First-hand accounts of being unemployed
Is it OK to take a Career Detour? In today’s market, many people are challenged with making abrupt and unexpected changes in their chosen career path. We’ve all heard the recommendation, “use your existing network to get leads.” But … what happens if your path is obstructed for an indefinite period of time and these gaps are reflected in your resume? Is a career detour worth considering? I reflected on the route my hubby, Rolly, navigated when having to…
I’m late to this party of unemployment. I had worked steadily for almost 45 years before I was ever unemployed, and to this day, I still cringe when I remember what it was like to wake up and have no place to go. I didn’t need to pack my lunch or my planner. I didn’t need to check my schedule and do my morning ritual before leaving for the day. It didn’t matter if I had gas in my car…
I’ve been unemployed a few times in my life and during those times, while I looked for a job, I still had to earn money. While unemployment benefits are available for those who qualify, in many circumstances, not even that can hold down the fort until a new job comes along. And if you don’t have access to unemployment benefits that can be an even scarier situation. As you find opportunities to make money while unemployed, you may discover that…
In October of 2016, I was laid off. I wasn’t surprised by the lay off; work had been dwindling for months. My last two months there, they had me doing the one task I explicitly said I desired not to do (make phone calls to strangers) almost exclusively. I was surprised by how powerful my feelings of self-hatred and worthlessness were. My self-esteem hadn’t been particularly robust before being let go from my first position in the legal field, but…
Boston, 2006: I step down from a full-time editing job seconds before I’m sure to get a pink slip. I convince myself I’m ready to create my own work. And I do. I edit. I teach. I write. I even babysit. Ten years fly by in a blur – during which I accumulate exactly two things: telling experiences and untold debt. I try LA, then Boston, and then LA again. All complete busts. The unsteady diet of tutoring and teaching…
134 days after I got married, I lost my job. 134 days is a very short amount of time before being forced to deal with the harsh realities of the real world. That line in your vows – “for richer or poorer” – was quickly put to the test. Spoiler alert: we failed. However, losing my job wasn’t the main reason why my marriage failed. I will say, that although it may seem as though this is not a happy…
Below is an excerpt of John Fugazzie’s interview for Out-of-Work to Making Money, 21 Comeback Stories Every Job Seeker Should Hear: As I kept applying for jobs, we have what we call the black hole where you just send resumes and you never hear back from anybody. Basically, as I was finding it more and more difficult, I really started to try and figure out what’s different and what is the solution. I went to a networking group. Some lady had…
Throughout my working life, becoming unemployed had always been one of my biggest fears, and one that fear turned into reality when I was forced to give work up due to ill health. When it happened, it couldn’t have been at a worse time. With declining health and mobility, and my doctor saying a firm “No” to going out to work, getting another job seemed impossible. All I could see was a lifetime ahead of me of claiming benefits, and…
A doctor’s note ended my career as a professional guitarist and informed me that I could lift nothing heavier than a bottle of milk. The same month, a note from my father cut me off from his medical aid and left me and my family hanging in the balance. Now what the hell were we supposed to do? “Write again.” was my wife’s answer. It had been at least five years since I’d last picked up a pen and most…
I’ve been unemployed for the entire duration of my marriage. If that sounds harsh, it’s even harsher to write it down. These past six months have been long, longer than I care to remember. Some days my spirits were up, while other days they’d seemed to have disappeared completely. But no matter how ashamed I’ve felt, how hopeless or frustrated, there hasn’t been a time that I’ve let it get in the way of my marriage. My wife makes all…