[kodomokid]

Having been recently unemployed, I am running out of things to do. Other than looking for a job, what would you guys do?

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[biotechee]

Sorry to hear you are unemployed. Not fun for sure.

I guess I would look for free or inexpensive activities that could bolster my skill set...

Perhaps there are some free courses or the like at nearby community colleges or centers?

Volunteering to help is also a good thing to try. Can give you experience and can help others. Win-win.

If I become unemployed, I will have my hands full taking care of two young children so I won't have to worry about what to do if I am bored, luckily!!

I wish you the best of luck in getting back into the workforce. Times are certainly tough right now. Hang in there and keep pluggin' away at all your networking channels.

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[flash]

take this opportunity to put the car up in the air, remove the wheels and fender liners - clean and wax everything under there - do the same with the engine bay

then, pull the seats and shampoo the carpets and really treat the seats

then, clay bar the car and give it a good buffing and waxing

then at least you can go for a drive and really feel good about the car

it's a very cathartic exercise

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[kodomokid]

<!--quoteo(post=68318:date=Mar 11 2009, 09:04 AM:name=biotechee)-->QUOTE (biotechee @ Mar 11 2009, 09:04 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Sorry to hear you are unemployed. Not fun for sure.

I guess I would look for free or inexpensive activities that could bolster my skill set...

Perhaps there are some free courses or the like at nearby community colleges or centers?

Volunteering to help is also a good thing to try. Can give you experience and can help others. Win-win.

If I become unemployed, I will have my hands full taking care of two young children so I won't have to worry about what to do if I am bored, luckily!!

I wish you the best of luck in getting back into the workforce. Times are certainly tough right now. Hang in there and keep pluggin' away at all your networking channels.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

I thought about volunteering. I went to a park the other day which is a wildlife preserve. Cans and garbage all over the place. Made me very upset. I carried a little back to the garbage cans but it's not enough. I'm gonna try to do something about it.

Thanks for the encouragement as well.


<!--quoteo(post=68320:date=Mar 11 2009, 09:17 AM:name=flash)-->QUOTE (flash @ Mar 11 2009, 09:17 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->take this opportunity to put the car up in the air, remove the wheels and fender liners - clean and wax everything under there - do the same with the engine bay

then, pull the seats and shampoo the carpets and really treat the seats

then, clay bar the car and give it a good buffing and waxing

then at least you can go for a drive and really feel good about the car

it's a very cathartic exercise<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

I thought about this as well. But now it may look like I will be cleaning the 968 to sell it. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif[/img] It sucks but I need to do the responsible thing.

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[Chris Vais]

Having gone through this once myself and watched my wife and younger brothers deal with it, I can offer a few suggestions for things to do while concurrently looking for a job.

Consider taking some classes at your community collage. There probably isn't one of us on this forum that doesn't wish they had taken a class in collage that time and circumstance didn't permit at the time. The intellectual stimulation will keep your mind sharp and provide a sense of accomplishment. Who knows, it might lead to a differenct career path.

Volunteering to help out with something your passionate about is always a good thing to do. It might provide a new network that leads to new and different opportunities. Go build houses for Habitat for Humanity if nothing else.

Exercise your professional network.

Consider an internship as a way to start a career change if that is something you feel may be necessary to becoming re-employed.

What kind of business were you in, perhaps someone on the forum knows someone who needs someone like you.

Good luck with your search.

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[ds968]

First , the very best of luck on your search !! I have been in that tough spot three times, one of which ( and this was just over three years ago ) was for a rather extended period of time.

I would suggest much of the same of what has already been posted, but will go further and advise what not to do:
staying home. Limit that time as much as feasible and find activities elsewhere.. without realizing, you will be raiding the refrigerator frequently out of sheer boredom. I gained 30 lbs during my unemployment phase, while still playing soccer three times a week, so one can just imagine what eating habits must have taken over while at home .. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/dry.gif[/img]

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[94SilverCab]

I am a consultant, so I occasionally find myself "between contracts". I guess I have grown used to the lulls and actually look forward to them as I am very busy when under contract.

I have taken advantage of this down time to pursue interests that feed my soul, and provide a bit of compensation.

A few things:

Took a sailing course and then delivered yachts and worked charters.

Worked as a cook in a French restaurant

Designed custom kitchens

Worked with a web site site developer (wrote business plan, obtained financing which is something I can do, but also tested for bugs and learned more about computers and web site development).

Spent the better part of a year as RS Barn's chief flashlight holder...

All of these experiences left me with a sense of accomplishment, removed the dread of being "unemployed", and made me a more well rounded person. When I went back to my regular gig I was well rested and able to hit the ground running.

