Keeping any job in the current economic climate is becoming more and more difficult. The economy is in a mess, and we can't all blame the Greeks or Europe generally, but if the worst were to happen what would you do if you lost your job?
About 2 years or so ago I was dragged along to see the movie "Up in the Air" by my partner. It was an average film, no great shakes, but one part of the film really intrigued me. It was the part where Clooney was firing Bob. Bob was portrayed by JK Simmons by the way, one of my favourite actors from Law & Order. Anyway, it transpired that Bob didn't actually enjoy his job very much. In actual fact, he hated it and only did it to provide an income for his family. What he really wanted to be was a cook, so he left the meeting with a spring in his step, as he had devised a plan do to some thing which he loved.
A lot of people are being laid off at the moment, and the main fear is that you think to yourself that you have to get another job quickly. Well, that's all well and good, but the main dilemma is that there aren't many jobs, and would an company want to make a work offer to someone who had already just left another job? What do they have to give, except from almost certainly quite a lot of trepidation if they will be successful in their new role, and the question will always be asked (though not directly to you) "Why did their last firm let them go? Are they no good?"
If you have any savings, or can borrow some cash from good friends or family, being made redundant may give you the opportunity that if gave Bob from the movie; do something you've always wanted to do. He wanted to be a chef, but you may not have ambitions in that area. You may want to go and trek the Inca Trail, tour though Vietnam, see Australia, or all three, or even more! This is what you've been holding out for. Take time out, do some volunteering work; take a GAP year.
You just have to put a plan together and think about what you're good at. Can you organise things well (or more importantly people?), are you handy with work tools, can you cook? If any of these things are in your life locker then you can become a volunteer. There are hundreds of volunteer organizations out there who need help. You don't earn much money, but you should get your expenses. Or, just go out and travel the world. See the Taj Mahal, go to Antarctica, scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef? All you need is a good travel agent, and make sure you get some quality Gap Year Travel Insurance.
After you've finished your year away, you'll have accomplished one of the most important achievements of your life. You've given something back, you've experienced other cultures, drank their wine and sang their songs. And then, when you're ready to get a new job, when the Human Resources person interviews you and asks why you haven't had a full time job in the past year, you can answer "Work was getting predictable and slow, and the company was having problems. So I took the chance to take a year away and achieve all the things I ever wanted to do, and now I'm back, charged up and ready to commit to this new job".
If you were taking this interview, you'd be pretty impressed with that as well wouldn't you?
About 2 years or so ago I was dragged along to see the movie "Up in the Air" by my partner. It was an average film, no great shakes, but one part of the film really intrigued me. It was the part where Clooney was firing Bob. Bob was portrayed by JK Simmons by the way, one of my favourite actors from Law & Order. Anyway, it transpired that Bob didn't actually enjoy his job very much. In actual fact, he hated it and only did it to provide an income for his family. What he really wanted to be was a cook, so he left the meeting with a spring in his step, as he had devised a plan do to some thing which he loved.
A lot of people are being laid off at the moment, and the main fear is that you think to yourself that you have to get another job quickly. Well, that's all well and good, but the main dilemma is that there aren't many jobs, and would an company want to make a work offer to someone who had already just left another job? What do they have to give, except from almost certainly quite a lot of trepidation if they will be successful in their new role, and the question will always be asked (though not directly to you) "Why did their last firm let them go? Are they no good?"
If you have any savings, or can borrow some cash from good friends or family, being made redundant may give you the opportunity that if gave Bob from the movie; do something you've always wanted to do. He wanted to be a chef, but you may not have ambitions in that area. You may want to go and trek the Inca Trail, tour though Vietnam, see Australia, or all three, or even more! This is what you've been holding out for. Take time out, do some volunteering work; take a GAP year.
You just have to put a plan together and think about what you're good at. Can you organise things well (or more importantly people?), are you handy with work tools, can you cook? If any of these things are in your life locker then you can become a volunteer. There are hundreds of volunteer organizations out there who need help. You don't earn much money, but you should get your expenses. Or, just go out and travel the world. See the Taj Mahal, go to Antarctica, scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef? All you need is a good travel agent, and make sure you get some quality Gap Year Travel Insurance.
After you've finished your year away, you'll have accomplished one of the most important achievements of your life. You've given something back, you've experienced other cultures, drank their wine and sang their songs. And then, when you're ready to get a new job, when the Human Resources person interviews you and asks why you haven't had a full time job in the past year, you can answer "Work was getting predictable and slow, and the company was having problems. So I took the chance to take a year away and achieve all the things I ever wanted to do, and now I'm back, charged up and ready to commit to this new job".
If you were taking this interview, you'd be pretty impressed with that as well wouldn't you?
About the Author:
Learn more about GAP Year Insurance by clicking here. Use the site Sophie ended up using for her Travel Insurance.
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