If it’s been over six months on the job search with no results, it’s time to put together a “Plan B.” Can you afford to be in the same position six months from now? No job or no source of income? Few unemployed can afford to hang in there indefinitely. The extended unemployment benefits can help ease the pain, but everyone should have a fallback plan if the search takes longer than expected.
- Paying the bills. Depending on your age and financial situation, you may be able to access 401K or IRA money without paying penalties for early withdrawal. If your extravagant lifestyle was fueled by a high-paying job that is now just a memory, you may need to start selling off some assets or downsizing your lifestyle.
- Take in a roommate or boarder. The extra bedrooms in your house or apartment can bring in cash with the right roommate. You may find a student or young professional to rent a spare bedroom with kitchen privileges if you live in a college town or metropolitan areas. In high rent areas, plenty of solid but cash-strapped individuals would welcome a safe, comfortable living space and you get some much needed income to help pay the mortgage.
- Volunteer for free. Instead of letting your skills get rusty, volunteer your expertise to a non-profit organization in your area. Non-profits have Boards with some of the best known and influential members of the community, and it’s possible your gesture and abilities will get some attention from someone who can offer you a paying job.
- Start a blog. Your job search experiences, strategies for staying afloat on the stormy seas of unemployment or expertise in a favorite hobby are all topics for an interesting blog. Promote it on Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites to gain a following. You may find an entirely new career as a writer, blogger or attract an employer who can use your unique skills in a paying job. Think “Julie and Julia,” the story of the girl who decided to cook all of Julia Child’s recipes from her classic French cookbook in a year and blogged about it. It became a book and then a movie. New career!
- Turn your skills and experience into a business. While this is the toughest road to go, you may be able to earn enough money to finance your other job search efforts, wardrobe needs, gas, etc. I once had a sewing business when my children were little, and last year I pulled out the old sewing machine and participated in a number of local craft shows. My handmade gift bags and Christmas stockings were a hit, and brought in a tidy sum. There are lots of ways to take what you know and turn it into a business. Tutoring on just about any computer subject, writing resumes, cleaning houses. It’s not forever, just until you secure that steady job with a promising career.
- Reinvent yourself. Take what you have and rearrange the components into a whole new career.Start doing what you love—singing, writing, gardening, reading—and research careers that use those skills. Start developing a new direction “just in case” the old one turns out to be a dead end.
Do you have a Plan B? Share your survival tactics with other readers in the Comments section below.
Mary Nestor-Harper, SPHR, is a consultant, blogger, motivational speaker and freelance writer for educationjobsite.com. Based in Savannah, GA, her work has appeared in Training magazine, Training & Development magazine, Supervision, BiS Magazine and The Savannah Morning News. When she’s not writing, she enjoys singing Alto II with the Savannah Philharmonic Chorus and helping clients discover what they love and spend their life on it. You can read more of her blogs at www.educationjobsiteblog.com and view additional job postings on Nexxt
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