Reflections from Being Unemployed for Seven Months

Last year, I took the second biggest risk in my 30s to date— running for politics takes first place. Last June 2022 I resigned from a job I had for eight years with no new employment lined up. Just last month I got a new position, which is exciting. As the memories of the past seven months are still fresh in my mind, I would like to share some reflections on the longest time I’ve been unemployed in my adult life.

I was in my previous job for eight years, so I anticipated differences in the new hiring landscape. I was frustrated to discover that some hiring practices I thought were problematic are still prevalent. Particularly, not receiving a rejection email whether an applicant didn’t get in and not having a salary range in job postings. Hybrid format interviews were an interesting experience, where at least one of the interviewers were attending online while their colleagues and I were in a boardroom together. There were benefits to this as it minimizes the exposure to people who were sick.

I’ve been anxious about cancelling due to being ill and how that would affect my desirability to get hired. Thankfully that didn’t happen. For better or worse, the internet expanded both the places where I can apply, as well as access to people’s personal stories and advice. Job directories showed job postings that were remote in nature, and I even took the risk of applying to jobs overseas. At the same time, my frame of mind is different this time. I’m no longer a fresh graduate applying for just anything and everything. I have a decade of related experience in my sector and I also have household expenses I need to budget for.

“Know your worth” and “Don’t Settle” are the two main pieces of advice I’ve read in so many places and heard from many people. These gave a boost of optimism that reminded me that it is okay to not apply for just any job. At the same time, as my savings account dwindled as the months went by, I second-guessed myself on multiple occasions. I can only imagine those who don’t have savings or might already have debt, who felt pressured and desperate to take on any job so that there’s some money coming in. It can be tough to stick to principles when survival is at the forefront.

Throughout the time I didn’t have to clock in during the work week, community service kept me motivated and useful. Many of my volunteer activities have schedules and deadlines which helped me get good grasp of time and helped keep my skills sharp. It felt rewarding to show up at board meetings, help make decisions, serve the neighbourhood kids in the playground, and create documents that were informative and useful.

In between applying for jobs, I took another risk that I’ve never done before, which is to apply for writing programs and funding applications for authors. For this reason, I am slightly relieved that finding a new job took longer than I anticipated. Turns out, creating documents for funding applications, writing the manuscript for a full-length book, and going through workshops and training for authors add up to a full-time job in terms of time and intensity.

I’m not completely out of the woods yet since I’ve only been in my job since mid-February. I’m very new and learning a lot. My heart goes out to those who may be stressing out or suffering from precarious job situations as these conversations are still prevalent around me. Everyone’s priorities, preferences and principles are a bit different so I don’t feel that I’m in a position to tell anyone exactly what to do. But I wanted to say that I empathize, and I wish that all job seekers out there have a better outcome coming their way in the near future.