5 tips to being a supportive spouse in the job search

Sudden job loss is stressful. Any job loss is stressful. All job loss affects everyone in the family and not just the job seeker. When your spouse has been the main source of income for years, panic can set in very quickly. If there are major health issues that need investment into medications or frequent treatments, you are in a position where the panic grows even more.

5 steps to take if your spouse has suddenly become unemployed

1. Make sure your spouse is using the right job search strategies. Often it is tempting to fall into what is in the old text-book from school or what your neighbor says. If  your source is up-to-date on job search strategies and resources then listen but if you are getting old information, make sure you find an expert and follow their advice.
2. The resume is still the foundation of the job search. Before you send someone out looking, see what they are using. If their resume is 1990’s or even 2000’s, the strategies and content needs a revamp. At least, study resumes created by professional resume writers.
3. Activate all networks. This is not the time to be secretive about the job loss. Let people know your spouse is looking. Be strategic in making connections but don’t hide it.
4. Use online platforms. LinkedIn is critical to the job search. Your spouse needs a current profile.
5. Help prepare for interviews. Having someone to rehearse with helps get people ready for an interview.

5 things to do as the supportive spouse of a job seeker

1. Be supportive. Don’t freak out if your spouse doesn’t find a job in the first week. Job search is hard work and though everyone wants to return to normal quickly, you can’t expect someone to get through the job search and land immediately.
2. Be encouraging. Don’t tell them to grab any job. If your spouse is newly unemployed, getting a job that pays $7.25 when his or her annual income was $50,000+ is not going to help.
3. Be a resource. Can you increase your income? If you have been the stay-at-home or partly employed spouse, discuss if you can increase your hours or get a job.
4. Be a connector. Help make the connections your spouse may need. Generally, most couples don’t know all the same people.
5. Be frugal. If your household has not been using a budget, it is time to create one. Defer expenses and find ways to cut costs.

This is just a starting point. If you can be the supportive spouse in a job search, the impact will be less and the harmony in the home will be better. Yelling and screaming never helps a job search go in the right direction.

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