Have you been laid off? Is the pressure at work becoming overwhelming? Have you considered your options? Should you apply for Unemployment?

In this article, I wanted to talk about how to search for a job. If you are currently unemployed or recently let go from your position, you may be searching for a new job. Alternatively, due to safety not being taken seriously at your company, being forced to work in the office, mistreatment, or no flexible hours, you may have just quit. Finally, if you have been fired with cause, click this link. 

I thought I would give some tips about how you should go about your job search to make it more profitable for you in the future. Depending on who you are, you may be interested in working in your passion this time, and these tips can help you do that. Keep in mind that if you were fired/ quit, you might be eligible for EI, aka unemployment, so make sure to check the link and apply. I know many people have qualms about applying, but the worse thing could happen is that you get turned down. Keep in mind that during the pandemic, things are changing as many people are asking: How can I claim unemployment if I am fired? How do I get unemployment? How long will it last? What do I need to qualify? 

The answer is different for everyone because COVID-19 has affected the labour laws, and many jobs are still in limbo in terms of the stages for re-opening. Plus, if you have children, that puts you into a different category. Apply, and someone will reach out to you. You may want to start this immediately as there is a wait time. Keep in mind that you can receive unemployment while you look for work; you just have to update them.

Once upon a time to apply for unemployment, there were specific criteria, like you couldn’t be fired. But during the pandemic, many changes are being made. And to be honest, in Canada, it is a process that you have to go through, but with the changes to CERB, there are additional benefits that people can get. Including businesses and owners that had to downsize due to the pandemic and the lockdown. However, If you are looking for work, here are some things to consider:

1. Take some time to consider what kind of work you want to do. 

2. On a piece of paper, write down the kind of employer you want to work for. Or perhaps the field you are interested in.

3. Revamp your resume and your cover letter or find a service (I have one) that can help you with restructuring for a new position.

4. Consider looking for online job banks that hire specifically for the field you’re looking for. For example, Indeed is excellent, but you may benefit from charity village if you are interested in non-entry-level positions.  

5. Set aside a whole day to apply. Otherwise, you will find yourself frustrated.

6. Try not to apply to jobs after 5 PM but more so in the morning

7. This is the most important rule of all: do not apply for any job in desperation. Comb through the jobs that look interesting and write your resume for those jobs.

8. Whatever your method is for self-calming, you need to do that before you start using it to apply for employment with good energy.

You certainly want to do some research, especially if you want to change fields; depending on your financial situation, you may also want to look at the pay growth in that job, including the pay gender gap. Not many people talk about this, but this is what leads to additional stress. During the pandemic, people seem surprised that women suffered a lot more than men when their income was affected. Ironically, when it came down to which parent would stay home, women were most likely to stay home because their income was lower than their male counterparts, which if someone has to stay home for sure, it will be the person with lower income. It is sad because we are in 2021, and women are badasses and working in higher roles. And you may be reading this and thinking, okay, but that’s currently, things will change. On average, women earn less than men, even in the most sought-after professions. Women get limited health coverage on plans, like birth control. Women usually have to work twice as hard as men do in the same job because women aren’t top earners; as they get close to retirement, they get close to poverty unless they marry well or to someone who had a pension. Women are always close to the poverty line because they don’t get enough money, and therefore they have to be careful with their finances. This is a huge problem, and while the pay gap is narrowing, it is not doing it fast enough. We won’t even speak about assault/harassment that happens to women, affecting their jobs and overall health, which results back to the notion of women seeking limited health care and resources. Alas, another topic for another day. 

Now I get that losing your job is hard, not just financially but also emotionally, and it doesn’t make you feel good about yourself. So it would be best if you processed your loss or grief. But know that you aren’t alone, and many people are losing work and walking off their once loved jobs. This does not have to be a bad thing because a fresh start can be challenging but significant. Now you may be able to work in a different field or expand your hobby into a business. Maybe this has happened so you can finally do something that you have always wanted to do.

It’s hard during the covid pandemic because you have no idea when you may be laid off or hours reduced.