12 ways you can help an UNEMPLOYED job seeker
Unemployment hurts not only the person without a job, but also everyone reading this article.
Being unemployed can negatively impact individuals’ mental, physical, emotional, and financial health. Skills can erode. Confidence, happiness, and social connection often take a nosedive.
In addition, the productivity, strength, and health of our nation, our local communities, and our local employers suffer because they are without the unemployed person’s talent, energy, and brain power. We are all a little worse off.
None of that is good.
And since many (most ?) people lack effective job searching skills, you have a unique opportunity to step in to help an unemployed person position themselves for job search success.
Below are 12 simple ways you can help an unemployed job seeker:
1.) MAKE AN INTRODUCTION to an internal contact, hiring manger, or recruiter at one of their target companies
2.) Help them develop a JOB SEARCH STRATEGY (more here: https://lnkd.in/erAAzUhY)
3.) Review and OPTIMIZE THEIR RESUME and LinkedIn profile
4.) Encourage them to join or form a JOB CLUB (more here: https://lnkd.in/eyTpknET)
5.) Act as a REFERENCE and/or write a LinkedIn recommendation (if appropriate)
6.) Go with them to a NETWORKING EVENT (call it an empowerment event if that makes you or them feel better)
7.) Encourage them to VOLUNTEER – the ultimate career booster (more here: https://lnkd.in/efGRGbQj)
8.) Help them STAY SOCIAL by meeting for coffee, breakfast, or lunch
9.) Encourage them to INVEST IN THEMSELVES (short-term training, online classes etc.)
10.) Participate in a MOCK INTERVIEW (more here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/3-ways-mock-interview-can-help-job-seekers-bill-leonard-mhrm/)
11.) Help them make a MINDSET SHIFT (more here: https://lnkd.in/e-jE7YBN)
12.) LISTEN to them
Getting an unemployed job seeker back to work has to be a priority of everyone – including you. Any of these 12 activities can be the thing that makes a difference to someone without a job. So, pick one – or a few – and get started today. Helping someone get a new job is one of the greatest gifts you can give, as once said to me so eloquently by Mileise Pearl Sabbatini Allegrucci.
But guess what? (You don’t have to guess; I’m going to tell you.) By helping an unemployed job seeker, you are helping yourself. Everyone whose career you boosted is going to remember what you did for them. And at some point, they are going to thank you, show their appreciation, or even return the favor should you need it. They are going to look for opportunities to help you and boost your career. The goodwill that will likely come your way, while not expected, is a nice benefit of doing what’s right – and needed.
[This article was originally published on LinkedIn on 3/28/23: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/12-ways-you-can-help-unemployed-job-seeker-bill-leonard-mhrm%3FtrackingId=8I72OMb5TKS7riy7%252F7w1Dg%253D%253D/?trackingId=8I72OMb5TKS7riy7%2F7w1Dg%3D%3D]