How to Transition Back into the Workforce After a Long Period of Unemployment
Recently, a reader said that while my blog is helpful, that she would rather me have more tips and posts on those who have had a long period of unemployment. Then all of a sudden I received an e-mail from One Smart Dollar who said that they wanted to guest post and had some general ideas for a topic. What was one of those topics? It was THIS ONE! What great timing right?
This is a guest post from Scott Sery, a freelance writer, who writes for One Smart Dollar. When not talking about money he enjoys passing on his knowledge of the back country in Montana and how to live sustainably. Follow them on Twitter at @OneSmartDollar.
At least one time during most people’s working career they will find themselves unemployed. Whether it’s due to company cutbacks and workers layoffs, or due to the employee being fired, these normally hard working people find themselves forced into job hunting.
While there are plenty of jobs out there, not every job is suited to every person. So, rather than settle for something that is beneath their skill level, or a menial job that would do more damage to their self esteem than it is worth, they collect unemployment. They do this as they keep looking for the job for which they are trained. Many times that looking period is long; often lasting a year or more. When something finally does come along, they often find that the transition from unemployed to working is a lot harder than the transition from working to unemployed.
When a company first acknowledges your résumé and grants you an interview, you will be bombarded with emotions. First, overwhelming joy that you actually have a chance to re-enter the workforce will flood you. Then, that joy will be replaced with anxiety, fear, and doubt. The “what-ifs” creep in. You know those nagging questions: what if I don’t get the job, what if I get laid off again, what if I bomb the interview? Take a deep breath, and take it one step at a time.
Prepare Your Image
Ideally, you would have already been getting up and starting each day as though you were getting ready for work. This means waking up early, showering and dressing as though you were going to head to the office, and then using at least a few hours per day researching jobs. If you have not been keeping up on your image, get yourself back there quickly.
Prepare Your Knowledge
You need to know the ins and outs of the company before your interview. One of the top mistakes people make is walking into an interview without doing any research first. You should know everything you possibly can about the company. And then take some time to learn about common interview questions. The more you have studied, the more confidence you will exude during your interview. You’ll find the more confidence you exude, the more likely you are to land the job.
Prepare Your Network
This step comes after you nail the interview and land the job. In fact, the number one reason people do not get the job after an interview is because they don’t ask for it. If you feel you aced the interview, a simple question to ask is, “So when do I start?” At that moment you can start building a relationship with your future co-workers. You will want to know who to turn to for inevitable questions that will arise.
Prepare Your Skills
Many times, there is still that lingering doubt that you won’t cut it at this job either. Get rid of all doubt by making yourself an invaluable asset to the company. Work hard to do more than what is required of you. Seek out new assignments and tasks. Take initiative without being asked. Show that you care, and that you want to do a good job, so if lay-offs come along again your name won’t even make that list.
Final Thoughts
Unemployment is tough. It wreaks havoc on our emotions and feelings of self worth. Those feelings do not disappear when transitioning back into the workforce. The key is to recognize them, and make sure they work for you and not against you. If you have found yourself out of a job for a while, now is the time to buckle down and become more competitive.
Have you ever had to deal with a long period of unemployment? What did or would you do?
Is a Business Degree a Waste?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/whatcouldgowrong/4608963722/
Is a Business Degree a Waste? I keep hearing people/news outlets arguing at opposite ends of what seems to be a common question. Short answer – NO! I don’t think a business degree is anywhere near being a waste.
Recently, I read an interesting article about whether a business degree is a waste or a good decision.
I read the article multiple times (and unless I missed it), I’m pretty sure it means business schools as a whole (and the various degrees that are offered), and not just specifically a “business degree.” So when they say business degree, I’m assuming this includes Finance, Economics, Accounting, etc.
Personally I think a business degree is a great choice. It can open many doors and in some instances make you well rounded because of the wide range of classes which are usually available. There are also many jobs and careers out there that involve a business degree. And as I said in the paragraph above, there are so many majors: finance, economics, accounting, management, health administration, marketing, operations, strategy, international business and so on.
As long as you are realistic about getting your degree and what you plan on doing with it, I don’t think there are many instances in which a degree can be a bad choice or a waste. Read my post How To Pay for Graduate School if you haven’t yet. Today’s post somewhat relates to that.
If you know what you want to do and also see value in it, then go for it. If you are unsure and question every move you make, then you might want to stop and think about what you truly want.
Also, most of my friends who graduated with business degrees have found jobs, whereas some of my friends who have other majors are having a much harder time. Now, I’m not saying it’s easier to find a job for everyone, but with my friends and the area we live in, it has worked out well. And many of my friends who have degrees in other areas (such as anthropology) have even told me “I wish I went to school for business instead.”
I would never say that getting a business degree is a complete waste.
Of course I am biased when it comes to this post, as my undergraduate degrees are a B.S. in Business Administration and a B.A. in Management. And then I also have a Finance MBA. So yes, I have THREE business degrees. I do like/enjoy the life I live, so that is probably another reason why I am biased. I am sure that if I couldn’t find a job, that I would question whether having a business degree is truly worthwhile to me.
