Staying positive in the job hunt

by Phil Stott

So I've been keeping an eye on the bill working its way through the House (well...it's stalled at the time of writing) to extend unemployment benefit payments to people in States where the unemployment rate is above 8.5 percent. Unprecedented times calling for unprecedented measures, the bill would give long-term unemployed people in my home state of New York benefits for up to 99 weeks, according to the New York Times-provided they became unemployed no later than October 27, 2008. In order for that to happen, however, the bill needs to overcome Republican objections.

While I'm tempted to just fire off a missive about the divisiveness in the political arena in this country, that's not the intention I sat down with. What really motivated me to sit down and write this is the fact that such legislation is needed at all-in short, that there are people out there who, despite their best efforts, have been unable to find employment for almost two years.

I know only too well how disheartening it can be going from day to day with no prospect of a job in sight; when I first arrived in the U.S. in the fall of 2006, I was on a visa that didn't allow me to work-a situation that didn't change until April of 2007. For the first six months of my life in this country, then, I was essentially a kept man, sitting at home all day with little more than daytime TV and the internet for company. I don't know if my visa situation made the ordeal better or worse than attempting to look for a job in a recession, because I don't know what's more hopeless-putting in a ton of effort with only a marginal chance of it paying off (there are currently over 6 unemployed people for every vacancy out there), or not even seeing the point of putting that effort in because you have no idea when-or even if-the government is going to get around to clearing you for work.

What the experience-and the search for employment that followed it when my papers did come through-taught me were a few strategies for survival (as well as a couple of things to avoid) which I'd like to pass on now.

Do: Make lists of things you need to get done, and check them off as you do them.  Having tangible evidence that you've achieved something is a great way to keep you sane and prevent you from spending another day staring at a computer or TV screen doing nothing.

Do: Try and establish a routine. Whether it's a couple of hours of dedicated job-searching in the morning or a run in the afternoon, having designated activities to structure your day around can prevent you from focusing on how slowly the time's passing.

Don't: Be afraid to enjoy yourself. Sure, being unemployed sucks. And it sucks a whole lot more if you have a family to try to support. But that doesn't mean your every waking minute should be a nightmare. Even simple (and free) things like taking the kids to the park can be a great boost for your state of mind.

Don't: Give in to the internet's dark side. Sure, there's a ton of "interesting" stuff out there (some of it less than family- or marriage-friendly), but it's important to maintain a sense of perspective. I developed something of an online poker habit during the winter I was sequestered-spending hours just sitting essentially involved in a mindless activity-and I wasn't even playing for cash! And, for all the hours I spent doing it, not once did I get up from the computer feeling good about myself. General rule of thumb: if it's not something you'd do on a computer in an office environment (or if the wife is around), don't do it when you're alone. As the saying goes: character is who you are when no one is looking.

Do: Get out and socialize. Having arrived in this country knowing only my wife, I found the social aspect the hardest to come by. In short order, though, I managed to find a soccer team (which eventually led to some coaching work when my visa papers came through) and a couple of guys who were occasionally available to hang out for a couple of hours during the week. That human contact made a big difference to my mental health. For the same reason, consider volunteering wherever possible-even if it's only helping a neighbor get groceries.

The bottom line is that it's important to stay connected and in a positive frame of mind-for yourself and your family as much as for the sake of your job hunt. And remember: it can all change at any moment. If you are looking-and especially if you've been looking for a while-keep faith. And good luck.