Unemployment looked easy to me as an employed individual. Yes, financially it would be a huge struggle, but your mental state would be eased, because you didn’t have to deal with work stress, alarm clocks, expense accounts or deadlines.
Well, I was totally wrong! Now that I have been out of work for some months I have a better understanding of how difficult unemployment can be. After all, our identity is so closely tied in with our professions that it is drainingh to not have an answer to “What do you do?”.
Yes, one could always be caught up on laundry and go to the supermarket at the quietest time. But in reality, it is a stressful roller coaster ride. There are lots of highs and lows to be encountered in your quest for the right job fit. When will they call? Did they get my resume? There is a lot of nervous waiting and wondering. Kudos to the companies who update job candidates and the friends who always share job leads.
If I won the lottery, I would create a space, a lounge for people who are looking for their next opportunity where they could meet and brainstorm. There would be helpful workshops, rooms for people to meet privately with recruiters or potential employers, and of course lots of free snacks and drinks. In the background you would hear the sound of resumes being printed out or dreams turning into reality.
The center would include:
Resources & Business Book Shelf
Yoga and Stress Reduction Classes
Computer Classes/Printers
Career Counseling