We realize that the title of this blog might make you scoff—particularly if you’re unemployed. But we truly believe in the unexpected benefits of looking for a job. Let’s focus on our favorite four:
- You realize what’s important. When time and money are particularly scarce resources, you budget them more carefully. One of the unexpected benefits of looking for a job is paring down and weeding out the extraneous, whether it be a sugary latte addiction, a calendar crammed with social obligations or a closet full of clothes that need cleaning, mending and pressed. Often job seekers find peace in focusing on what’s truly essential.
- You learn who your friends are. Some people might avoid you as if unemployment were the plague—potentially deadly and contagious. But one of the unexpected benefits of looking for a job is realizing just how deeply others care about you. Friends whom you considered casual acquaintances may swoop in with connections, gas gift cards and notes of moral support. Complete strangers may go out of their way to share suggestions, tips and opportunities. It’s a blessing to learn how loved you are when the chips are down.
- You uncover your strengths. Discovering how awesome you really are is one of the unexpected benefits of looking for a job, particularly if you’ve worked with us at Merrfeld. Part of our resume development and career coaching process is itemizing and maximizing your skills and talents. After we get it all on paper and represent your abilities with facts, statistics and strong adjectives, you’ll be newly impressed with yourself!
- You enjoy the freedom to reorganize your life. When there’s nothing to lose, there’s everything to gain. No longer paralyzed by the fear of losing your job, you can look broad and wide at the world of opportunity and possibly forge a new path. Perhaps that means starting over at the bottom in a new field. Perhaps that means taking on a temporary or part-time job while you enroll in classes. But one of the unexpected benefits of looking for a job is the ability to shed traditional obstacles—a steady paycheck, a perceived role—in chasing your dreams.
Being unemployed is certainly no picnic. We understand the discouragement, self-doubt and financial struggles that it entails. But there are silver linings in its midst; if you need help finding them, talk to us about career coaching. And if you choose to embrace them during this transition, you can experience your job search as a time of growth to greatness!
Photo by Ryan McGuire.
