Unemployment as a Career Killer

Ways to Kill Your Career

Is staying home and collecting unemployment going to kill your career?  It seems like an easy decision to take the increased unemployment check and just stay home.  Why even bother trying to find a job when you can possibly earn more staying home than you did working?  A great deal depends on whether or not you want to spend the rest of your life in a job or if you want to pursue a career. 

After Four Months

If you had a job where you were making minimum wage, it’s easy to decide that with that extra $600/week on top of your unemployment you will be making more money staying home.

But what happens when that dries up?  Where do you go in four months when that extra money is gone? If you think it will be a piece of cake to just get a new job and go back to the minimum wage you were making, you may be surprised.

First, many of those companies who would have hired workers like you will be out of business in four months’ time, so the competition for those openings is going to be fierce.

Second, you’ve been sitting on your couch for four months with nothing to show on your resume.  How will you explain to a hiring manager that you preferred to not work?  Will they see that as a smart move or laziness?  I know the answer to that one, hopefully you do too.

Alternatives

What are the alternatives?  There are many companies right now who are hiring entry level people and are willing to train them.  Yes, the hourly rate is possibly less than what you could make sitting at home on your couch.  However, at the end of the training period you can, and most likely will, get an increase and will continue to get increases throughout the rest of your career.  Because once you have training, you will have a career, not just a job.

Even if you don’t stay with the company that trained you, you will have a new set of skills that will make you more valuable than you were had you stayed on your couch.

Rewards for Loyalty

There still are companies who reward their employees for loyalty. This could be in the shape of increased wages.  Or, if you showed up when others declined, you’ll get more recognition and it could take the shape of a promotion.  After all you were there when your employer really needed you.  Who would you trust, who would you promote?  Surely not the one who stayed home on the couch.

Temptation versus Long Term Goals

So, while you are thinking this is wonderful to stay home, keep in mind this isn’t going to last forever.  It’s important to think about what is right for you in the future and prepare yourself for your long-term career.