Unemployment is a very strong circumstance, and apart from your financial status, it checks your mental health too. This means you have to care more about keeping your mind together, than anything else, because you don’t wanna lose your mental stability. Trust me, I’ve been there.
So, as you look for a job, make sure you take some, most if not all the precautions that I’m about to give you in this article and follow them closely
1. Set goals.
As you get into the job market, don’t be tempted into thinking that things might just come and happen by chance, and somehow you’ll get your dream job without hustling that much or breaking a sweat.
As well, you should know how many steps you’ll take and when you should take them. The following is the list of certain things that have to be part and parcel of your goals.
- The institutions that you’ve set your eyes on, and why them.
- How you’ll apply to each; this includes the structure of your application letters and CV and anything additional to that.
- What you’ll be doing as you wait for their response
- How long you want to teach there and what you will do next. People usually don’t do this because they think that somehow life has a way of playing itself out without you doing anything.
Without a list of goals and plans, you risk living in an endless time loop that you might not be able to break as you wait for god’s grace to shine upon you.
2. Schedule how you’ll send your applications.
Writing and sending applications is not that hard, but if you couple it up with the time you spend waiting for a response, it is total hell.
You should come to terms with the fact that some people won’t even respond to your application or tell you that you weren’t considered and you should move on. Here is the best way to do it.
- Write your applications and seal them up.
- Attach all the necessary credentials
- Plan the number of applications you’ll send out every day and their specific destination, plus mode of sending, whether electronic or hard copies.
- Stick to the plan and start sending them out as part of your schedule.
3. Keep your expectations in check.
Because other people’s approval is almost entirely out of your control, you have to make sure that you don’t raise your expectations abnormally high.
This doesn’t mean that you should lose all hope, because hope will be your fuel, while expectations will simply put out your flame if they’re not fulfilled in the shortest time possible.
For this one, I have no special hack except to tell you that it’s a mind game that you have to play so well against yourself.
4. Prepare for the worst.
I should have included this in the previous point, but this one is a point of its own. Expecting the worst of all outcomes is like giving yourself a high pain threshold. These are some of the implications;
- Your attitude towards failure will change and you’ll stop looking at it as a sign of personal flaw but rather accept is as a crucial part of the growth process.
- It will prevent you from psychologically breaking down due to the repeated amount of losses that will toughen you up through the process
- It will increase your improvisation and problem solving skills
- Boost your ability and enable you to plan your journey even further. This is precisely because the majority never plan for the probability that things might go sideways and never work in their favour.
5. Keep creating those connections.
Connections are a very important part of the requirements needed to get anyone and everyone through today’s job market successfully.
This means you have to go out and meet a good number of people that are connected to the education se4ctor, take their contacts. This will determine the likelihood that they will get you a vital connection depending on the rapport that you create with them.
6. Get out and take a walk
Becoming a dweeb and being antisocial is not gonna make the situation any better. Actually it might make things even worse.
You might be naturally a dweeb or a bit of an introvert, but you have to get out and take a walk for at least 30 minutes to keep the blood flowing and the mind properly functioning. Some might even go out for a run instead.
7. Try other fields.
As you probably already know, there are other sectors and fields out there that do not require specific qualifications to get working.
The most popular in these fields is research; the research industry employs almost everyone out there, and as long as you have college credentials, there is a high chance that you can land a couple of fieldwork or data analysis related gigs.
- Ipsos
- Research world
- University Research Co., LLC
- Economic policy research centre
- Centre for Basic research
8. Think of creating a brand so job seekers can look for you
This is entirely optional and it largely depends on your character, and how conversant you are with modern technology. Not everyone can leverage technology to their best advantage. Here are some of the basic ways you can do that;
- Blog
- Youtube
- Release your own books
9. Keep your mind open
The reason why some people are usually on the fast lane to depression is because they fail to open their minds to many other things that they can do besides just teaching and standing in the classroom. This includes learning certain skills or opening up certain businesses like;
- Tailoring
- Salon/ hairdressing
- Cosmetology
- Event decors
- Outdoor catering/ restaurants.
- Chapatti stall
- Agriculture
Besides sustaining you before you get a job, they can turn into your side hustle after you have landed the job of your dreams.
10. Don’t accept jobs that you won’t be able to keep up with.
I have seen many people that do all kinds of menial jobs they don’t like or are not comfortable doing because they want to survive and put something on the table for themselves and their families.
However, this becomes really hard for them to maintain those jobs or perform to the very best of their capabilities.
As a job seeking teacher, chances are you might not get a decent job on your first try. If you get invited to teach at a school you aren’t comfortable with, then perhaps you could use a little patience as you wait for the job you desire.
11. Volunteer if you can
Now, this is one of the infamous ideas out there. However, this will merit you a great deal if you an dedicate yourself, in the following ways;
- Increasing your portfolio
- Sharpening your skills
- It will be more likely for you to be recommended to other employers out there.
Conclusion;
In the contemporary Uganda, you should expect to spend a reasonable amount of recessive time until you get your first job. However, you have to make sure that you don’t fall apart, so things like increasing your spiritual devotion would relevantly help to keep your emotions in check. Also, drinking plenty of water and doing a fair share of cardiovascular exercises will help you burn the stress down.