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Written by: Gilbert Goh
Networking that Will Bring You Opportunities
Networking is something that will continue to benefit many who are jobless. I finally found a part time job working in a family service center paying $6.50 an hour after meeting up with a long lost friend. After working for six months there, I later found full time employment because of the experience chalked up there.
Many friends I knew found jobs through this manner, more so if you are not so experienced or educated like me. The next few jobs that I worked at were all recommended by friends and because they dared to refer me to their bosses, I could get the job easily without much competition. I have little luck with open employment if it is advertised in the newspaper. Some employers told me that they received hundreds of application letters for each job they advertised and I believed them. They also told me that they will then picked the most experienced one who are willing to work for the least pay. It is economics and often the boss will win.
For the jobless, it is tough to get out of the house as often they will feel ashamed to meet others who are gainfully employed. It made them feel worse as they tend to compare themselves with their happy friends. Some also asked insensitive questions especially if your unemployment period is as prolonged as mine. Those who dislike you will seize the opportunity to chide you a little and you will feel lousy attending the occasion.
Susan’s Story
I came across an unemployed woman (Susan – not her real name) who stayed at home for many weeks without venturing out of her house. She was unemployed for around two years. She stayed with her parents and could not face up to her neighbours whom she fear will ask her questions about her employment. A sense of shame and loser mentality have got over her eventually . Susan later saw a counselor who slowly affirmed her and helped her regained her self confidence. She is now working part time as a clerk in a local company.
Sad to say, her case is very common for the chronically long unemployed. As the unemployment period lengthens, depression tends to set in and the most optimistic person will soon be filled with self doubts and negativity. My advice is to grab any job that comes our way during the first year of unemployment. With available work, we have income coming in which is important and our self confidence will return. We can also find better suitable work while working in our temporary job. The greatest fear of the long term unemployed is that they are too used to being unemployed and may even begin to reject any job that comes their way as they are too comfortable in their joblessness state. As inertia overtakes them they are also not open to any networking opportunities that come their way as their homing radar is already blunted and obsolete. The desire and urgency is just not there anymore.
We Need Friends Along The Way
However, concerned friends can do a lot to help their unemployed friends along the way. The unemployed only need to know that someone is there to show care and support. Those who go through joblessness on their own without much support from friends and loved ones will end up in a very bad state. It is not surprising that such individuals end up chronically depressed or suicidal when they are at the end of the rope. They do not see any hope in their situation at all and on their own it is difficult to pick themselves up from the gutter. So networking is very important – if not for the job referral part at least for moral support and encouragement. Those who could network well often find another job soon after they are laid off. Their referral system is so established that they may even get a few offers from their friends and suppliers.
Anything after one full year of unemployment is considered long. The confidence is gone and the legs get heavy. Finances are also tight and whatever savings you have will soon be depleted by then. For the breadwinner, it is a dangerous state to be in as we have other family members who count on us. In a society such as ours whereby each individual needs to depend on himself for survival without any state intervention, the stress and burden a person go through during unemployment is both deep seated and treacherous. It is not for the feeble hearted. Nevertheless, when one goes through the baptism of fire, one gets stronger and ready to tackle any other personal crisis that comes along the way. When one could go through the dark period with networking support, the burden is lightened for one to carry.
Later on, I also managed to secure another job through a referral from a close friend reinforcing the value of networking especially in this down time. So go out and move around – opportunities are out there and we need to catch hold of it.
There is often in people to whom ‘the worst” has happened an almost transcendent freedom, for they have faced “the worst” and survived it. Carol Pearson
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