Did you miss your calling with your first career?

Opportunities sometimes come out of the worst situations, like unemployment. It is difficult to think of anything positive out of losing you job and the financial hardship that usually follows, but maybe there is truth to the old saying that “when one door closes another one opens up.” If you are unemployed and over 50 (even if you aren’t unemployed) you should think about whether the job that you just had was fulfilling or just a job. While it is very important to keep any job that you have, especially in this economy it is also important to consider if you miss your calling with your first career.


Self-evaluation is a great place to start.

Think about when you were a kid and had all those dreams about being something or somebody that did exciting things. Some of them might not have been realistic but I am sure that there some that were in your grasp. Why didn’t pursue them, what held you back? Fear, or the fear of not succeeding, definitely slows down or stops most people. Can you make a career out of your dreams? Sometimes that is possible but hard to figure out.

How do you move in the directions of your dreams or passions of youth?

That is a difficult question. Slowly is always the best answer with an in depth strategy would be helpful. But the main thing is to find out what is possible. Wouldn’t it be great if you found out that something that you always wanted to do was within your grasp?

Don’t be afraid to find the things that will make you happy.

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Long term unemployed

This recession is like no other in recent memory. It just doesn’t seem to be ending although the government keeps telling everyone that it has ended. And it certainly looked that way at the beginning of the year, the unemployment rate was going down and the number of new jobs created was hovering around 200,000 for more than a few months. Then the latest figures that came out showed a different picture, new job growth had slowed and the unemployment rate bounced back up a little bit. Even with all the parsing of this data of the past year with its highs and lows, there is still one constant, the large number of long term unemployed.


Extended unemployment

The government has extended the unemployment benefits many times and it is certainly understandable considering the lack of work that is to be found. Unfortunately there seems to be some opposition in Congress to extending it any more. Why? A lot of folks are under the impression that extended unemployment doesn’t motivate the unemployed to find work. This is ridiculous; the big problem with the job outlook is that there are jobs that are going away forever at a rate which is far greater than the number of jobs that are being created.

Advice for long term unemployed

So when the unemployment benefits run out you have to begin to be creative if you haven’t already started to find ways to save money. One place that you might want to start is looking at what the government in the way of programs for the unemployed. Another possible way to earn some money is to consider part time work also.

I know it hard to be optimistic in this economy but you have to keep going and keep trying to find a job.

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Looking forever for a job

Forever is a long time.   Troubled times, whether it is an illness or looking for work or anything that consumes you, seem to never end. You can’t remember when things were good and you felt comfortable with your life, but now you are in a bad place where nothing gets better or changes.  Time does move and eventually things will change and it probably will be for the better. It is hard to see it right now but it will. 

You probably have done everything you could to find a job. Resumes were sent, networking was done over and over again, you thought in and out of the box but still no job. The economy is bad right now but that is little solace to our ego and your  bank account. No one can blame you for being down but you still might have to wonder about what is the problem.

First of all the problem isn’t you. You are doing all the right things to look for a job and you are constantly looking for new angles and ways to find a job.  You need to keep doing all that! But the main thing that you need to do is to remember that you will find a job, it will happen maybe not as quickly as you want it to but it will happen.

The best way to get through this is not to be consumed with the process of job hunting. Even when you were working your job wasn’t your entire life and now that you are unemployed it isn’t either.

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What is a passive job search?

The word passive usually isn’t used in a sentence with the phrase job search.  Aggressive job search and well planned job search but not passive job search because it sounds like you don’t really care and you are not putting in a full effort. But there are times when a job search should indeed be passive.

Passive job searches usually occur when you still have a job but you are thinking about looking for another.  You might send out a few resumes and do a little networking but you don’t have any pressure doing it.  And that is an important point to remember that without the pressure of finding a job while unemployed you probably will do a more thorough job of finding a company to research and possibly send a resume or even give them a call.

So maybe you should consider a passive job search if you are unemployed. Yes and no, you want to research and find the best companies that you can find without the pressure but you also have to realize that there is some urgency in looking for a job. 

Another passive job search distinction is concentrating on a few leads which can be difficult if you are unemployed.  Your mindset is that you have to find a job quickly or all will be lost. Unfortunately those who panic and send out resumes by the hundreds rarely are successful.  Take your time and put forth your best effort in every job lead that you find.

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