Practical advice for those who have been looking for a job for a long time. What to do if you are unemployed

Unemployment is a complex phenomenon when a person is not employed. During this time, people usually feel confused. What should an unemployed person do? Surviving after losing your job is not easy, but if you use a few simple tips, you can find a new source of income.

Role of the State

What does the state do for the unemployed? For citizens, there are employment centers where you can get acquainted with vacancies and also choose something suitable. A person can search for a relevant job as long as necessary.

In case of unemployment, a person receives a special benefit. It is issued at the employment center. During this period, a person has time to find a suitable vacancy. The state also supports starting your own business, providing financial assistance for this, as well as favorable loans.

Conditions for receiving benefits

If a person becomes unemployed, what to do in this case? You can register at the employment center. Only then is the status of unemployed assigned. After this, benefits are calculated. It can be paid no more than 2 years within 3 years. The payment period is divided into 2 periods, each of which cannot be more than 12 months. This period may not be consecutive, but only for 18 months, since there may be breaks in payment.

If an unemployed person is unable to find a job after the end of the 12-month period, then he can receive benefits for a 2-year period. Approving payment at 24 months is a common case. But sometimes this period decreases. These cases occur when:

• The person had not worked before.
• There was a break in work for more than 1 year.
• Was fired from my last job for violations.
• Quit for another reason within 1 year before registering with the employment center.
• Suspended from free training to which the person was directed by the Employment Center.

In these cases, each of the 2 payment periods will not last more than 6 months.

Benefit amount

If the maximum payment period is 24 months, the amount of benefit provided for 1 year is established as follows:

• 1-3 months - 75% of the average income indicated in the certificate from the last job;
• 4-7 months - 60%;
• 8-12 month - 45%.

The amount of benefits cannot be higher than the maximum and minimum. This figure changes every year. During the 2nd period, payments are provided in the minimum amount. Benefits are also paid to military personnel discharged from service if they are not entitled to a military pension. To receive funds, the unemployed must visit the employment center within the prescribed time frame.

Actions in case of unemployment

What should an unemployed person do to improve his situation? There are many ideas for generating a stable income. There are no clear rules in this situation, since everyone decides for themselves what is best for them to do.

Now it is possible to find a job on the Internet, through an employment center, or newspapers. In addition, you can organize your own business if you have initial capital. To be aware of your options, here are some ideas to consider.

Unemployment benefits

What should an unemployed pregnant woman do? In this case, you will not be able to find a job; you must register with the Employment Center. This rule applies to cases where the woman was officially employed. Benefits are not paid in cases where there was a dismissal or no employment at the time of pregnancy. The following cases are exceptions:

• A woman was fired due to the cessation of work of an entrepreneur or organization.
• Studying in educational institutions.

Unemployed pregnant woman

And if an unemployed woman is pregnant, what should she do? Even if a woman quits her job, she has the right to register with the employment service, which is why she can receive benefits. She confirms her status with documentation. The benefit is different every year, but in 2016 the minimum was 850 rubles, and the maximum was 4900. But if a woman is registered at the labor exchange, then she is not entitled to maternity benefits.

Unemployment money is not paid for the entire period of maternity leave, so a pregnant woman at 30 weeks must submit a certificate of incapacity for work to the employment center. The specialist does not schedule a visit to the employment service during the entire period specified in the document.

When the vacation ends and the woman wants to find a job, the payment of unemployment benefits is resumed. This will happen when the period has not yet ended. If a woman is not ready to work, then payments are not paid for the period when she is on maternity leave. During pregnancy and after the birth of a baby, a woman can be considered unemployed.

Work on the land

What should an unemployed person do to improve his situation? If you have a plot of land, it can be used to earn money. To do this, you should grow organic products (vegetables, fruits). They can be sold on collective farm markets.

For this type of business to become successful, you need to learn about profitable markets, profitable purchases of seeds and fertilizers. Greenhouse equipment will also be required. Such a business can become not only a temporary solution to financial difficulties, but also an additional source of income. This option allows you to open your own business. Investments will be required to establish it.

Gathering and fishing

What should an unemployed person do if there is a forest belt or planting near the city? You can make money by picking edible mushrooms or berries. Products can be donated at local markets. They are considered in demand. The price for them is quite high.

If you are temporarily unemployed, you can pick fruit. There should be fruit trees and ownerless trees from which you can get fruit. If fruits are dried and frozen in the summer, their value increases in winter and spring.

Another type of work is fishing. But it all depends on the area where you live. If there are bodies of water nearby, you can sell fish. Moreover, it is perfectly sold in fresh, smoked, cured, dried, pickled, pickled forms.

