How to Stay Professionally Engaged During Your Employment Search Even If You're Not Working
March 20, 2013
•Career Services
• 1 Comments
During your job search you may have thought to yourself, "Since I'm not working, employers won’t want to hire me." While in many cases you may be perceived as more employable when you are already employed, there is still work that can be done so that you stay busy and engaged.
The key is to stay professionally engaged during your time away from work. Think about ways that you can network with current industry employees; they could be people you know already. Have you created a LinkedIn profile yet? Have you joined any professional groups? There are often announcements which are specific to these groups regarding events that you can attend to "rub elbows," as the saying goes.
Have you thought about volunteering? Many employers like when they receive these kinds of offers because who wouldn’t want free help? This gives you the opportunity gain some experience in your particular field of interest and gain some contacts for now and future reference. Even volunteering for charities can help build your resume and even add to your skillset.
You may be afraid of the question in an interview, "Why are you unemployed and what have you been doing with your time." Don’t be afraid to be professionally honest with the first part, then answer the second part of that question by letting them know how you have been professionally engaged.
For more career advice and information, visit the AIU Career Services page.