There aren’t many people out there that get to focus on a time between jobs. You are either in full-time employment or looking for your next job. However, it may take some time before your next role appears. So, what can you do during this time?

Being unemployed is difficult for several reasons. You can also choose to look at this extended period of time with a positive outlook. Here are just a few things you can do in your time between jobs.

Volunteer

A gap in your resume can sometimes send the wrong message to future employers. Companies are always looking to hire staff with the right skills and experience, but also those who can prove that they are motivated.

If you are in a position where your next source of income is not as pressing, you may want to give volunteering a try. You don’t have to volunteer in a sector that lines up with the job role you want to do next, although that does help. There are always organizations out there that are grateful to receive new employees that are happy to work for free. Take a look and you will easily find a volunteer role that can help you to fill that gap in your resume. You may also pick up some extra skills that can help you stand out from the crowd during your next set of job applications.

Learn Something New

It doesn’t matter how long you have worked in your job role; the chances are that you will never know everything there is to know about your current field of work. You may have found yourself at work wishing that you knew how to do something. Fortunately, your time between jobs gives you the perfect opportunity to learn more about what you do.

You can either take a professional course or swot up on your own terms. Either way, you will be glad you took the time to improve your knowledge when you start work at your next job.

Teach Others

If you have worked in a specific field for a long time, you may also feel that you have enough knowledge to share with others during your time off. Teaching is a highly rewarding experience, and you can also earn money in this role. What’s more, you can also choose to teach in person or online when you get a teaching certification from TEFL.

That’s right, you will draw more people to your classes with the right type of teaching qualifications from a company like Premier TEFL. Fortunately, TEFL courses are efficient so you can get your TEFL certification and start tutoring others in no time. The best part is that teaching provides you with a unique way to fill those gaps in your resume.

Start As An Intern

Your next job may not be a paying endeavor, or it may need you to consider picking up some new skills in your chosen field of employment. In times like these, it is important to know exactly what it is you want to do for a job. Therefore, getting back on your career path may involve taking a step back. For example, you may find that an unpaid internship is the only option you have to get your foot back in the door of another company that can hire you to do the work you are trained to do.

Build Connections

There is an old adage in the job-hunting world that states that it is not what you know but whom you know that secures you a job in modern times. You may find that you will have more success in your job-seeking if you broaden your social circle. While qualifications and job experience will grab the attention of a future employer, they will warm to you much faster if they already know what kind of person you are.

As such, you may want to spend your newly found free time networking with other people in your field. Finding new social groups is easier now in the digital age than it has ever been, the new people you network with can help point you in the right direction when you are looking for your next job role, and these connections may prove useful again if you ever find yourself in a similar situation. Plus, it always helps to know someone in your first few days in a new environment.

Look For Part Time Work

While there are certain benefits that you can receive from the tips above, the gap between jobs can leave you struggling financially. Therefore, you will need to find a way to bring in some extra income. 

You can start your search by looking for temporary jobs online, but you can never guarantee that a full-time job in your field will not show up before your temporary contract expires. That’s why it is best to look for part-time work that you can leave with minimal notice. This includes jobs such as:

• A job with a zero-hours contract

• A business you have set up yourself

• Online tutoring

• Blog writing

• Content creator

Working one of these jobs can provide you with the necessary income to carry you through a period of time between jobs, and it could provide your next employer with an additional reference.

Freelance

As you can see from the examples above, it is much easier to find a paying job that allows you to leave of your own volition in your time between jobs. That is why freelancing may be the perfect solution during this time.

Working in a freelance capacity allows you to earn some money in your free time and you can continue to use the skills that you value the most. There are plenty of online platforms out there that you can use to connect with an audience, and you get to work at your own pace. Freelancing like this can also link you with some individuals who may prove useful in the future. if you really enjoy freelancing, there are plenty of benefits to continuing your work once you find full-time employment again.

Think About Your Career Direction

Sometimes, you can find yourself in search of another job because of unforeseen circumstances. This may be because your previous job was not suited to your current skillset or personality type.

In times like this, you may want to take a step back before finding your next job role. Even if your skillset matches the field of work you are in, there are many other factors that you will need to consider when joining a career path. It is OK if your first career choice does not work out. A gap between jobs may provide you with the perfect opportunity to re-evaluate your current career path. During this time, you can retrain to find another career that suits you much better. In other words, a gap between jobs may offer you the chance to think about your career direction. Your working life takes up a significant amount of your time. That is why it is important to find a career path in which you can be both happy and successful.

Conclusion

A gap between jobs is a perfectly normal occurrence for most people in their careers. However, what you choose to do during this time can greatly impact your next job opportunity, so make sure you use this time wisely.