Realization of talent

What should an unemployed person in Russia do to become successful? You can use your talents and skills for this. For example, musicians can play on the street or in public places. Artists have the opportunity to draw portraits to order. If you have the skills to create beautiful things with your own hands, then such products can be sold.

There will always be a demand for knitting household items and selling them on the local market. Usually, needlewomen quickly find clients. If you have such skills, then there will always be a job. There may be other talents, the main thing is not to be afraid to realize them.

Selling services

What should an unemployed person do to earn income? You can offer your help to people. For example, some do some work for friends: walk with children, do repair work, help move. There is a constant need for many services for which people are willing to pay money.

In big cities you can work as a guide for guests. A person who does not know the area can use such services. You can use other ideas if you get a little creative. During the period when there is no work, you can sell something.

Working on the Internet

An unemployed person can look for a job on the Internet. Now there are many options for generating income on the global Internet. This includes freelancing, online training, selling scans, computer services, social networks, and affiliate programs. All this can be learned without education, the main thing is to have the desire.

An experienced user can be provided with services for preparation, collection of information, creation of documentation, maintenance of home computers and laptops. In this case, computer knowledge will be required, which can also be learned.

Network Marketing

This is also a type of income from selling other people's products. To do this, you need to find companies that are looking for partners. They pay a percentage for the sale of their goods and services. Even if you need an investment to participate, you should still try this option. Many companies are willing to pay people money to increase their ratings and improve sales.

You can use many other ways to earn money. You need to approach sources of income wisely, correctly assess your strengths, and also use your skills. You need to save a little from your earnings, and then there will be practically no problems with lack of money.

In my work history there was a period of a long and painful search for work in the glorious city of Moscow. At first, there were no signs of difficulties - but how could I, a graduate of a foreign university with extensive experience working abroad, a connoisseur of four foreign languages, and generally a smart guy, not find a job? I hit the ground running - sending out resumes through all possible communication channels, reviewing all newspaper and Internet resources for employment. I was convinced of my success by default, especially since I had recently published an article in a major metropolitan magazine about how to properly look for a job.

But time passed, summer gave way to autumn, and autumn to winter. The active job search continued, I didn’t lose hope, I attended interviews regularly, and constantly updated my resume online. Just before the New Year, I made my 70th (seventieth!) anniversary visit to a potential employer, and received the same exact anniversary refusal some time later. And then the blues struck me - what is this going on? Don’t employers see how “useful” a candidate is dismissed with little or no thought? And at this stage it would be time to think about why exactly I am not suitable for them, and try to change something in myself. Instead, I despised them for their “imbecility” and began to think about immigration. This topic is not new for me, and most importantly, it is always a saving reed for one crying in the wilderness. Looking ahead, I will note that no immigration occurred, and life went on as usual.

I consider it appropriate to skip some time and come closer to the topic of conversation. The fact is that I realized my mistake extremely late. But it came, which makes me incredibly happy. I called my mistake “The Bicycle Principle” and, as practice shows, many of us are susceptible to this misconception.

First of all - what kind of job are we all looking for? The question at first glance is simple: of course, we are looking for a job that pays well, has growth prospects, has an interesting team, and has a lot of personal freedom. In general, this is an approximate calculation for any specialist, regardless of his profession. Let’s discard situations with employment through an acquaintance, employment with “our own people,” in the company of relatives, friends, and so on. So, if you are in a free search and do not have many personal connections, then the ideal option would be a foreign company, or a large Russian one with long-standing traditions of office work culture. For example, Russian companies of the rank of Gazprom, MTS, or foreign ones from the category of network giants Metro, Sony-Russia, Mantruck and others. Working in organizations of this kind, in most cases you will be spared from side interference regarding the timely payment of salaries, or a lack of understanding of what they want from you. Everything is clear, regulated, functional, spelled out and worked out more than once. Just know for yourself - work for the benefit of the concern and reap the benefits in the form of good white (which is important!) salaries and career growth.

It should not be forgotten that the key to the achieved efficiency of these companies is properly recruited personnel. Tens and hundreds of personnel officers are regularly instructed and trained in the ability to determine what exactly the organization needs and under what sauce. Imagine a bicycle. It consists of wheels, pedals, chain, frame, steering wheel, seat. You sit on the seat, rushing down the street with pleasure, enjoying the coordinated work of all the small mechanisms of your iron horse. Take, for example, a chain consisting of hundreds of small links fastened with even smaller rivets. The task of the rivets is to control the links, the task of the gears is to ensure the operation of the entire chain mechanism, and so on. At the very top of the hierarchy sits the rider himself, whose thoughts and plans are incomprehensible and unknown to the chain links, wheels, or seat. Any large organization works according to a similar system.