Best of luck on your search. Don't despair !

Jay

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[kodomokid]

Thanks guys for the advice. 1st few weeks I was feeling good and relaxed. The way I see it is that even if you take a vacation while you are employed, you can never fully relax since in the back of your mind you are thinking about the stuff waiting for you when you get back. I was looking forward to it when I found out i was being laid off. Now I am not as motivated to relax. Dan, you are right about not staying at home. I need to get out more. I bought a used mountain bike off of Craigslist. Trying to do things that I didn't get to before. Was running out of ideas. But it sounds like volunteering might be the best.

I have been going to my mechanic's shop a lot. Been hanging out and learning a little more about my problem child: 91 Audi 200 TQ Avant. I figure I could save a little money by fixing my cars on my own a little more than just oil changes.

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[968Syncro]

Whether working or not I have active subscriptions to:
- monster
- CareerBuilder.com
- others

These sites send emails with openings that match my criteria. So at least I get an email with actions I need to take. This sometimes helps rather than going to search.

Monster also has a "news" email they send with a bunch of tips about interviewing, dress code, how to network, etc. Sure we all know these things, but the reminders are good.

Also, main thing, make sure to stay busy. Make that list of home repairs, car cleaning, people to call, and then check off the list so you can see progress. Make a list of companies (or govt. agencies) and manage your application process according to a list. For a couple of years I worked out of the home office, and the start of the day was exactly the same as going to the office: get up, shower, eat, etc. and then I would walk to the office instead of to the car. You might want to make sure to have a well defined schedule for yourself, helps to keep structured rather than drifting.

Create or update your LinkedIn account, connect to other people there, set up a facebook page and add your friends.

I think still well over some percentage (50%?? maybe even 90%) of jobs are acquired by networking, colleagues, friends, family.

Also remember that a huge percentage of open job listings are fluff: posted to fulfill legal/political requirements but they already have the candidate in mind, fishing expeditions, left over that somebody didn't delete, budget got cut after the posting, etc. So don't get discouraged. Also a big part is to find the hiring manager, or a friend in the company that can introduce you and you don't get lost in the flow of resumes.

Best of luck and success!

Roland

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[968Syncro]

The 20 Best Job Search Web Sites

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2342781,00.asp

Roland

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[rxter]

Also been there.

Do things you like to do and things that you don't seem to have time to do when you are working. I spent a lot of time with my kids. Drove them to school, took them to the movies, played football with them - that sort of thing. In many ways those few months were the best I've had since getting married (no dis to the wife intended).

I also spent more time with my SO - went to the beach, slow drives up the coast. All relatively low dollar affairs, but fun.

And I worked out a lot. Never have enough time to do that.

And, I detailed the crap out of the car. All the time. It was one clean black beauty - inside and out.

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[S_Cal968]

Been there done that... I've gone through my share of layoffs too. As a result I've worked in several industries including aerospace, computer, biomedical and now automotive. I agree with the suggestions the others have mentioned. When I was looking, I'd spend time everyday sending resumes, keeping in touch with companies and monitoring the popular job sites. I kept my spirits up by exercising or whatever else just to keep my mind off of my situation. After my first layoff I decided I would always maintain a savings account - enough to cover expenses for a few months. Fortunately for those out now are eligible for extended unemployment comp beyond the usual 6mos. thanks to the federal gov.
BTW, what line of work were you in and what area do you live in? The reason I ask is the company I work for has a few openings, however we're in So. California.

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[kodomokid]

Hey guys. Thanks for the great advice and support. I sat down the other day thinking about what I haven't done yet and remembered a couple others. Fishing!!! I haven't gone in years. Found out a couple local lakes here that are stocked by the state of Cali. Going to try my hand at fly fishing. Never have before. This lake is on a trail so I can use my new used mountain bike to get there. I have a plan for next week.

I work in the Tradeshow business. I live in the SF Bay Area - down here in the South Bay (San Jose). Was a tradeshow manager. I will just keep sending out my resume and keep my options open. Looking at mostly contract work for now.

Thanks guys.

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[RS Barn]

RS Barn was a brainstorm while unemployed. I worked for TRW automotive and they closed their aftermarket US business when cheap products from China hit our shores. My wife travels frequently on business and we have two young children . I could only find a rep job that required being on the road all day. I convinced my wife I could run the business with a flexible schedule and deal with kid stuff (dr appointments, sick days) . My wife really thought I wanted to play with cars but now she complains when I'm at shop on weekends with customers.
Good luck
Pete

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[spin]

unemployment is tough. Volunteering somewhere can be helpful and can help networking to find a paid job. Working out is also really good. good luck with the searches.

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