Stick it to stigmas

I’ve done it, you’ve done it. Even when we don’t realise it or mean to, sometimes we can’t stop ourselves from making assumptions, jumping to conclusions and judging people based on their job status and titles.

One of the first questions people ask when they meet you, is ‘What do you do (for a living)?’ Have you noticed how you react to people’s answers to that question? Ever cancelled a date with a dreamboat you met online, because you learned he has been laid off and is now a 45-year-old mixing drinks, trying to make ends meet? Or ghosted the unemployed woman, because surely, she’s just after a free meal? Society, our friends and family, the media, our favourite shows on TV… they can all influence how we see each other based on what we do for a living, quickly turning many a ‘yes’ into ‘no’. If you think that top earners with big titles will treat you better or are better people or workers than those with less ‘respectable’ job titles and smaller paycheques, you’re wrong.?

A quick glance at someone’s job title, educational background, or social status might lead us to make assumptions about who they are. But titles and employment status tell us very little about a person’s character, integrity and worth. We should be more mindful of stigmas and how we instinctively judge and group people (and ourselves). The truth is, we don’t know people’s lives; we don’t always know why they are where they are or do what they do.

People take junior, lower income jobs or become unemployed for many reasons. Lay-offs, change of careers, health issues, toxic workplaces, the economy, an influx of job seekers competing for positions… Sometimes MDs become assistants because they want better hours, less stress and responsibilities, or because they want to focus on their families. Talk to people, don’t assume.

The stigma of unemployment

Ofer Sharone, associate professor of sociology and the author of The Stigma Trap: College-Educated, Experienced, and Long-Term Unemployment says, “The stigma of unemployment is everywhere because most of us want to believe in the myth of meritocracy – the false assumption that one’s position reflects one’s merit.”?

Sharone writes for TIME that about three out of four American workers become unemployed at some point in their career, regardless of prestigious degrees and impressive work experience. Job security is an illusion. Anyone can fall. Sharone also found that it’s not just employers who stigmatise. Unemployed people say they experience unemployment stigma in every realm of their life, including when trying to network with former colleagues, or even when turning to their spouses or close friends for support. “The myth of meritocracy means that we judge and stigmatise each other, even our friends and loved ones, instead of providing empathetic support.”

Many unemployed people are looking for and applying to jobs every day, upskilling themselves, working on starting their own thing, developing their hobbies, perfecting their crafts and even helping and supporting family and friends… they’re far from useless and unemployable.

Employers are biased

Sharone states that studies confirmed that employers are far less likely to invite unemployed applicants for job interviews. Many employers assume that unemployment is somehow due to some fault or inability of the job seeker. A great performer would’ve been hired by now, right? Employers may also fear that skills become rusty or outdated while people are unemployed, especially when unemployment has been long-term (six months and longer).?

Gaps in employment are frowned upon too. Life happens, and it happens to all of us. In some cases, employment gaps contribute to personal and professional growth. A recruiter told Sharone that the perception is often that people who were laid off are not the top people. But top performers are also laid off, leave their jobs or change careers. In advertising for instance, if a client moves to another agency, most, if not all those who solely worked on the account will be laid off. If there’s no work and no other positions to move into, they’ll have to leave the agency, no matter how good they are or how many awards they’ve won.

The effects of unemployment

Unemployment is no walk in the park. Searching for and finding a job can be an excruciating process. Job seekers around the world are voicing their challenges on platforms like LinkedIn daily. Unemployed individuals are susceptible to experiencing several challenges, which are exacerbated the longer they’re unemployed.

According to Indeed, common disadvantages include reduced (or no) income, health problems, negative familial effects, mental health challenges (stress, depression, anxiety), low self-esteem and feelings of shame or embarrassment about their situation, which often leads to isolation from friends and family.

No job vs working a job you hate

I’ve seen a lot of discussion around whether being unemployed is worse than a job that’s draining the life out of you. Afterall, what’s the point of getting a paycheque if you have no will to live? People take jobs and stay in them to avoid unemployment and employment gaps, or to get that promotion or to climb the corporate ladder, but sometimes at the expense of their health and happiness.?

Elite Daily reported that a survey?from the Household, Income and Labor Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) challenged perceptions surrounding unemployment. “The survey looked at the well-being and mental health of unemployed vs employed people. It found that being in a bad job is worse for a person's psychological well-being than being unemployed. Unemployment is scary, but the prospect of wasting your life doing something you hate should be even more terrifying.”

Fighting stigmas

Stop with the job probing and shaming; not everyone wants to talk about it or wants to be defined by their careers. Ask a different question, like ‘What are you passionate about?’ or ‘What do you do for fun?’ If you do talk about careers, ask before you judge. What if the roles were reversed; if you became unemployed or had to take a job you don’t want to talk about? If you’re lucky enough to have a job and like it too, don’t be smug. Be grateful! Organisational psychologist and bestselling author Adam Grant says: “People who love their work shouldn’t judge those who don’t. Enjoying a job isn’t a sign of virtue – it’s a mark of fit. Many people don’t have the luxury of finding their passion or the freedom to follow it.”

Employers looking for the best talent should stop looking for perfection and expecting candidates to check every box. Resumes don’t perform jobs; people do. Sharone says, “The way out of this trap is to confront it head on and shine a bright light on the assumption that unemployment necessarily reflects anything about the unemployed person as opposed to the economy, employers, and the hiring system.”

For the unemployed; it’s a temporary setback, not a death sentence. Unemployment doesn’t make you unworthy. Your self-worth depends on you, not on what others say or think about you. And, if friends and family don’t support you during this difficult time, you’re better off without them.

Read the TIME article here: https://time.com/6588569/undoing-unemployment-stigma-essay/

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