How To Be Unemployed

  As every artist finds out early on in their career, being unemployed is simply part of the process. To the average person with a 9-5 day job and a 401K this may be a terrifying thought, but for us it's pretty normal. I figured a good way to begin would be to tell the tale of the first lesson I learned starting out as a freelancing designer in the big apple. It's a good lesson (I think) for anyone trying to make it as an artist, and for any of those normal people out there who may unexpectedly find themselves in the same boat. It's a lesson in perseverance, determination, and above all else, self confidence.


  When I was first starting out in New York City, I lucked out and had a few little gigs fall into my lap right after my summer job ended. The luck ran out in December when, having had my first taste of doing theater in the city and being quite exhausted from it, I made absolutely zero preparation for the winter. This was the first major mistake of my new career.

  My situation was much like the fable of the ant and the grasshopper (me being the grasshopper), only instead of food it was work. Though I had worked my tail off that fall, once my steady stream of gigs ran out I felt it was better to take a break for my sanity and the holidays than to line up more gigs for January. Needless to say, once the holidays were over I found myself in a pickle. I was about to get my first taste of what being an artist in New York was really like: unemployed.

   At first I was just bummed that I had been stupid and not had more foresight, but pretty soon an even worse realization settled in: this situation might not be temporary. Luckily, I had a sexy little financial cushion under me (laughable to anyone with a real job, but good enough for a 22 year old having only done theater work since June), and so I made a sort-of plan.

  I applied for anywhere from 2 to 5 jobs every day for two solid months. I started out just applying for theater work, but when I realized that New York apparently wasn't hiring for the winter I started applying for anything else. Starbucks, Michael's, Lowes, even Pie Face. Anyone who knows me at all knows that I'm not suitable for the food service industry (or anything having to do with servitude), but I was desperate and not picky. Unfortunately, not even Pie Face wanted me. I started applying for jobs I wasn't even qualified for, jobs I was over qualified for, jobs in different states - it was getting ridiculous. And to top it all off I went through a particularly bad breakup during all of this.

   Seeing my life and short career falling apart, as well as watching my bank account drain itself, I began to sink into a pit of despair and self-pity. I had been unsuccessful for two months and didn't know what more I could do. Lucky for me I have some stellar friends who showed absolutely no sympathy and did their best to slap me out of it. I decided I had to put on the brakes and regroup, and I made this nifty little list for myself as motivation:

How To Be Unemployed

1. Don't panic.
2. Make a budget for your life. No income = less beer
3. Set goals. Keep them realistic to what you think you might actually be able to accomplish.
4. Apply for EVERYTHING! One can't afford to be picky. It doesn't matter if you're not the most experienced, you never know what people are looking for or who you'll meet.
5. Get some hobbies. The worst thing is sitting in your own filth being miserable and bored for weeks on end.
1. Make and stick to an exercise routine. Whether it's running 5 miles or doing yoga in your living room, exercise is good for the body and the mind and will help you think.
2. Create something. In a stressful lull, finding yourself and finding direction for yourself is easiest when being creative. Write, build, draw, play, sing, whatever. Find your creative outlet.
6. Do something for you. Put aside enough money to take a trip or visit someone or someplace you haven't seen in a while. Take your mind off your predicament and treat yourself.
7. Reach out to friends, family, anyone and everyone. Your acquaintances are your first line of defense, and you never know who might be able to help you out.
8. Don't lose hope. Nothing is forever, not even unemployment.

  I had obviously already tried some of these tactics to no avail, but at this point I knew I had to make some changes. I laid off the bombardment of job applications and focused instead on doing some research. I Googled "what to do if you're unemployed", and asked friends for advice. I joined a job placement agency on line as a different approach to finding work. I also decided to splurge with what little money I had left and set aside enough to take a vacation to Orlando with some of my friends from home (which was exactly what I needed).

  Things finally began to turn around for me. I found a three month long gig through the agency that paid decently, and almost immediately after that a friend of mine referred me for a design gig in the city (which I got), and I got a response from one of the dozens of applications I had sent out. Lesson number 2, when it rains it pours.

  So I finally got out of my slump, and the longest streak of unemployment I've ever had was over. It was a good lesson for me to learn then, and the fruits of my patience and determination were being overworked and exhausted for the rest of the spring. It was a good time.

  I just recently rediscovered the list in my phone, which prompted this post, and now hopefully others will be able to help get themselves through tough times, too. Unemployment is no joke, but if you have confidence in yourself and are determined, magical things will happen for you. Since then I have been unemployed on and off many times, but that experience was definitely the worst it's ever been. I taught myself how to handle myself, and how to ask for help, and it's made a world of difference for my career. Obviously my method isn't the only way to get by, but it worked for me and I felt it was a good starting point for when the panic starts to set in.

  So to anyone who reads this and is in the same pickle as I was, your life isn't over just because you're out of work. Keep your chin up, and remember that things will get better eventually. Patience, determination, hard work, and belief in yourself will get you anywhere.