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Three days before the 2009 New Year I was given a new start.
I had just been the victim of downsizing at a premier boutique immigration law firm in Washington, DC. Now, life as an unemployed HR professional in a down economy was not a reason to be thankful. However, in the midst of my job search, I did find reasons to be grateful.
 Supportive family, friends and colleagues – You never really know how helpful the world can be until you are looking for a job. I found emotional support from friends and family and found great advice from colleagues. Unemployment is not some terminal disease; it’s simply a temporary condition. Being able to draw from my supportive network allowed me to face each day with goals and optimism. If you find yourself unemployed, you are not alone. Reach out to the ones you love and I assure you that you won’t be left in the cold.
Finding out who I really am – Prior to this date, I had never left a job on someone else’s terms. And while a reduction in force is far from being terminated or fired, it still came unexpected and left me unprepared. This is how I found out what I was really made of. I could either let the emotions surrounding being unemployed get to me or I could use that energy to pursue my next steps. In science, it’s called “fight or flight.” Fight for the next opportunity or flee from the world and not accomplish anything proactive.
I made a choice to get up every day and network with individuals, attend the local HR job search group, and attend local professional meetings. If you find yourself unemployed, use this time to find out who you really are. You have a lot more “fight” inside of you than you may originally have thought. Don’t forget your support group is there to help you if you let them.
“We are pleased to extend an offer of employment” - Every story has an ending and every race has an ultimate prize. Within the course of only two months, I was able to bounce back and land a new job. During those two months of networking, applying for jobs, temping, and relying on my support group, I learned a valuable lesson: You never really know which action is going to be the one that lands you your next gig, but not doing anything will get you nowhere.
After accepting the new position, I was grateful for everything I did to fight for my career. Networking with other professionals didn’t lead to my job but it helped me develop mentors and friends. My family didn’t lead to a job, but I appreciated the strength and encouragement they gave. And each action helped me to keep pushing.
If you are thankful for the things that you have, you’ll find that you have more to be thankful for. Perhaps being unemployed helps you connect with friends, family and colleagues that you may have taken for granted. Perhaps you find out who you really are. Or maybe you find that you reach your goal, land a job, and are able to reflect on the journey and smile.
No matter the ups and downs that come with unemployment, there is always a reason to be thankful.
Are you unemployed? What are you thankful for?
Joey V. Price is an experienced Professional in Human Resources (PHR) who has been featured in Ebony Magazine, CNN.com, Monster.com, CareerBuilder.com, Workforce Management Magazine, and more. In 2010, Joey founded Push Consultant Group, LLC , a career search services firm specializing in resume, interview, and career search services.
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