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Dear Community,
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
what is going on with me?
I'm starting to realize that I may have lost my drive to find a job. This scares the crap out of me. I was laid off in April '10 and I have been looking for something since then. I used to be on every job employment website all day, every day and now I find myself logging in maybe 2 or 3 times a week. I don't know if I've gotten too comfortable not working or if it is just frustration from being unemployed for so long. I want to work so bad my finacial status leaves no option even if I didn't want to work, but lately it just hasn't been a priority...what do I do?? I need a job hunt jumpstart! The last thing I want is to sit around all day, but after almost a year of not working, I'm wondering have I just gotten used to this life?
Re: what is going on with me?
Have you considered applying at temp agencies? Shadowing someone in your field? Going to the library or bookstore and reading job books (just don't buy a ton of / any stuff).
I'm sure you're just tired of it all. Give yourself a break, take a mental break ("I'm off until Tuesday, then I start back full force!"), exercise a bit, focus on your job-hunt-re-start day, and then get back with it like it's your FT job. Make sure you are staying on a reasonable exercise/food/sleep schedule, like you would if you were working.
You've got to get out of the mindset that applying for jobs is the way to getting a job. Because in this economy, most jobs are not acquired by sending in resumes and filling out online applications. Yes, that can do it. But it's not the most likely source.
I'm in transition as well, and networking is the way to go. Email people in your field, call individuals you know and individuals you don't know and ask for informational interviews. Ask how they got where they are, ask for more contacts. For every meeting you have, try to get two more on the books. That way, you'll be out there, doing something and feeling good about yourself. The energy you get from those meetings will then inspire more job applications, more networking, etc. That's exactly what it's done for me.
You can do it!
It's definitely a grind. I got so burnt out spending hours scouring the web and doing online job applications. So I mixed it with a little of what marcylth suggested, get out to some events with other people. Hopefully, they hold networking opportunities. But it helped to get out and away from the computer screen. I also joined a couple of professional organizations that were related to my field / industry that got me out to regular meetings. I even checked out my alumni office and joined some of their events. They weren't expensive and it got me out and around other people. I also did a couple of non credit adult education classes, they go for 2, 3 or 4 nights. I remember one of them was a career exploration workshop because I figured it would keep my mind focused and though I thought I knew and understood my career path, it gave me different things to think about.
It took me about a year, but I finally got a job I found, and applied for, online. But I feel like I made a good effort in maintaining balance. Good luck!