- Volunteering can help job seekers find gratitude and purpose, according to one recruiter.
- Helping someone else also offers structure and can support mental health during difficult job hunts.
- Networking and skill-building are crucial, but you can also discuss your volunteering in interviews.
If you lose your job, it can feel like the end of the world.
One possible balm: volunteering.
Seeing what others might be going through can help the newly jobless size up their own problems, according to Jennifer Schielke, CEO of the staffing firm Summit Group Solutions and author of "Leading for Impact."
"If you have time to volunteer, go do it," she told Business Insider, adding, "Go get some encouragement by sitting alongside someone who has it worse than you do."
Volunteering can be one way to find gratitude — and help people navigate the steps needed to land a new role, Schielke said.
While volunteering shouldn't replace other must-dos — like building up your skills, turning to your network to help you find a role, and beefing up your résumé — it could offer a brief respite from some of the stress accompanying a job search. That's important because while the overall labor market remains strong, many employers are taking longer to hire. That means the hunt for what's next could be more protracted than many job seekers might like.
Committing to doing some work for others can also help retain structure in your schedule when work hours disappear, Schielke said.
"Your days still have meaning and purpose," she said, adding, "That's going to keep you upbeat."
Schielke said beyond the intrinsic benefits of volunteering, those efforts can give you something to talk about in a job interview when asked about the things you might have done since your last role.
"This is really a time where you can show yourself as different by showcasing your character," she said.
Turn to your network for help
Outside of seeing how you might help others, there are other steps you can take if you're newly unemployed.
Schielke said it's important to have a sounding board to help you remain accountable for your next actions, especially as getting laid off can be a shock. She pointed to the job cuts that hit the tech industry in recent years.
"I know a lot of people didn't think it would be them," she said. Having people you can talk through the situation with can help.
Schielke said that newly jobless people sometimes need to separate what they want from what they need. Job seekers who are inflexible and insist on remote work or attaining a certain salary might find it harder to get a new gig.
"There's a real reality check and maybe a piece of humble pie that has to be taken in," Schielke said.
It's also crucial to consider how people in your network can help you look for something new, she said.
"Being able to connect with a person or know someone who knows someone who can get your résumé in front of the right people is so important," Schielke said.
She said it's even more critical now to turn to your network because the ease of applying for jobs with a few clicks means there can be more competition for each role. Plus, there are other hurdles, like fake job postings.
Set up metrics like it's a job
Schielke said it can be helpful to set up metrics like how you might for a job. That might mean contacting, say, five people in a day to set up a time to meet for coffee. Or it could mean reviewing a certain number of job listings or sending a certain number of inquiries.
"I wouldn't dilly-dally in a market like this because it can take a long time," she said. "Get into the rhythm that you're used to in the workplace."
But, Schielke reiterated, don't forget to build in that time to focus on the needs of others. Giving a few hours, if you can, is an alternative to donating money — which might not be advisable without a paycheck.
"This might be a time where you can pay it forward with that life-on-life connection," Schielke said.