What is the key to long-term operation of a chain link? Correct fastening and timely lubrication with oil. The link will not creak, and will hold the chain tightly in connection with other links. Nothing more is expected from this small detail, just as additional ambitions are not expected... of the link itself in relation to the bicycle. In addition, the small part must fit the bike perfectly and meet a generally accepted standard. The fact that a hefty chain link from a tractor has proven itself in field work does not mean that it can be used on a mountain bike.

I found myself in the role of that very link from the tractor, and with an unjustified claim to professional suitability in any matter. Yes, I adjusted myself to the cycling standard, compressing my body to the required size. The steel creaked, did not want to bend, and as a result looked like a mechanic after a week of drinking. These circumstances rarely escaped the trained eye of personnel officers.

But the main problem is this: are you able to voluntarily and resignedly harness the chain, diligently contribute to the functionality of the system and the good mood of the rider? Are you ready to tighten your belts in all positions, from the belt to the mouth, the lost years and stubbornly do what you are told? Can you at least pretend to respect your superiors in the form of rivets, cogs, or wrenches?

There are a lot of rivets and screws - look around you. A business-looking young man in pressed trousers, a tie visible from under a sheepskin coat, a man purse clutched under his arm and swollen with papers, and a mobile phone under his ear, is in a hurry. The sheepskin coat is not new, the shoes are Chinese for five hundred rubles, apparently the guy is a part of an old domestic bicycle. Most likely - a manager for active sales of Algerian bathroom faucets, or sets of Taiwanese screwdrivers.

But a young, fashionably dressed beauty taxis up to the Espocentre building on Krasnaya Presnya in a brand new Peugeot 206. There is a badge already prepared on the jacket, and in the back seat of the car there is a neat bag with documents. This is clearly a little thing of a rank slightly higher than the guy in Chinese shoes. A company representative is a rank corresponding to a rivet in a bicycle chain. Already a lot. An intelligent girl, a graduate of the Gnessin Music Academy. Alas, things didn’t work out in the music field, but here is such a lucrative offer from a foreign company selling plastic windows!

Look to the left - a pensive middle-aged man with a briefcase jumps out of the subway and disappears into the depths of a certain financial institution. It seems that he was not late for the planning meeting today, because last time he was fined for being late. What a failure, what an embarrassment - I was late. Deputy junior securities analyst and allow this to happen. And yet his work is very significant for the organization - in cycling gradation - no less than a gear roller.

What connects these three characters? All of them are serviceable links in the bicycle chain, capable of living and enjoying life in the niche that they have. They often grin at those lower in the gradation and curry favor with those at the top; they discuss the rider’s plans in a whisper and refer to reliable sources of information; they eagerly savor the news about the boss’s new passion. They attend corporate events not out of love for them, but for reasons of corporate culture. And also because they know that someone is keeping records of those who were not present where they were required to be present and then, of course, will raise the question that you are shunning the team.

Resume

For some, it is easier to exist within a strict structure, being a part of a rigid hierarchical ladder. Some people find it more convenient to be a free artist, make their own decisions and not be part of the bicycle. Someone is able to get up at the same time every day, perform the same actions, obey the same rules. Others are much more successful at becoming their own boss and master of their own destiny. I think it's very individual for each person. But, before storming the bastions of corporate fortresses, you should decide for yourself - is this what you are looking for?

I come to the conclusion that most of our depression and self-doubt comes from an absurd subconscious desire to be like someone. Correspond to some status. Have some fashionable qualifications, or better yet several at once, and be included in a certain society. Even if this society is unpleasant to us. All this seems to flatter vanity, but we don’t even notice how we begin to drown in this swamp. Life is not for ourselves, but as if so that others think well of us

But here is a song especially for those who are not at a crossroads:

Currently, the competition for job seekers on Careerist.ru is quite low - On average there are 3 vacancies per resume, which is two times less than the average for the Russian labor market. But the “average temperature in the ward” does not reflect the real picture - competition, for example, in law can reach 10-15 candidates per position, while blue-collar professions may experience a shortage or the competition will not exceed one and a half resumes per vacancy. It is believed that the level of competition in employment is the main measure of the duration of the search for a new job. But there are other, subjective factors, ranging from age to the position for which the candidate is applying.

Ordinary specialists must find work within 2-4 months after leaving their previous job, but picky tops can look for a new position for a whole year. At the same time, narrow specialists, such as in-demand IT specialists, can look for a new job for one week - they are in maximum demand on the labor market, and therefore do not suffer from a lack of attention from recruiters. But what to do when the job search period drags on to the point of “indecent”? Perhaps we should be flexible, step up our efforts, or find alternatives?

