Here’s Why You Should Consider Forgoing Unemployment Benefits for a Steady Job

If you are currently unemployed, you are far from alone – approximately 860,000 Americans are unemployed, according to September figures from the U.S. Department of Labor. Many unemployed workers may financially be in a better position with their unemployment payment than their paychecks; however, passing on a job because of this is short-sighted and could hurt your career in the long run. Here’s why you should consider forgoing unemployment benefits for a steady job: 

The State of the Job Market 

With an increase in unemployment comes a significant increase in competition for jobs; therefore, your job search may take longer than you anticipate. If you hold off on looking and applying for jobs indefinitely, you may struggle to find one quickly when you do resume your job search. Putting in the effort to get back into the workforce as soon as you can will benefit your future self more so than the short term financial surplus of unemployment benefits.  

Benefits Have a Limited Duration 

Unlike a steady job, unemployment benefits have a limited duration and will eventually run out. In theory, it may seem like a more valuable use of your time to stay home, especially if your unemployment benefits are higher than your typical paychecks. However, being employed will empower you to support yourself indefinitely without worrying about an end date.  

Resume Gaps 

If you wait until your benefits are set to run out to start looking for a job, you may find hiring managers hesitant to pick someone who is long-term unemployed over another candidate who stayed active in the workforce. Having gaps on your resume is understandable, especially considering the current circumstances, but the bigger and longer the gaps are, the more concerned hiring managers will be about your work ethic.  

Keeps Your Skills Sharp  

A major factor that can hurt your job prospects after extended unemployment is your skills becoming outdated. Even if you can’t land a steady job in your field, taking on temporary employment or even volunteer work will keep your skills sharp and give you recent experience on your resume as you pursue your long term job goals.  

Find Your Next Great Opportunity with PrideStaff 

Are you ready to look for new opportunities? Work with PrideStaff Akron for your job search. We can help you find the openings that are the best fit for you and align with your career goals. Search our available jobs to learn more.