Despite our best efforts, sometimes we find ourselves in less than desirable career situations - a.k.a. jobless. Here's how to make your job hunt more successful, and keep earning some cash in the meantime.
So you’re jobless. By some unfortunate turn of events or
bummer circumstance, you’ve found yourself without employment – and, in turn,
without a cash flow. If you’re financially savvy, you probably have money
socked away (ideally, at least two months’ living expenses) for just this type
of occasion. Good for you! If not, though, don’t worry; you can still survive
being unemployed for a while, from earning quick cash to job hunting.
Borrow or beg ... but don't steal.
This is for emergencies only, because no one likes being a
mooch. Sometimes, though, you need cash fast, and the only way to go is to
humble yourself and ask for help. It’s perfectly all right, if it isn’t a
recurring habit of yours. First, think of people who may owe you money and
collect from them. After that, if you’re still in need, consider a low-interest
bank loan. If that avenue doesn’t work, you can turn to your family or friends,
if any of them have the financial resources to help you.
Borrowing from loved
ones can be a sticky situation, though, so make this your absolute last
resort. Since they’re people you know, you may feel less obliged to repay
them in a timely manner, and this can really tick off even the most benevolent
granny or easygoing best friend. If you find yourself in the position of having
to borrow from someone close to you, make it as reassuring for them as possible
by agreeing to specific terms of repayment and putting everything in writing –
and then stick to those terms as closely as you would those of a professional
financial institution. A final word of caution regarding borrowing: no matter
how desperate you are for cash, beware of “quick lenders” such as payday or
title loan companies; their interest rates can be phenomenal.
Become a Jack (or Jill!) of all trades.
When you don’t have a day job, and you’re not working the
night shift, you’ve got plenty of time to be creative – and plenty of chances
to make money from it! Opportunities abound for earning cash by providing
useful goods or services, so put yourself to work doing what you do best.
Everyone has a talent for something! There are lots of things you can do on
your own time to pocket some extra dough while you’re looking for a job:
Sit on it! House-sit,
pet-sit, baby-sit. Comb classified ads and announcement boards at
libraries and grocery stores for people in need of sitters. No matter what
time of year, there is always a need for child care, and such a great need
means that you can usually find a babysitting job with hours that really
complement your job-hunting agenda. Pet-sitting jobs are a tad harder to
find, but are by no means uncommon. And if you happen to be unemployed
during the summer months, you’re in luck – house-sitters are in demand for
vacationing families. If you can’t find a sitting job that suits you, then
advertise your services in every manner you can think of, especially
word-of-mouth.
Have a yard sale. You can get
rid of your junk and make money in a relatively painless manner. What more
could you ask for? For a tiny bit of organizing, the price of a classified
ad, and one sacrificed Saturday, you can potentially make hundreds of
dollars – depending on the type, quality, and quantity of stuff you sell.
Or, if you don’t have enough stuff to warrant a full-blown garage sale,
you can always …
Sell your stuff to a
consignment shop. Surely you have a closet full of unworn clothes and
shoes that are just begging to be loved! Check the yellow pages for stores
under “secondhand,” “resale,” “clothing,” and “consignment.” If you don’t
have clothes to spare, but have a multitude of non-wearable items you want
to get rid of, you can always check out your local pawn shops, or just put
an ad in the paper.
Take Fido for a walk. Are you
a strapped-for-cash animal lover? Then dog walker could be the perfect
part-time profession! When a dog isn’t getting sufficient exercise and/or
attention, it can turn destructive, digging up yards and chewing up
slippers. Many people just don’t have the time – or the inclination – to
give their pooches proper and adequate exercise, and that’s where you come
in. Offer your services as a dog walker. To give yourself real
credibility, volunteer at (or simply sit in on) a few dog obedience
classes.
Save the children … from bad
grades! Whether you’re a math whiz or a grammatical genius, chances are
there’s a student in desperate need of your expert tutelage. It doesn’t
necessarily have to be a child – there are plenty of college students and
older adults in need of tutoring as well, so don’t forget to look for work
at colleges and adult education centers. Even libraries may have tutoring
programs. If your skills are less scholarly and more creative, try giving
music or art lessons, or foreign language tutoring. If you pride yourself
on your athletic prowess, give sports lessons or become an aerobics
instructor (in some places, you must get certification first). Or for an
entirely different, but still academic-related, job: offer to edit and
type term papers and reports.
Cook up some “dough.”
Showcase your culinary skills by cooking and selling meals or baked goods.
You can really take advantage of this around the holidays; for example,
you can offer a Valentine’s Day “package deal” of a romantic dinner for
two, complete with dessert (heart-shaped cookies, anyone?), or a
Thanksgiving feast. You can do this job in different degrees, from
packaging up ingredient portions for “do-it-yourself” cooking to
delivering the food, hot from the oven, right to the client’s doorstep.