What slows down search?

The hiring situation has changed significantly since 2014 – selection today has become much more stringent, critical and thorough. Employers are not limited to just one interview - candidates for more or less decent positions are selected in almost several stages, using all professional assessment tools and thereby minimizing the possibility of error. This, of course, is reflected in the duration of the job search - according to Rosstat, at the end of 2016, about a third were unemployed, and this is! If you are one of them, or the job search period has already exceeded six months, it’s probably time to think - something is clearly not going as it should.

Of course, these figures are difficult to justify solely by the behavior of employers - there have always been enough people who are in no hurry to find a job after being fired, and the number of jobs leaves much to be desired. But at the same time, there are also a lot of applicants, for example, with high expectations, when the desired salary clearly does not correspond to competencies or qualifications.

There is a stereotype that older candidates cannot find work due to low qualifications; they say that good designers, doctors or builders find a place no matter how old they are. Nevertheless, knowing the situation on the labor market, remembering and taking into account economic instability, one should not say so unequivocally - many senior applicants experience difficulties finding employment due to reasons beyond their control. But you shouldn’t give up; personal activity is the tool that will help you overcome all problems.

Even more effort

So, if the period of active job search exceeds six months, it’s time to change something. Remember, looking for a job is also work: as in any other business, the result is directly proportional to the efforts made. Therefore, you should not call the time spent “active searches” if this activity itself was limited to the publication of a resume and two updates of its publication date within six months. Regularly sending out resumes to found employers is the first, but not the only step that should be taken as part of the search.

So, if the efforts made do not bring results, most “specialists” will advise you to reconsider your requirements, change your activity profile, find yourself in related professions or industries, etc. This is certainly correct, but we will move away from the usual patterns and advise you to make even more efforts:

By the way, summary...

Probably worth making some changes

Recruiting specialists vying with each other to say that if you have been unemployed for a long time, then you probably have too high demands. Well, or you just don’t know how to sell yourself as a good, intelligent specialist. For now, let’s put aside less attractive offers and focus on self-presentation skills. The main tool here, of course, is the resume. It requires careful and regular updating, especially if you have new information for it, such as a completed training or webinar. Approach its completion with special care; every carelessly filled out item is a lost opportunity. Here are some more tips to follow:

• Refuse to send a standard resume - rewrite it before sending it to each employer so that the document meets the stated requirements as much as possible. It is not necessary to rewrite it completely - just add “key words” from the vacancy so as not to be included in the “filtered” list.
• Focus on actual experience in your resume and describe specific results you've achieved. Remember that you will obviously be asked this question during the interview, so it is better to prepare in advance.
• Provide arguments in your favor that confirm the results achieved. Let these be numbers of key performance indicators, data from annual reports, links to your own portfolio - anything as long as it confirms the effectiveness of your work.
• Study the resumes of your competitors: determine why they seem more attractive to you, what advantages you have over them and make appropriate changes.
• Never write your desired salary on your resume, or even mention it before meeting directly with a recruiter or interviewer - first, the benefits that the employer will receive thanks to you, and then you can talk about your value as a specialist. The recruiter will always be ready to discuss the issue of allocating an increased salary if the specialist interests him with his competencies.

Of course, do not forget about literacy - a banal typo, unnoticed during the process of writing a resume, can become a fatal mistake in finding your dream job.

Perhaps you should change your profile?

As we have already said, looking for a job is also a job, or at least a temporary project, within the framework of which it is advisable to conduct a full audit of your own knowledge, experience and competencies. But it also happens that even a perfect resume, impeccable reputation, impressive experience and readiness for an interview are not enough - the market intervenes. In modern conditions, when the labor market is still an employer market, competition among applicants remains too high. As a result, a younger, more attractive candidate becomes the new employee, while fifteen other applicants with identical competencies remain out of work. If this situation continues over the past few months, you should probably consider changing your profile, or at least changing your industry.

Following the path of least resistance, think about related industries: for example, journalists often go into PR or marketing, IT specialists, tired of coding, begin to sell software, and foreign language teachers become translators. There can be a lot of examples of this, and a springboard for professional maneuvers can be found in almost any specialty. The main thing is to find these paths and determine the availability of career prospects.

It’s a different question if your profession is a gerontologist, a tester, or, say, a glass blower. Here you already need to think about retraining. And the first thing you need to think about is education. Perhaps these will be hairdressing courses, webinars on programming, or a practical seminar on web design. It is possible that in order to fully master a new (and most importantly, in demand on the market) profession, you will want to get a higher education, but it all starts small. When choosing a new profession, try to pay attention to the massive specializations that are actively developing in the market, otherwise such a professional maneuver will not make any sense.