I could not tell you if I have ever been passed up for a job due to discrimination. It is with certainty that I can say I have never discriminated against someone who has applied for a job that I was recruiting for.
But I am going to let you in on a dirty secret. People who I have worked with in the past have not hired a qualified candidate because they were unemployed. In other words, I witnessed “unemployedism” in the workforce first hand.
Fortunately for me the days of working around people with a blunted human ethos are behind me. But what about the 5.9 million Americans who are unemployed today and have been unemployed for greater than 27 weeks? (source)
Each day they are unemployed, their chances of employment become more and more difficult. This is not a fair outcome to a person who has worked hard, proven their mettle and has been victimized by a broken inhumane system. And it is that same system that is keeping them from reentering the workforce.
So if you are one of those 5.9 million unemployed, then here is my advice to you.
Based on what I see in the employment market today, if you have not been able to find a job in 6 months after putting in a diligent effort, it is safe to assume that you will probably remain unemployed for the foreseeable future if you don’t change your tactics.
One thing you can do is start your own business in the area of your last job. If your last job was of a professional nature, then start up a consulting practice. During this time, I suggest continuing your employment search. But now, instead of having a blank space on your resume for the past 6 months, you will have some activity demonstrating initiative.
I have seen many people who have taken a shot at being self employed but chose to come back into the workforce. So if you don’t succeed, it is okay. The good thing is that your value in the market will simply increase by you demonstrating some form of relevant activity.
With that activity, you will have a lot more to say during interviews or you may actually hack out a decent living and decide to stay self-employed. Now don’t go break the bank trying to set up a business. Start small and operate with a healthy dose of frugality until you get your feet under you.
But don’t sit and wait for another 6 months to land a job either. Because today there are 13.9 million people who are unemployed. And in the last 11 months we have only added 1.3 million people to the workforce. So the scale won’t be tipping in your favor anytime soon. (source)
That is why it is so critical for you to take the step towards adding value to your otherwise stalled career!
I know I talk about starting a business as if it is so easy. From my experience, it is not hard. At least what I am recommending you to do is not hard. Because we are not talking about going out and buying a plot of land and constructing a brick & mortar store front.
With the amount of technology and simplified tools available to the everyday person, setting up an online entity that can be the place of commerce for your business is easier than ever. And if you don’t know how to go about setting it up, then this may be a good time to pick up a new skill.
In that case, could your unemployment be related to something beyond discrimination? It could be time to pull out those old tools of yours and sharpen them up a bit.
The idea is, activity, activity, activity.
Make it Happen!