Turn your creative flow into
a cash flow. If you’ve been blessed with artistic talent, put it to good
use! Rent a booth at an art show or craft fair and sell your handiwork.
Whether it’s chalk, clay, or crochet, there will be many interested buyers
at these types of venues … and you’ll have their word-of-mouth
recommendations afterward, when their friends ask them, “Where’d you get
that fantastic doily?”
Add an air of mystery to your
life … be a mystery shopper! Yes, this is a real profession, although it sounds
almost too good to be true. Mystery shoppers (or “secret shoppers”) are
people who visit a store, restaurant or other business posing as a
customer – though their true purpose is not to check out the latest sale,
but to evaluate the level of customer service and the overall quality of
the business. They then write a short evaluation for the company that sent
them, and that’s that. With this job, you can actually get paid to eat at
restaurants, stay at hotels, and shop. You won’t make a hefty living, but
it’s definitely worth checking into!
Tap your inner resources. If
you’re really desperate for cash (and you’re a healthy adult, aged 18+,
and over 110 pounds) you can always donate plasma. Unlike giving blood,
which can only be done every eight weeks, plasma can be donated twice a
week. Many plasma donation centers will pay anywhere from $15 to $35 per
donation; if it’s done twice weekly, this can be profitable. Plus, it will
inevitably help someone else. It’s not for the faint of heart, though (or
the weak of stomach) … it involves needles, and a bit of pain, just like
blood donation.
Work it! A few tips for job-hunting success …
Don’t slack. Being unemployed
can be a depressing situation, sending your self-worth down the toilet and
thereby sapping your motivation. But motivation is a key component of a
successful job hunt. Using your joblessness as an excuse to sleep in and
lounge around all day can be tempting, but won’t get you anywhere. In
order to really get serious about job hunting, you need to treat it as a
job. Get up early (well, before 9 AM,
anyway), get dressed, and get going – work on your résumé, pick up and
fill out applications, go to interviews. Give yourself a lunch break, and
then go at it again. At that rate, it won’t take you long to find work.
(Of course, if you’re doing one of the money-making activities listed
above, you’ll have to budget in time for that as well.) In the same vein,
don’t let your appearance, or your home, reflect the hopelessness you may
be encountering. Keep dressing smartly and grooming yourself, and keep
your surrounding environment well-organized, in case you are called for an
impromptu interview. You don’t want your look to say “slept late, didn’t
iron, lost my keys and forgot to brush my teeth” … you want it to say
“completely and impressively pulled-together!”
Have a professional-looking
résumé. It should be attractively organized, yet simple; you don’t want
anything to distract from the information you’re presenting. Skip the
patterns and designs and choose a thick, good-quality paper – there’s
nothing wrong with plain white or cream when you’re using it for a résumé.
Keep it brief, uncomplicated and honest.
Before you go to a job
interview, make sure you prepare yourself to answer very straightforward
questions such as “Why did you leave your last job?” If you have a
truthful answer all lined up in your mind, you can avoid an awkward
situation (such as stumbling and stuttering through a mediocre excuse).
Be yourself at job
interviews. Look the way you normally look – polished and nicely dressed,
of course, but still you. If you don’t usually wear makeup, for
example, don’t wear it now. Act the way you always do, letting your
personality shine through in your actions, answers, and mannerisms. Don’t
be afraid to smile and joke with the interviewer, if it’s appropriate (if
you’re not sure whether something is appropriate or not, your best bet is
not to do it). Be comfortable, even in your posture; don’t sit up
ramrod-straight unless that’s your normal stance, but don’t slump either.
Be you at your best: that’s what potential employers will respond to.
If you have a phone interview
or some occasion to talk to a potential employer over the phone, check
your phone manner. Does your voice sound shrill, or do you slur or mumble?
Your voice should convey confidence, not cockiness … politeness, but not
to the “doormat” degree. Make important calls standing up and smiling, and
make sure there’s nothing in your mouth – nothing says “unprofessional”
like a Lifesaver clacking against your teeth.
If you need a job immediately, you may have to settle for something less
than ideal. But don’t see it as a dead end; instead, use it as an opportunity.
Look for jobs that relate somehow, no matter how remotely, to your ultimate
career interests. If you want to be a botanist, work in a greenhouse or flower
shop … a vet, work in a pet store or kennel … a musician, work in a record or
instrument store.
You can gain experience that will spice up your résumé, not
to mention give you the possibility of breaking into your desired field (or at
least meeting someone who can point you in the right direction). And remember,
no matter how dull, boring, and uninspiring your interim employment may be, it
is exactly that – interim. You won’t have to work there forever. Keep your eyes
peeled for new and better opportunities; you’ll be making money in the meantime.