Don’t Let Unemployment Crush Your Self-Worth

Being out of work is one of life’s most stressful events. Beyond the worries about economic security, unemployment (or underemployment) can take a serious toll on your sense of self-worth.

I know. I’ve been there. So, here’s some advice for maintaining your mental and emotional well-being when you’re between jobs.

Build your network now.

Successfully surviving unemployment begins while you’re already comfortably employed. That’s when you need to lay a foundation for success that will strengthen your confidence and help you bounce back more easily.

Be sure to cultivate a strong network of people you wouldn’t hesitate to call for help — i.e., people you have actual relationships with.

If that’s not something that comes naturally, then create a plan. Make a list of people who could be helpful to your career — those you know and those you’d like to know. Start small and build from there.

Connect on LinkedIn, Twitter or wherever else they spend time. Interact regularly, schedule Zoom chats, get together IRL. Keep notes and use reminders to stay in touch.

And don’t wait until you’re unemployed to get active on LinkedIn. Keep your profile up-to-date and spend 15 minutes a few times a week scanning your feed and commenting on others’ posts.

Get involved with your local PRSA chapter and other organizations you belong to. 

Finally, keep up with the market by regularly monitoring job boards to get a sense of hiring trends, skills sought, pay levels, etc.

Laying this groundwork will take some of the fear and anxiety out of unemployment.

Stay busy.

For many of us, our sense of self-worth is closely tied to our work. If we’re not busy accomplishing meaningful things, we feel lost, adrift, even useless.

So, treat your job search like an actual job. Get up in the morning, go to your desk, set goals, do your research, outreach and all the rest. Keep spreadsheets, track results and update your to-do lists.

And maintain your public profile. Showcase your expertise by posting two or three times a week on LinkedIn. Contribute articles to industry publications. Create and post videos wherever your network is.

Volunteer with organizations in your community — ideally in a way that plays to your professional expertise. Doing good will not only help you feel good; it could also lead to valuable connections.

Finally, get organized. Tackle all those boring administrative tasks we put off when we’re busy. Put your files in order, update your contact lists and organize your systems. These may be small things but, in the darkest times, even minor accomplishments can boost your mental outlook.

Feed your mind, body and soul.

As hard as it may be, try looking at your situation as a gift. You now have some time to pursue interests you’ve always (or haven’t yet) dreamed of.

Sign up for a class at your local park district. Take an online course. Try your hand at art, improv, cooking, photography or creative writing. Start playing an instrument. 

Be a tourist in your own town. Check out those landmarks you always recommend to visitors but never quite get to on your own. Visit museums and art galleries — many have free days or hours.

Tackle that stack of books on your nightstand. Or dig into the classics that you never found time for.

Get in shape. Exercise, eat right and do all the rest of the things we know will make us feel better and stronger.

Finally, make time for friends and family. Get the emotional support you need. Call, email or text someone you’ve lost touch with just to catch up and chat.

Staying busy and engaged with the world will broaden your perspective, improve your outlook and raise your visibility. But you may also find, as I have, that the more energy you put out there, the more good things come back to you. 

When we project positivity instead of hopelessness, and confidence instead of neediness, we tend to better perceive and attract the kind of opportunities that can make a difference in our lives.