now. Taking classes or online courses can not only add to your skillset, but It can also be an impressive way to stand out from the crowd when businesses do start hiring again. No doubt this will be a question we start to hear more and more when we approach the workforce again.

Check out a few of these;

• TAFE has provided several fee-free short courses - https://www.tafensw.edu.au/fee-free-short-courses - some of the topics include Enhancing your Digital knowledge; this includes creating and building websites, using social media tools, developing digital skills, to Leadership programs to name a few. There are many to choose from so why not have a look today!
• Linkedin Learning has also unlocked a range of learning courses for free – on things like Entrepreneurship, SEO, Managing Conflict, Negotiating, Pitching Yourself etc.
• Udemy is an online learning platform that has created a hub of 250 or more curated free courses – this ranges from photography to web development to public speaking.

MEET NEW PEOPLE 

You want to stay connected to the industry, what's happening, and the people within it. You can access free webinars on a range of topics from the likes of Eventbrite. You could also ask your old colleagues for recommendations and offer to have a zoom call with anyone from your network over a coffee at home.

Attending online events and chatting with like-minded individuals could help you regain your enthusiasm! They’ll also help you broaden your knowledge and offer you that well-needed interaction.

FOCUS ON WHAT BRINGS YOU JOY - OUTSIDE OF WORK 

It’s important to dedicate time to hobbies and focus on things that bring you joy. Finding fulfillment in your free time will ensure your happiness and self-worth come from sources other than employment.

Some recommendations for those avid runners would be joining a virtual running competition. OR doing a virtual bake-off with friends (everyone seems to be baking banana bread, so why not involve your friends too).

OFFER YOUR SERVICES FOR FREE

Are you passionate about animals, the environment, the elderly? You could use this time to volunteer your time, energy, and skills to a charity of your choice and feel like you are giving back in a world that needs more of that right now.

If you are in a position to offer your skills for free, think about any companies or brands that you are either 1) Passionate about 2) Would be interested in working for. 

Offering your skills for a few hours a week can not only give you a foot in the door when roles do become available again, but it will allow you to showcase your abilities, your work ethic and can give you a new sense of purpose.

FIND SOMETHING NEW 

This time may also be used to reflect and consider a new vocation. Perhaps its time to create yourself a side hustle or turn one into something that can make you money.

1. Sell your old things online. You can use sites like Gumtree, Facebook Marketplace or eBay to sell pretty much anything. You'd be surprised what people will buy, and your old stuff lying at the bottom of your cupboard might just be someone else's treasure.
2. Start an eCommerce Site. Sites like Shopify have made it easy to build an eCommerce site to list products. It’s likely if you are passionate about a certain product then someone else out there will be as well. Start your 14-day free trial HERE 
3. Start that book you have always wanted to write, submit your short stories into a range of publishers you can find online, or offer your writing skills as a freelancer.
4. Start a Youtube channel - Maybe you have a certain skill set or niche hobby that others might be interested in. Why not start your own Youtube channel. All you need is a smartphone with a decent camera and an Internet connection and away you go.

I hope this gives you a few ideas and some useful resources to help anyone out there. If you have been affected by the current climate and are looking for some help or advice, please feel free to reach out to me or one of the team anytime. :)