Stuck? Job seekers share how they took a small step towards something big

Unemployment is a form of ongoing isolation. There’s no workplace to go to. No colleagues to chat with. Your friends and family are working. The world is turning but you’re stuck at home.

At least that’s how it can feel. This week, members are sharing the ways they reached out, and took a small but brave step towards something new. Because you only feel alone until you tell someone, and then, chances are, you’ll find your network has been waiting to support you all along.

For marketing specialist Christina Brown, that small step was telling her network that she was made redundant when her baby was born and now, 13 months later, she was looking for work.

“I never thought this would be me. But here goes,” she starts. Read her post in full here, but make sure you also read the comments below. She has a network of colleagues and friends eager to vouch for her, and tells LinkedIn, “Everyone like me should just put their pride and embarrassment aside, whatever it is, and connect!"

“It’s incredible to watch how many people I have standing behind me wanting to help.”

For franchise development manager Matthew Bude, his small step was picking up the phone and calling a career coach he’d worked with in the past. Being based in Melbourne, he had the added issue of trying to get a job in lockdown. He tells LinkedIn he was blown away by the generosity he received.

“I reached out to him not knowing where to go, not asking for any favours, I just wanted to say, ‘If you know of anything in the industry, let me know’. He told me he would coach me free of charge. He sharpened me up, made sure my LinkedIn profile was up to speed, and called his contacts to broaden my scope.”

“It showed me the strength of my network, and reinforced the importance of forming strong relationships with good people and leaning on them when you need to.”

Thanks to coach Geoff Whytcross, Bude got a job that’s a step up from his former role.

When Melanie Dooley was made redundant, she trusted her gut that something would come along that was right for her. After a bit of time off, she saw an ad for a job she wanted. She realised it was time to take that small step.

“I got in touch with him and asked what it was like. He gave a glowing recommendation and thought I would be a great fit for the role, and was happy to endorse me to the recruiting manager.”

For Michael Ostroburski redundancy left him “shocked, disappointed and with a deep sense of loss”. He networked with other professionals, he worked on himself personally and professionally, he engaged a career coach and participated in a weekly industry forum.

“I was lucky to have a door open as a labourer on a building site. This quickly grew to helping with safety and then as a project manager of an office development.”

Finally, the time came and he proudly wrote on LinkedIn: “Tomorrow I begin a new career adventure, I can’t wait for what this will bring”, but not before thanking the community that supported him.

If you’re job seeking, ask yourself: Who can I reach out to? Who is in a position to help me? Sometimes all you need is someone to listen and relate to your struggles. Perhaps that person will be in the comments section of this story.

LinkedIn has launched free access to learning paths for in-demand jobs. Here’s the learning path to master in-demand professional soft skills, including this course on critical thinking for better judgment and decision-making. 

We’ll share a free LinkedIn Learning course each week. Be sure to sign up by hitting the ‘subscribe’ button up the top right.

LinkedIn's Economic Graph shows that hiring continues to recover in Australia, and competition for jobs has eased in recent months. Between February and September, there has been a growth in job postings for frontline sectors including transport and logistics as well as health care. Read more here.

What skills do recruiters want in a post-Coronavirus world? Experts say it's worth highlighting remote work skills including proficiency in software like Zoom or Slack and your adaptability with specific examples of how you've dealt with change. Read more here.

Unsure of how to approach a job break on your CV? We call in the experts to advise how to spin redundancy and job losses.

Missed last week's #GetHiredAustralia? Here's your guide to survive the summer hiring slump.