Looking for a Job, Full-Time: How Dumb

"So what have you been doing since getting laid off."

That is a statement. Actually, a rebuke. Not a question. From experience as an intuitive coach since The Great Recession, I knew the answer. This jobless human being would proudly say:

 "Full-time, I apply for jobs."

From hearing this over and over again I know how counterproductive that approach is.

The application process which is one-dimensional usually plays out as:

Income has stopped coming in. Severance and unemployment compensation are over. Likely you're living off savings and investments. Currently a job search is a long process. Often it is dead-end if the former knowledge worker is determined to remain in their field. More and more of those positions aren't coming back. In addition, as Pro Publica documented, if you're over-50 and you're fortunate enough to return to your previous line of work only 10% of you will earn comparable income. That means it will be harder to recoup lost earnings. Obviously, not smart is not having money coming in. 

You're no longer work-ready. And it shows in interviews, if you're getting any. Sitting around all day every day applying for work results in everything atrophying. That ranges from the ability to pick up quickly on social cues to standard workplace skills. That's why I hammer: Grab a job or gig, any job or gig. Moreover, that opens you to thinking productively about what are options for earning a living. You're out there in a workplace, observing trends. Few of those Ah-Ha moments happen at home. 

Odds are that you're isolated. Yes, chronic unemployment is sized up to be "contagious." Those still working and those newly sacked will come to duck you. Work leads come through people. Those people are steering clear of you.

If you've been investing all your time in your job search, stop. Check the help-wanted for gigs and other kinds of paid employment. Apply. You bet, leave off those advanced academic degrees. You might have to dumb-down the resume, cover letter and your interactions in interviews in myriad other ways. Be hungry and humble during the whole continuum, from application to on-the-job. 

As your confidence returns, be alert about where the demand is for workers. In addition, becoming a solopreneur is possible. If you're over 65, it's probable that you'll be profitable the first year in business.

Earning a Good Living in 2026 Involves Mental Combat. The enemy is usually your own thinking.

Complimentary consultation. No Pressure. Solid Guidance. Contact Jane Genova janegenova374@gmail.com.



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