Career Coach: When your spouse is out of work
With unemployment hovering at 10%, few families are immune to the challenges in the economy. So, what happens when the reality of the current economic climate hits your home and your spouse is out of work?
Brace yourself for a rocky ride
Looking for work in a difficult economic environment can be taxing on any relationship. Because unemployment levels are high, it might take longer than it otherwise would to find a new opportunity. For high level executives, there is a direct correlation between the seniority of the person looking for a new job and the length of time it takes to find the next position.. The process of finding the next right opportunity can be arduous and will take time.
Focus on the future
Encourage your spouse to focus on the future and take steps to rebuild rather than focusing on mistakes that were made in the past. It is important to focus and build momentum rather than feeling defeated.
Remove yourself from the front lines
The job hunt is your spouse’s, not yours. Refrain from managing the process. Your spouse may handle situations differently than the way that you do.
Support Systems
Encourage your spouse to seek support through established networks so that you are not the only source of support.
Reframe
The world is a different place right now. There are many more opportunities for contractors and consultants. Rather than assuming a senior level VP position or a Director level position, perhaps there will be better short term and long term opportunities as a consultant.
Debby is a freelance human resource consultant specializing in recruiting mid- to senior-level professionals. Debby and her family live in Newton, MA. If you have questions for Debby that might appear in this column, feel free to email her at debbyfbelt@yahoo.com
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