What You Can Do For Those Who Have Lost Their Jobs Right Now?

Lock-downs. Shutdowns. Furloughs. Layoffs.

So, COVID-19 is not just taking away lives, its taking down businesses too and pretty rapidly. A number of companies — some established and some very promising startups have had to shut shop; a number of organisations have had to extend furloughs, while layoffs have almost become a norm.

Mate’s whom you would have regarded as absolute ‘Rockstars’ may now find themselves out of work. Young graduates who would have been on their probation’s in their very first job have been let go. Industry veterans looking forward to a peaceful retirement and a corpus at the end of all those years of hardships, now find their company’s shut down and along with that their dreams blown away!

The past three odd months have thrown up so many tragic stories that its simply hard to ignore how helpless one can feel; to such an extent that even the most toughest of disciplinarians or hardcore professionals who would have been under the illusion that they have everything under control, have been smacked with a huge reality check — No, You Are Not In Control!

COVID-19 has served as a brutal reminder to all of us that, the uncertainly and unpredictability of life is much more powerful than one’s illusion of having control over all aspects f life. In discussions, one of the most common question that I have been hearing is that — How Can I Help?

Now, luckily there are some things which are within your control, certain actions which can be taken which helps you overcome that terrible feeling of helplessness. You would agree with me, that helping someone earn a living or in the current situation find a source of income is truly gratifying.

Based on some of the actions that I have taken in the past few weeks, I believe that there are at least five things which is very much doable for most folks (who have a job or run a business!).

Here they are:

1) Pick Up The Phone and Talk

You heard that right! The most basic thing which I feel that is missing today — the Human Touch. We have become so dependent on technology, that today, we are disconnected in a connected world. If you know someone who has lost their job, just pick up the phone and talk. Don’t text, don’t Whatsapp but talk. Sometimes a humane, “Are you okay?” question is all one wants to hear. Serve as an outlet for their emotions; I bet you, you will make them feel much better before the start of that phone call.

Also, talking gives you the opportunity to understand the problem faced in a better way. These are times when people without jobs are under tremendous pressure, they may not be thinking straight but you could be thinking clearly. You may have a few ideas that pop up in your head during that chat which may help the person.

So, just pick up the phone and talk!

2) Give Them a Job

If you are one of those lucky ones whose business is doing alright, this is THE moment to show a big heart. See if you have a suitable role available which you could offer or possibly you may open up a suitable position. This is not a time when people who have lost their jobs are looking for career advancements. They are not in the typical — “I am expecting a 20% hike” mindset. At this point, they need a job that feeds their families and pays their bills. If your budgets cannot meet their previous salary, there is a good chance that they would settle for less (Why? I told you about their priority at this point).

This does not mean that you exploit them but extend a job if you can.

3) Help Them Get A Job

We are in a connected world, right? This is the time to test its effectiveness then! Whether it is within your first connects or your secondary connects, we all have adequate time at the moment to at least put in a word for those desperately looking for a window of hope.

Circulate their CV’s. Give them a recommendation. Spread the word. Help them get to those crucial interviews and hopefully a job at the end of it.

4) Offer a Performance Based Earning Opportunity

While there is a wealth of experience that comes with many out there seeking employment, some may not have enough experience but are likely to have the right attitude to get the job done. You may not have the budgets to offer a full-time role however the opportunity to earn their professional fees based on specific deliverable’s would be enticing to a lot many.

With clearly laid out terms, this could work as a decent stopgap arrangement for those wanting to ‘keep the meter ticking’ till such time that they are back in full time employment.

5) Extend An Internship

Landing a job is a process. You do not get one overnight. So while one is going through the job-hunting process, it also serves as a great opportunity to learn a new skill. I am a firm believer in ‘Learning by Doing’, hence, a relevant internship will always add a ton of value in not just learning a new skill but importantly, understanding it well enough to put it into practice.

So, while it may take a month or two or longer to get that job; if you are in a position to extend an internship to those who are currently out of jobs, then do it. It can be a win-win situation for both — job seekers and for you as an employer. They are likely to gather valuable experience as an intern which may help them in their pursuit of employment and it could help you as an employer to get assistance on that project which you may have been struggling with or one that you would have been experimenting with.

Every Tunnel Has An Exit, May You Serve as The Guiding Light!

It is a pretty dark period right now but just like a dark tunnel which evokes feelings of fear, anxiety, uncertainty etc; the moment the light comes on, one is able to see the end of the tunnel and move in the right direction. This is an opportune moment for you to serve as that guiding light. If you are able to help someone get through their darkest hour, believe me, it would be one of the most important accomplishments of your life.

As Martin Luther King Jr. famously said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others?”

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