Unemployment and the brick wall effect

Finding a way out of unemployment may take time. A normal amount of time when looking for new work is at least three months until the first job interview is offered. This is most likely the earliest anything may turn around with constant daily searching. Overcoming the barrier of long term unemployment can be frustrating and sometimes draining. Placing one resume or application per day keeps you in a forward motion even if by a small amount.

But What If No One Is Getting Back To You?

This is not an uncommon event when looking for work. Many employers receive 20 or 30 applications or resumes per job opening. Some employers have at least ten resumes dropped off every day even when they are not seeking to fill a position. Still others take more applications than is needed to create a list of available hires. Overcoming the barrier of no response is a simple realization of a few things:

• This is not a direct reflection on you or your skills
• This is happening to another 20 or more people like you with each job opening.
• The employer most likely doesn't have the time to let everyone know who got the job.
• The goal is to place as many resumes in as many hands as possible until someone calls you back.

When Unemployment Gets Too Long

So what do you do if, after three months, nothing has shown up yet? The weeks turn into months and you are running out of time, money, and patience. Employers don't like to see large gaps in employment because it simply looks like the applicant is either not motivated or lacks skills to find work. How do you fill in the gaps while looking for a paying job? Overcoming the barrier of a long period in unemployment can be achieved in the following ways:

• Find volunteer work - when you write your CV, it is allowed to write that you are unemployed, but doing volunteer work.
• Take a class or two - this allows you to show that you have been updating and improving your skills
• Work side jobs - list these as doing side work while unemployed on your CV to show you are trying to earn an income.

When you can show prospective employers that you have been attempting to fill the period of unemployment with productive activities it greatly reduces the glare of mounting days being unemployed. Overcoming the barrier in unemployment with this type of activity also may lead in other directions not thought of before.

If you find yourself still looking after many months with no openings on the horizon, do not get discouraged. Instead, create positive ways to fill the time to help keep your mind and spirit healthy and active. If you can work through the frustration and strain of long periods in unemployment, overcoming the barrier will seem much less of a hurdle.