There is an unfortunate trend happening in job postings – I myself have seen it firsthand – ones that explicitly state under requirements, “must be currently employed.”
According to Consumerist some states have barred this as a requirement, others such as New York and Michigan are considering banning it and there are moves in Congress to do the same.
If there is one common current that runs throughout all of humanity, it is that everyone Googles themselves all day, every day. Humans are vain creatures! Copywriter Alec Brownstein used this fact to get a job via Google AdWords.
Languishing at a huge ad agency, Brownstein bought the names of his favorite creative directors on Google AdWords for 15 cents per click. Which meant whenever they Googled themselves, Brownstein’s ad popped up:
Hey, [creative director's name]: Goooogling [sic] yourself is a lot of fun. Hiring me is fun, too” with a link to Brownstein’s website, alecbrownstein.com.
It worked: Everyone but one of his targets called him, and today Brownstein works for Young & Rubicam, a fancy New York ad agency.
The Unemployment Law Project has offices in Seattle and Spokane, Washington and provides free legal assistance to those who have been denied unemployment benefits or have had trouble collecting on their benefits.
They currently help those who have a Washington State UI claim.
2. Getting up earlier – 7 a.m. (For a while I was doing well and getting up at 8 a.m., showering, getting dressed, and then searching for jobs online – but then I had a few late nights which messed up my sleep cycle and then I began sleeping in. BAD IDEA!)
3. Starting another blog – Koala Rainbow , a blog about pretty things, weddings, home decorating, etc. I’ve only just started it, so there is only one blog post so far, but I will be updating every day. It’s a nice detour from thinking about unemployment every day. A bit of escapism.
4. Creating a portfolio of my past work. It’s a great way to show potential employers concrete examples of your capabilities and previous work.
5. Cooking! This Butterscotch Bread Pudding is a favorite recipe. (Personally, I do not add any sugar to this recipe – the butterscotch chips are sweet enough!)
Here are some articles about the Unemployment Blues
I bought this domain last year when I was employed so I could create a site with tips and insight into unemployment. I have been laid off 3 times in the past five years. Now I'm unemployed. If you have any questions, job offers (!!) or love letters please send them to me at bus@beingunemployedsucks.com