Surviving a divorce sometimes seems like an overwhelming task coupled with many financial and emotional difficulties. One of the most frightening circumstances for many people in long-term marriages is the question of how divorce will affect their career prospects.
According to recent research conducted by CompleteCase.com in the state of New York, approximately 47% of people looking for a job were recently divorced. More than 68% of them were women who had sacrificed their careers for the benefit of their families.
The fear of not finding a job after a long pause can be very daunting, especially when your financial situation has worsened after the divorce. Suddenly you have to face the fact that your savings are not sufficient to manage your daily expenses. This can be a very tough time when your usual lifestyle has changed and you have to deal with new challenges on your own.
Think of the financial problems that have arisen as an opportunity to discover your strong sides, perhaps get an education, and become a socially significant person. In addition to income, work is also an excellent way to relieve post-divorce stress.
At the beginning of a job search, several questions arise. Where and in what area to look for a job? How to handle a lack of experience or relevant knowledge? Is it worth starting your own business? Below are some of the essential aspects that you need to take into account.
1. Decide what job you want to have
For some, the choice of work is not difficult — they have certain inclinations and talents and know what they want. For others, understanding their calling is the task of a lifetime. If it is difficult for you to decide on your desires regarding a new job, you can start with simple steps.
Take a blank sheet of paper and write down all the jobs that come to your mind and pose at least some interest to you. Don’t be too conservative — unleash your imagination. Write down even the most unrealistic options. Think of everything that you wanted to do but were afraid to try.
Maybe the time has come to uncover hidden talents and let yourself become the person that never allowed yourself to be in the past. Remember that the more you believe in yourself, the more confident you will feel, and the more opportunities you have.
Carefully analyze your list to see if any of the positions interest you more than others. Try to imagine the whole process of further work and yourself doing daily tasks. By means of elimination, select only those jobs that you feel comfortable with.
2. Monitor the labor market
The easiest and fastest way to find vacancies is to use job search websites. Typically, you need to complete a registration form first, but most of the time, it is free of charge. Find at least 3-4 such websites to have more options.
All such services have advanced search features that allow you to look for specific vacancies in a chosen area. The search can also be optimized according to your skills, experience, wage level, and type of employment.
The labor market is constantly changing — new jobs keep emerging to satisfy the need for rapid development. To keep up with the competition, learn about the existing situation. You can independently conduct a labor market analysis. This will give you an understanding of what specific specialties are in demand in your region.
Such research will show the required competencies, professional skills, and qualifications for particular positions. This will help to create a more complete picture of what you can offer to the employer or what qualifications you can acquire to get the job.
3. Assess your possibilities
People often tend to underestimate their own strengths, especially after multiple failures and misfortunes. On the other hand, there are also those who think that they are capable of finding a job quickly and effortlessly. The critical step at this stage is to properly evaluate your strengths and capabilities.
Identify your strong sides and be ready to apply them. To fully realize your abilities, make a plan for further action. Try to consider all the possible ways the situation may develop.
If you want to build a new career successfully, find a balance between your desires and your real possibilities. Do not expect the impossible from life — the miraculous success that you are waiting for will never happen without effort on your part. Daydreaming is a good thing when you know what you are doing. Without a plan of action, dreams will never become a reality.
4. Get additional qualifications
If you have decided on your future work and specialty, but do not have enough qualifications, it is time to think about additional training and education. There is a vast choice of specialized courses in almost any possible working field. The goal of such training is to accelerate the acquisition of new skills necessary to perform a specific job.
Perhaps you have a specific profession and are determined to find a position in a particular field. But after divorce, your skills are out of date because of the long period of unemployment. Find out the required qualifications for the desired job position and learn the necessary skills. In any case, gaining new skills will improve your chances of getting a decent job.
5. Start the search
There are many ways to look for a job in the USA. Consider the following options:
- Ask friends, neighbors, relatives, and other people in your area for advice or information that they may possess.
- Look for work over the Internet on various job search websites.
- Consider registering on social networks, such as LinkedIn.
- Pay attention to the Help Wanted signs posted on the windows of local companies.
- Contact HR divisions at the chosen companies and ask about job openings.
- Look for job postings on bulletin boards at local libraries, grocery stores, and community centers.
- Contact your state or district department of employment.
- Browse employment sections in the newspapers.
6. Be patient and confident
A job search may take some time. Keep in mind that you have been absent from the labor market for a long time. Some skills were lost, some knowledge faded. It’s difficult to compete with young, ambitious specialists with a lot of advanced skills. But your advantage is more life experience and wisdom.
Remember to be patient and persistent. It is almost impossible to find a job after just one try. Be ready to hear a lot of denials and stay positive. The statistics show that to be successful in finding a job, you have to send at least ten applications per week.
It’s highly unlikely to achieve any results by sending only two or three resumes and waiting for the phone to ring. Keep searching, look for new job postings every day, and send out as many applications as you can.
The most important thing to understand is that divorce is not the end of your life. The faster you start looking for your path — a new position and promising work — the sooner you will regain stability. The sudden need for a job search can reveal the abyss of potential abilities. This is a great chance to change your life for the better — do not be afraid to use it.