Breaking​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ Free: A Different Path Through Unemployment

Unemployment is a term that denotes the absence of money in bank accounts. However, it also affects a person's self-confidence, self-identity, and social relations, and these changes are not visible to people who have not experienced such a situation. The hesitation with which one answers the simplest questions about work, the anxiety that one's opportunities are fading away, the building up of rejections that are becoming heavier with each passing day, this is how millions of graduates and job seekers all over the world live their lives. 

For many university graduates holding degrees and having high expectations, the gap between academic achievement and the employment reality causes them a deep sense of confusion. After graduation ceremonies, the party ends, and the job search begins. The time that follows can be very long, and even years can pass: applications are sent without getting a response, rejections are received in a cold, automated language, and the feeling develops that qualifications alone will not be a guarantee of getting a job.

 

The price is paid in quite a few ways that can be measured. Unemployed people tend to cut down on their social activities. The places that were their usual haunts become sources of anxiety, be it religious gatherings where financial contributions are made, or casual meetings at which it seems that everyone else is well-established. Staying at home with one's parents offers protection but also has its disadvantages: unvoiced judgments, comparisons, and the daily dealing with the well-meaning but mostly not very helpful suggestions of others. “Start something on your own.” “Consider manual labor.” “Someone I know found work immediately.” These remarks are made out of love and concern, but seldom do they come along with the resources, money, or practical support that are needed in order to carry them out.

 

After tens and then hundreds of rejections, one can say that it takes courage to open and check the mailbox. The feeling that one has done everything possible and still there is no progress leads to being very tired and not being able to express this in words. The major feeling of invisibility is not only in the job market but also in social spaces, conversations, self-perception, and so on.

 

Still, there are alternatives to traditional employment, such as those that can be found in digital platforms, which have been changing the way people work over the last ten years. People who have very little access to the internet may find it difficult to use such platforms, but cybercafés and public places become their lifesavers, even if they have to be very careful with the money they spend on an hour-by-hour basis. What used to be a mere discovery can turn into an opportunity: freelance platforms, remote work agreements, and worldwide connections that do not ask for high-end networks or perfect credentials.

 

The move towards remote and digital work is not a short one. People from content creation, virtual assistance, digital marketing, technical services, and many other fields that can be done across borders are on the rise in both developed countries and emerging markets. The impediment for one to get in is based on one's skills and determination rather than location or connections.

 

It is very important to be clear here: internet-based jobs are not easy money. No passive income pops up automatically. No “secret system” by which wealth is gained overnight. What the internet offers is access to clients, to markets, to learning resources, to communities. If one wants to build something that is of value, it is still a must to put in the effort, to develop one's skills, and to be persistent when faced with various kinds of setbacks, such as getting paid late, having difficult clients, and facing the learning curve for new tools.

 

The people who are presently in a position of not having a job can learn from the experiences of others, in that certain tactics have helped them significantly. Numerous free learning platforms provide the necessary training to acquire skills that are in great demand in the market, such as digital marketing, writing, data work, design, and programming. Even though one is not formally employed, introducing structure into one's life can still be of great help. One can set up personal routines, keep track of even the smallest achievements, and maintain one's energy levels during the time between getting a new opportunity and being chosen for it.

 

Freelance platforms as well as teaching websites are good places to start from, and they do not require one to have formal credentials; only demonstrated knowledge is enough. Online volunteering helps one to build up experience and make more contacts while at the same time being involved in real projects. Digital communities are more than just a source of job leads; they provide insight, shared experience, and the fact that the community members are not left in isolation, which is not permanent, nor deserved.

 

Direct outreach and honest conversations usually give you more and better results than just sending out your applications in bulk. Many of the virtual events are free to join, and they offer you the chance to meet new people and learn from them. What really counts to one's visibility is to be involved in small projects, show that you are regularly producing something, and that you are genuinely engaging with others, rather than having a fully polished portfolio of works that have never been seen.

 

The period during which a person is unemployed brings about changes in that person. It has the power to take away from one's certainty, comfort, and even relationships. On the flip side, it can also uncover resilience, creativity, and the capability that would have otherwise stayed hidden. Those who go through this phase often figure out ways to support people going through similar issues, thus turning their experience into guidance from understanding rather than from theory.

 

Employment status is a label that only refers to a person's current situation and not to their permanent character. The rejection letters, the silent applications, the years of looking for a job, these do not determine one's value or potential. The search never stops until it finally does, and the 'next' is often very different from what was initially expected.

 

Being in the middle of such an experience, acknowledgment means a lot to people. Saying the reality out loud to trusted friends, writing, and supportive communities helps to overcome the feeling of being isolated. Other people bear similar burdens, and they need to be told that they are not failing, not broken, just going through tough times that will eventually change.

 

Individuals interested in digital work can only benefit from the act of exploring, as it costs them nothing. Why not start from where you are at the moment, using your present skills and the resources that are available to you? Do not wait until you feel ready to start because readiness, most of the time, is the result of doing and not something you have beforehand. What looks like an impossible task when you are outside of it becomes workable once you are on your way. 

The struggle that you are facing now is not your final story. There are still chapters ahead that are not written yet, and the current fight, no matter how long it is, is only a small part of a much bigger story. Keep going. Your breakthrough might not be what you expected, but it is worth staying in the game to see what is ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌next.