Unemployment (and the subsequent job search) can be incredibly discouraging. You fix up your resume and start sending out cover letters and applications for jobs that seem like a perfect fit, only to receive the dreaded, “Thank you for your interest, but we’ve decided to go in another direction” email.
So what should you do in the in-between period between losing one job and finding another? Here are a few things to keep in mind.
Practical Steps:
- Get your resume and references together.
- Set up a profile on LinkedIn and start making connections.
- Get a team of friends together to be in prayer for you daily.
- Make your job search your job and knock on as many "doors" as possible.
Seek God: It’s tempting to let your job search and all the stress that comes along with it consume your thoughts. While it’s important to invest quality time in finding a job, you should also still be taking time to enjoy moments with God. This will feed your trust in Him, that He will provide every single thing you need (Matthew 6:33). Ensure your identity is found in Christ, not a job or lack thereof.
Stand up: Don’t get discouraged (Proverbs 24:16)! Rejection from a job may knock you down, but you don’t have to stay down. Rise up! Remember, in today’s world of online applications, the statistics indicate the potential of one job interview for every 100 applications. Don’t always perceive a lack of results as rejection, but as protection.
Self-evaluate: Take this opportunity to evaluate your experience and your gifts to see where God may be able to use you in your work (Psalm 139:14). Also, reflect on prior work feedback or mistakes to evaluate for improvement. Consistently look to improve your marketability to a potential employer.
Seek counsel: It may be worth the money to have someone else assist you with writing and creating a resume. Seek advice from those who know you, people you can trust to be honest with you regarding the skills and abilities that will maximize your marketability (Proverbs 11:14; 12:15; 21:5; 24:6).
Strategize: “Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty” (Proverbs 21:5 NLT). Find a healthy balance between streamlining your application process and standing out in your application process. When you are applying to many jobs, you want to apply as quickly as possible, but you should still try to find a way to stand out. Seek advice as to how to accomplish that. Make connections with people in the field for which you are pursuing work and pick their brains for what they look for or what stands out.
