Out of work Blues?

Out of work Blues?

Pride in your work, it is a simple enough concept, but one that is often enough not seen in the work place on a day to day basis. Though it is highly sought after by the employer and when you have it a seemingly meaning job can become far more bearable. But does it have a dark side?

I personally have always tried to take pride in everything I do. I may not always be the best, but I do my best for myself and my employer. However this same work ethic is also the one that can make you have a hard time when you are on the market. Often this sense of pride in your work can become part of your daily positive affirmations, with means that it is much harder to keep the smile on your face without it.

Many people find themselves in a case of the “Out of work blues” when they have lost their job. A career is part of our identity and we feel as though we have lost part of ourselves in the loss of a job title. A path that we built for our selves has changed. We hope to get back up on the horse, though the job market is a hard one and it takes much longer than planned to get back to work. Many people are out of work for months and sometimes years. However this does not mean we have to fall into a funk.

The trick is to find ways to keep your self esteem up and moving in the right direction.

One trick is to keep a plan, daily/weekly/monthly goals. Set goals like making a set number of contacts in a week. Update your resume or online profile. Take the pride you have had in your work and put it into your networking.

Another chance is to take this time to build on your skills. In your extra time take a class locally for a certificate that can help build your skills for the future. Take time to read up on new techniques that you may have missed out on while you were in the office all the time. Now is the time to not just look for a new job but the next step in your career.

While these things in and of themselves will not remove the blues, they will keep you going in the right direction. We all have days when it would be much simpler to watch TV rather then take steps to build our network and find our next career.