You may be a fresh graduate, waiting for that special chance to get into your first job. Or you may be laid-off or retrenched recently. Being unemployed - it’s a state you have no control of.

You have sent out some job applications, had gone for a couple of interviews but nothing is firm up yet. You may be in this state for three, six months or even more. What are the things to do when you are not doing the usual job hunting routine? Sit on your couch and watch World Cup all day? Or shall you make use of this time to do something useful and productive?

1.Project or freelance work

Make yourself available to help out in some projects or freelance work. Do not be too fussy about the money you will get but look out for opportunities to utilize your skills and knowledge. Be proud of what you can contribute even if it means you will not be paid. Sometimes, through such project work, you will get noticed and meet your next employer.

2.Reading

Reading is a good way to keep your mind active. Take time to read the newspaper from front to back page. While employed, you may not have the luxury to read every piece of news. Again, this is a good way to keep yourself updated with the latest happenings and who knows, you may make use of these information in your next job interview.

Reading self-improvement books is also a good way to keep your spirits high. You may also gain new insights about yourself and that again will benefit you in your next job prospect.

3.Voluntary work

Believe it or not, interviewers are interested to know how you make use of the “unemployed time”. Doing some voluntary work like helping out in a shelter home for orphans, mentally retarded or animals speak volumes of your personality. Being employed may not allow you the luxury of time and availability. So, take the opportunity to do something that makes a difference in the life of others while you are unemployed.

4.Take up a short course/attend talks

Unemployment is also an opportunity for you to join short courses to advance your knowledge and skills. If you are not sure about short courses, then look out for one or half day talks in town. You’ll be surprised that some of these talks may be free. Take advantage of the time you have at hand to attend them to build up yourself.

5.Start a blog on your expertise or industry

A lot of people I met do not have a blog yet because they are too busy with their day-to-day job. When you are unemployed, no time is no more an excuse. Starting a blog is not a hype that is here today and gone tomorrow but it’s a great way to express your thoughts, sharpen your writing skills and keep your knowledge intact by sharing them.

6.Meet up with ex-colleagues/ex-classmates

It’s a great time to catch up with old friends. Let them know you are looking out. Take the opportunity to talk about yourself – what you are good at, what you are looking for and etc. This is an opportunity to practice for interviews. With ex-colleagues who had worked with you, you may even get some feedback or comments about yourself at work.

7.Do not forget to exercise

Without a job, things can look gloomy and depressing all of a sudden. Therefore, it’s important to do something else to occupy your mind. Exercise is one way of doing that and besides, you need to stay healthy for the next job. So, stay healthy and stay in shape. When you feel good about your body, you usually feel good about your entire being.

8.Explore a new hobby

Besides exercise, this is also a good time to explore a new hobby or interest, or revisit an interest that you had put on hold due to work commitments. Who knows, your interest may lead you to a new career opportunity that you never had imagined could develop.

9.Go backpacking

There are things that you have difficulty to do when you are employed. For example, taking two to three weeks off and go backpacking. This is especially ideal if you are single. There are not many opportunities in one’s life-time to do things like this. One of my unrealized dreams is to do a tour around South East Asia on backpack. I think it’s a splendid way to get to know more of our neighboring countries and thereafter, share your stories and pictures in your blog or Facebook page.

10.Upload your latest resume to Allyhunt.com

Update your profile and upload your latest resume to Allyhunt.com. An updated resume not only makes your job application faster and easier, it also makes your profile appears on the first page when prospective employers head-hunt suitable candidates.

Looking at the list above, being unemployed is not exactly the worst thing that can happen to someone. What is more important is to know how to utilize the time while unemployed. Keeping our minds active and indulging in activities that are productive are keys to making this special time worthwhile.

The worst thing to do when unemployed is to spend all your time hunting for jobs, sit at home not wanting to go anywhere fearing you may miss an interview opportunity and jump nervously whenever your phone rings. At the end, you get out of shape, are slow to react and the only topic you can talk about is world cup scores in your next interview!