What to do When You're Unemployed

AH, unemployment.

If you listen to our podcast (shameless plug), you'll know that both Sarah and I are in fact unemployed college graduates. It sucks, obviously. I mean, we've been having a fun summer (as much fun as quarantine times will let us have, at least), but it would also be pretty cool to be making an income and having plans to move out of our childhood homes.

But today we're going to look on the bright side! Here are some things you can do when you're unemployed, but you still want to be productive.

1. Volunteer

People forget that volunteering looks great on a resume. Not only that, but it also makes you feel good AND it's a great topic to bring up during an interview. Considering coronavirus has been putting extra hardships on peoples' lives, there's no better time to be kind! Look into volunteering at a hospital or elderly home (obviously they will be more strict about Covid rules). If you're not comfortable with that, why not volunteer at a local food bank?

1. Remake your resume/ update your LinkedIn

Since you're unemployed and have all the time in the world, there is no excuse not to do this. Yes it's a tedious and time consuming task, but it's vital to your job search. Update your resume and your LinkedIn profile so that when you continue to apply to jobs you'll know you're branding yourself in the best possible way. I use Canva for resume templates!

1. Webinars/ Online classes

I just finished an 8- week online summer program hosted by the PR Council. Not only was it really cool to learn from real-life, successful industry leaders, but it was also cool to learn alongside students that had the same interests as me. This looks great on a resume and is the best answer to the incoming interview question, "What did you do during quarantine?" You can find a bunch of classes about any interest through LinkedIn! Even check with your college and see if they have any recommendations.

1. Look into furthering your education

Did somebody say... Masters degree? If you were ever considering getting another degree, this might just be the perfect time. Job searching is extremely difficult right now (as we all know), so why not go back to school? Once you've graduated, you'll be at the top of job candidates and more jobs will (hopefully) be available! Even if you take one class at a time, at least you're working towards something!

1. Start a new project

Sick of the job search and feeling unmotivated? Trust me, I feel you. So start a new project or business! It doesn't have to take a lot of money, but it will take a lot of time. TwoFold is me and Sarah's project and during quarantine we've really stepped up our game because we had the time! So take a chance, think about your interests, find a partner if you so choose, and get to it while you still have the time.

1. Find a part-time job

Just because you're a college graduate with a degree, doesn't mean sales associate jobs, babysitters, or interns are below you. At this point, anything that could give you some extra cash or some more experience could go a long way! So don't ignore opportunities like these.

Times are tough right now, so remember not to be too hard on yourself. Keep searching, don't give up, stay motivated, but also remember to slow down, relax and enjoy this free time while you have it.