<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR>Seven ways to beat prolonged unemployment
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->I HAVE met many people who have been out of work for many months. Many also have experienced joblessness lasting more than a year. One was jobless for more than two years, surviving on his savings and doing odd jobs along the way.
People who are out of work for more than nine to 12 months are considered unemployed.
There is a sizeable proportion of the working population here belonging to this troubled group. As many as 5,000 people who are out of work may have fallen into this jobless category.
Many of them are in their late 40s to 50s with obsolete skills and have difficulty adjusting to a new economy. Some may need to upgrade their skills to prepare themselves for a second career with lower salary expectations.
The technical term for this group of workers is long-term unemployed (LTU).
Having been jobless for 18 months during the Sars period, I empathise with the unemployed person's situation.
However, readers who belong in this category can find solace in my situation.
I have since learnt to be more flexible and am now very opportunistic. It is as if my honing radar is switched on now to look out for opportunities.
I took on a life-changing opportunity to work and teach in China after a short discussion with my wife. Before, I would never have even entertained such an idea. I did not want to come out of my comfort zone.
I have also became more resilient as a result of that prolonged period of joblessness.
I took time to write a book entitled How To Survive Unemployment, detailing my experiences as an inspiration to other jobless people.
The book was published in February this year and is sold out. However, a free soft copy of the book is available on my website at www.transitioning.org
Here are seven ways to come out of prolonged unemployment:
- Make a decision to return to the workforce.
Though jobless for 18 months, I have taken up several short-term contracts doing telemarketing. Lasting between one and three months, such jobs give me much needed financial resources and break the monotony of staying at home.
- Know what you want for yourself.
Singapore's retraining programmes, such as those initiated by e2i and the community development councils, are heavily subsidised and many merely pay around 10 per cent of the course fee.
The LTU can benefit from such retraining programmes by asking themselves what they really want to do for a second career. Do not follow the crowd when it comes to attending upgrading courses. Instead, spend some time considering what you really want for yourself.
Readers who have difficulties finding their passion can e-mail me for help.
- Get family involvement.
The LTU should discuss with their family members their life goals. A family that is supportive and encouraging can help to put a person back on his feet again faster than one who has poor support.
For those with low self-esteem, family support is vital to help them get back on their feet.
- Find support from fellow LTU.
The human race is a particular species whose members find solace in gathering together. They can progress remarkably well if they can find the relevant support from the community. Their problem seems lighter and easier to solve, knowing that others have also faced the same issue and have overcome them before.
One key element for the LTU to find support is to humble themselves and not allow the ego to take over.
- Find your life's mission.
I am sure many LTU in their 40s and 50s want to do something to leave a lasting legacy behind.
There will be those out there who may want to do some meaningful voluntary work that pays poorly or not at all.
Of course, some breadwinners will be unable to work in such jobs due to practical reasons.
- Boost your self-esteem.
The LTU need to consciously do things to boost their self-esteem. For example, going for various retraining courses to stay in tune with the market is a wonderful way to keep one's spirits up as the person is out of the house regularly and he also mixes around with other people in transition. There is support when you mix with people regularly.
During my period of prolonged joblessness, I also wrote a lot. To date, at least 100 articles have been printed in many of the major newspapers' forum columns in Singapore.
I also took time to write my book and am starting on my second book now.
We all can make good use of the extra time to do something that we had no time to do all along.
- Set a deadline.
It is always good to set a deadline for when you will return to the workforce.
Often, what the mind sets out to do is accompanied by active participation of the body and emotions.
For example, if you are jobless for a year, you can set a timeframe of another three months of intense job searching so that your vision of landing a job may materialise within the three months.
I hope that the LTU can find some solace from this letter.
Gilbert Goh
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->I HAVE met many people who have been out of work for many months. Many also have experienced joblessness lasting more than a year. One was jobless for more than two years, surviving on his savings and doing odd jobs along the way.
People who are out of work for more than nine to 12 months are considered unemployed.
There is a sizeable proportion of the working population here belonging to this troubled group. As many as 5,000 people who are out of work may have fallen into this jobless category.
Many of them are in their late 40s to 50s with obsolete skills and have difficulty adjusting to a new economy. Some may need to upgrade their skills to prepare themselves for a second career with lower salary expectations.
The technical term for this group of workers is long-term unemployed (LTU).
Having been jobless for 18 months during the Sars period, I empathise with the unemployed person's situation.
However, readers who belong in this category can find solace in my situation.
I have since learnt to be more flexible and am now very opportunistic. It is as if my honing radar is switched on now to look out for opportunities.
I took on a life-changing opportunity to work and teach in China after a short discussion with my wife. Before, I would never have even entertained such an idea. I did not want to come out of my comfort zone.
I have also became more resilient as a result of that prolonged period of joblessness.
I took time to write a book entitled How To Survive Unemployment, detailing my experiences as an inspiration to other jobless people.
The book was published in February this year and is sold out. However, a free soft copy of the book is available on my website at www.transitioning.org
Here are seven ways to come out of prolonged unemployment:
- Make a decision to return to the workforce.
Though jobless for 18 months, I have taken up several short-term contracts doing telemarketing. Lasting between one and three months, such jobs give me much needed financial resources and break the monotony of staying at home.
- Know what you want for yourself.
Singapore's retraining programmes, such as those initiated by e2i and the community development councils, are heavily subsidised and many merely pay around 10 per cent of the course fee.
The LTU can benefit from such retraining programmes by asking themselves what they really want to do for a second career. Do not follow the crowd when it comes to attending upgrading courses. Instead, spend some time considering what you really want for yourself.
Readers who have difficulties finding their passion can e-mail me for help.
- Get family involvement.
The LTU should discuss with their family members their life goals. A family that is supportive and encouraging can help to put a person back on his feet again faster than one who has poor support.
For those with low self-esteem, family support is vital to help them get back on their feet.
- Find support from fellow LTU.
The human race is a particular species whose members find solace in gathering together. They can progress remarkably well if they can find the relevant support from the community. Their problem seems lighter and easier to solve, knowing that others have also faced the same issue and have overcome them before.
One key element for the LTU to find support is to humble themselves and not allow the ego to take over.
- Find your life's mission.
I am sure many LTU in their 40s and 50s want to do something to leave a lasting legacy behind.
There will be those out there who may want to do some meaningful voluntary work that pays poorly or not at all.
Of course, some breadwinners will be unable to work in such jobs due to practical reasons.
- Boost your self-esteem.
The LTU need to consciously do things to boost their self-esteem. For example, going for various retraining courses to stay in tune with the market is a wonderful way to keep one's spirits up as the person is out of the house regularly and he also mixes around with other people in transition. There is support when you mix with people regularly.
During my period of prolonged joblessness, I also wrote a lot. To date, at least 100 articles have been printed in many of the major newspapers' forum columns in Singapore.
I also took time to write my book and am starting on my second book now.
We all can make good use of the extra time to do something that we had no time to do all along.
- Set a deadline.
It is always good to set a deadline for when you will return to the workforce.
Often, what the mind sets out to do is accompanied by active participation of the body and emotions.
For example, if you are jobless for a year, you can set a timeframe of another three months of intense job searching so that your vision of landing a job may materialise within the three months.
I hope that the LTU can find some solace from this letter.
Gilbert Goh
