THE CURSE OF JOBLESSNESS

BEING OUT OF WORK CAN BE SCARY, BUT THERE ARE WAYS TO TURN THINGS AROUND AND INCREASE YOUR ODDS OF FINDING YOUR DREAM JOB

- DOMINIQUE BOWEN

Our nation gasped in disbelief in November 0 2022 when Statistics South Africa revealed that an astounding 32.9% of its citizens were unemployed. Even though there's been a 1% improvement since the previous Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS), this paints a bleak picture of the country's prospects.

An alarming fact is that 59.6% of South Africans in their mid-twenties are unemployed, while 34.5% of those looking for work are still jobless. If you are part of that statistic, whether by choice or through dismissal or retrenchment, rest assured that these tools will improve your quality of life during (and after) unemployment. Here are some of them...

CHECK YOUR EXPECTATIONS

This is especially applicable if your job loss was unplanned. Adjusting to the new normal of being without a stable income will take time. "Take some deep breaths and know that it will feel 'weird', and that's normal," says Julia Fourie, a certified life coach.