Unemployed during COVID-19

It has taken me an unusual amount of time to write this blog. Not because I was busy but because I am still assembling my thoughts on my situation. I have been unemployed for 4 months. Within this time, I am sure I have sent over 40 resumes and there have been various feedback or no feedback at all. After sending the resumes I have the habit after a week or two, to ask about the status of my application. To this, the HR representative often says they would have contacted me whether I was successful or not. In many cases, they do not get back in touch which can be frustrating. I have also had what I considered engaging interviews but still ended up at point A, without a job. Throughout this job hunt, I have learnt that many HR reps often forget that it is a stressful and tedious process. So, they tend to forget the importance of giving feedback after showing interest. For me, honestly, a response even if it is bad eliminates some of the anxiety from the experience. Whether the news is in the form of a general rejection letter, email, or a call.

Being unemployed without a pandemic alone can be demotivating and allow one to fall into a whirlpool of depression. I know because I am currently going through it. The coronavirus crisis has delayed and even for some, stopped employment opportunities. So, there may have been prospects before the pandemic, but they got lost in the riptide of the crisis. Persons who were already unemployed or became unemployed as a result of COVID felt and are still feeling the effects. Persons who are employed but are not being sufficiently compensated are feeling these effects as well and it really seems like gloom everywhere.

There are many days I feel motivated to be productive while other days I can barely manage to get out of bed. My productive days are the best and I spend it freelance writing, editing, and proofreading when I get a gig. I have also been attending webinars, reading, sending out my resume, and making plans for the future. I spend my low days watching series, tweeting, playing games, all to distract myself from how I feel. Depression can be paralyzing! In the earlier months, I was losing track of days, I was easily irritated, and I had a negative mindset.

This now brings me back to why I was hesitant about writing blog posts for DSL. I could not see how my lack of inspiration could inspire anyone. I felt like my content would not have been uplifting and that meant I should just lay low until I conjured the empowerment myself. My main aim for the site was to create content that uplifted females but to be honest for a little under a year, I have not been in that position to give the feel-good inspiring vibe. Writing really became a burden for me. I allowed my creativity to take a backseat because of my circumstance when initially my circumstance was an avenue for me to show my creativity.

I have noticed that during my low days I forget that I do have a purpose. All the goals that I have set to achieve go through the window and that adds to 50% of my despondency. It took me a while to remember that purpose never goes away. You can keep running from it, but the intrinsic desire will never leave; it can only be buried or redirected. So, if you are going through struggles, which I also call ‘growing pains’, don’t dismiss your goals!! They are still there; you still do have a purpose and your struggles may even in a way enhance or redefine your purpose. Keep at it.

#COVID19 #coronavirus #unemployed #inspiration #keepatit #dearsisterslisten #depression #pandemic #itsabiinspired #hugsandkisses