It's Not Fair!

If you're unemployed, you're playing a game that is stacked against you. The only way to mitigate these challenges is to know them and to work around them. Unemployment is very difficult, so why not at least know what you're up against? I have named three sources of unfair challenges against the unemployed below and have suggested a manner to deal with them.

1. Employers seem to prefer candidates that apply from the vantage point of having a job. This has been verified to me by discussions with a handful of professional managers. The idea is that candidates who are currently working or have only recently been out of work are less risky than those who have been out of work for a while. Candidates who apply from a job are like candidates who have been 'vouched for' by another organization. Of course, this is a kind of thinking that systematically creates a downward spiral effect for unemployed workers; the longer they stay unemployed the less attractive they become to employers.
2. Employers also prefer candidates that apply from within the organization. Presumably most times that you apply for a position, you will be competing with members of the organization looking for a lateral change or a promotion. Any candidate known to the organization has an immediate leg up on outsiders, by virtue of their recognized experience and industry knowledge.
3. Unemployment can cause serious mental health concerns. While I cannot comment professionally on the impact of depression on the unemployed, I can say that from my experience, it is quite prevalent and quite demotivating. I have personally grappled with feelings of uselessness and low self esteem while searching and have heard echoed sentiments from friends and family who have gone through the same process. It is really hard to promote yourself competitively in your applications when you just don't feel your best.

What is probably the best offense against all three challenges is keeping yourself busy with a part-time job or volunteer position. Not only will you be perceived as more 'active' by recruiters scanning your resume, but you will also keep your spirits up, feel useful, and contribute positively to society. Furthermore, keeping a part-time job or volunteer role opens doors to new networking opportunities, and potentially even new jobs in those organizations or their partners. You'll potentially keep your skills up, get paid a little, and get more experience of some type (even if you feel it is generally unrelated to your field) and all of these are good things.