Here’s the main statement of the article:
“The biggest complaint: The undergraduate degrees focus too much on the nuts and bolts of finance and accounting and don’t develop enough critical thinking and problem-solving skills through long essays, in-class debates and other hallmarks of liberal-arts courses.“
However, I think most majors are similar to this. I started off as a Psychology major in the beginning, and I definitely wouldn’t say it was that much different. Everything is mainly there for you to break into the subject, and then I think you should pursue some sort of emphasis or focus for yourself. This can include getting a job internship or focusing on a particular study within your degree.
According to the article, business majors account for around 20%, social sciences and history account for 11%, health professions at 8%, education at 6%, and the list goes on and on.
There are multiple ways to analyze whether or not your degree is worth it:
1. Do the professors have “real” experience?
I think this is extremely important. In classes where my professors had no actual business experience (there were very few of these professors at the schools I attended), I found the classes were just boring. It’s hard to listen to someone when you have more experience than them in the subject that they are trying to “teach.” I like to know how I can apply what I learn to REAL situations and how a professor has applied it in the past.
2. Does the student work?
This can include volunteering, a part-time or full-time job, etc. I think real world experience is important. If you work while you go to school, you are most likely applying what you learn as you learn it. I am more able to remember things if I can apply it as I learn. Or if you worked in the past, then you will be able to analyze your past behaviors. I worked full-time all throughout undergraduate, and had a full-time career during my MBA program (same job I have today). You have a lot more to contribute to your classes when you have some experience.
3. What school are you attending?
Of course some schools are harder than others, and this might make it more “worth it.” There are different tier levels for school. Are you going to the best value? Or are you just going to the cheapest or the most expensive?
4. What do you see yourself doing in the future?
Is this degree worth it to you and what you envisioned for your life? If you want to be a veterinarian but go to school for social work, well, that’s just a tad confusing. Make sure it lines up with what you want to do.
One commenter below the article referenced above said:
“When relatively few went to college, a college degree was a sign of accomplishment. Majors were limited, so you had to conform to the college’s needs. Then colleges started catering to everyone, backed by Federal loans to students. Degrees became watered down or meaningless, as students would keep changing majors (engineering – communications, math – psychology) just to get any degree.”
I somewhat agree with this. If getting a degree is now becoming the “norm,” then what’s next? Obviously individuals are going to have to up the ante somehow. I do think that a business degree is mainly a stepping stone, and college degrees are becoming the norm. Many things need to be done to differentiate yourself from the tons of other individuals out there.
What I’m doing (and did) to differentiate myself:
- Worked full-time and earned great experience all throughout undergrad as a retail manager.
- I now have a great career in the financial services industry.
- Have my Finance MBA.
- Finishing up with my financial certification this year (it’s a process that takes a couple of years to earn and I’ve been working on it since the Summer of 2010).
What is/was your major? Do you think it was worthwhile?
How We Handled $32,000 in Student Loans
Hey everyone! Today I have a guest post to mark off the second week in my debt payoff series. I asked readers and friends to submit guest posts regarding anything relating to their debt. Enjoy! If you would like to participate, please e-mail me at senseofcents@gmail.com. Today’s post is about a reader’s student loans. Read further if you would like to read about my wonderful $38,000 student loan plan.
Almost eleven years ago I graduated with my Bachelor’s degree in Business Management and $15K in debt.
I was lucky to only have this much in loans as my parents for some and I had paid cash for two years myself by working summers in high school.
My husband had an additional $12K that he owed and when we married two years later we combined it.
Over the course of 6 years we made it a priority to pay these off. Every year when we got our tax money back we paid down on these loans. We started with the biggest one first (mine) and then used the money we saved on not having to pay mine and doubled down on paying his.
Graduate School
I then went to grad school and had to take out another $5K in loans. For most of grad school I took one class at a time and we paid for those cash (about $900 each.) That was the most helpful as we could stay on top of it and not have to borrow too much (though it took me 5 years to graduate!).
One year I had to take a lot of classes (I was pregnant and trying to get ahead) and we took out loans to cover it. Again, we used tax money to pay it back and within 10 years we had successfully paid off approx. $32K in student loans.
Some facts about how we deal with money in our house:
- We don’t have any credit cards. Everything we do is paid with debit and if we can’t pay for it we don’t do it.
- Since having our two children our tax returns are ridiculous (over 10K!) We use that money to pay off debts (both cars, wood floors, college accounts for children, vacation funds, etc.) Before the fun stuff is paid for we pay of the boring things, like college loans. It is not exciting to do this, but it feels really good to eliminate debt.
- We automatically pull money into savings and our retirement accounts. It is important to us to have a buffer in savings for emergencies.
- We live off of one income (my husband’s) while I stay at home. I worked until our children were born and used that paycheck to add into our savings.
- The only debt we have is our house, which we bought as investment property and will rent out for income when we move in June (we are a military family!)
A little about me! I have a personal style/lifestyle blog called Because of Jackie. I’m a mama of two young ‘uns, and I love to shop (cheaply!), read, write, watch QVC (I’m addicted!) and share my stories of everyday life. Curious? You can read more here and here.
Do you have student loans? What are you doing to eliminate them?
