5 Ways To Stay Productive When Looking For A Job

By Katie

Updated: January 3rd, 2024

If you’re taking a break from your career, unemployed or have been made redundant, it can be exciting, daunting and "5 Ways To Stay Productive When Looking For A Job"

If you’re taking a break from your career, unemployed or have been made redundant, it can be exciting, daunting and possibly a scary time if you don’t know what your next step is. You might want to crawl into bed and not get out everyday till 11am, watch Ellen, eat ice cream and do absolutely nothing. And sure you can do that on day one, but it’s definitely not a pattern that you should get in.

Keeping up your productivity is important for your brain functionality and emotional wellbeing. Plus you might learn a new skill, get more in-tune with yourself and make new connections.

Here are 5 ways to remain productive when you’re looking for work:

1. Lean new skills
Now that you’ve got the spare time, some experience under your belt, it’s time to juice up your resume with some new skills. It could be in your current area, or maybe something a bit different, either way it’s important to always keep the mind challenged. Plus any extra courses will look great on the resume.

So what can you learn? Many colleges and Universities offer short courses if you know you are taking off a longer amount of time. However if you’re money conscious and not wanting to sign up to a longer course, look at courses offered by General Assembly or online with Skillshare. These companies offer anything from coding to typography and digital marketing.

Just give them a go, you might discover a new passion you never knew you had.

2. Stay in contact and network
It’s important to stay in touch with past work collegues and mentors who can not only help you with possible career opportunities, but also help guide you to meet others and keep you in the loop with industry news.

Remember, it’s not what you know, but who you know.

3. Keep the money rolling in
Just because you’re not employed doesn’t mean you can’t keep earning money and support your lifestyle. Whether it’s walking someones dogs, cleaning a house or using your professional skills on Airtasker there are hundreds of tasks uploaded daily. Some Airtaskers even earn up to $1,000 a week.

4. Look after yourself
While indulging in TV box sets of your favourite show and eating out for every meal can be fun, it’s not exactly the best for your health. Giving a bit of extra focus on getting fit and healthy can be great for the body and mind, might even give you a new perspective.

Make sure you set goals and challenge yourself to cook a new dish that you normally don’t have time to attempt, or try a new activity a week such as stand-up paddle boarding or boxing with a friend.

5. Pursue a passion
Do you have a hobby or a passion that you already dedicate a lot of your spare time to such as photography or cooking? Maybe it’s time to invest more time into it, who knows it could turn into your next career…

What’s most important is to keep your chin up, make sure you have the best resume and apply for as many jobs as you can and you’ll be back in the workforce better than ever soon.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Katie

I've loved interior design for as long as I can remember and I'm currently about to renovate my first home. So as well as being the Content Lead at Airtasker, I'm also on the lookout for the latest design trends, backyard ideas and anything to do around the home. I'm also trying to use low-tox cleaning methods and work towards being more plastic-free!

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Comments

  1. Lui

    TRUE.

  2. Anonymous

    Everything verey good tenkyou guy’s

  3. Hi…Thank s fur your emsil.

  4. Vineshchand

    Cleaning job

  5. Looking for job and partiner

  6. Luis

    I can appreciate the nice and incentive words that every agency is sending me , I just finish a certified course, have a LF forklift licence and I have been a printer with 27 years experience in the industry. I’ve also been working 10 years in cleaning casually. I want to continue working in printing but am told I am too old to start in a new company. For example a forklift driver I must have a truck licence or have one to three years experience. I’ve also realised that is not what you know it’s who you know
    How I am going to keep working and making money? I don’t now what to do.

  7. Eddy Purwanto

    Just looking for Mechanical Maintenance job

  8. Johanna

    Thank you for you good advice. I really appreciate it.

  9. Mary Aquilina

    Regarding the Ways To Stay Productive When Looking For A Job article. One thing that was not mentioned was Volunteering. Whether volunteering in a nursing home, or an op shop gives a person a reason for to get up in the morning. Not only are you doing something good in the community it gives a person an oppurtuntity to make new friends, learning something new, a resume looks good to an potential employee if there is some kind of employment history while looking for new work. AND it makes an unemployed person look at they have some work ethic. Nothing looks like an unemployable person is an empty space on their resume.

  10. Lori

    I have a professional nursing degree, been at it for many a year but now semi-
    retired or just ‘burnt out’ from the ‘hospital scene’.
    I have dabbled in the arts and paint & would love to get involved in the art-scene either voluntary or p/t work.
    I am a mature responsible lady, honest & reliable, I have a car and can get around, knowledgeable of Sydney areas & suberbs.

    cheers

    Lori

  11. Zahed

    Excellent

  12. Katie

    Great one Mary, thanks for adding it to the list 🙂

  13. Patrick

    Thanks Katie for the advice. This is really true and I’ve been doing that everyday now since I’m jobless. These activities/tasks will definitely keep you going and positive all the time.

  14. Patrick

    By the way, I think it’s really meaningful to do volunteering work by helping those people who are in need. Do you guys know which volunteering association/group that I can join in Sydney? Thanks.

  15. Richard Chimanga

    It is hard to believe one is unemployed but when you read this website you get consoled that you’re not the only one. If you do not come out on the open, no one will realise you need help.
    Thank you and now i will have to do the few things i have learnt from the few people i have gone through their experiences and advice rendered. I have been in the Printing Industry for over 30 years. Enjoyed but could not rise within the dynamics of the industry.