On the Write Road

The barn where I board my horse is located in Sunol, which is about 30 minutes away from the heart of Silicon Valley. Because of this many boarders at the barn are professionals–engineers, graphic artists, technical writers. Unfortunately, because of the poor economy here in California, a number of them have been laid off from their jobs. There is one woman whom I chat with a lot who is using this “in-between-jobs time” well. She rides her horse daily, works on consulting projects, writes in her blog she just created, constantly networks, and plans to create a local  professional group. She does all this along with going to job interviews. Instead of sitting around and feeling sorry for herself, she is busy doing other things. Because of this, she remains positive and upbeat. 

My friend got me thinking about other things you can do when you are unemployed. Here are ten ideas I have on what to do with your time while you are looking for a job or contract:

1. Look for free webinars to learn about a new trend.

For example, I found a free webinar offered by the Gilbane Group called DITA: Promise and Reality. The webinar was well done and informative.

 2. Learn about wikis.

Curious about wikis? There are many that offer free use. Melody and I use nokahuna as a place to share and store our marketing tasks. 

3. Learn to use a new authoring tool.

There are a lot of tools on the web that are free. If you want to learn how to use, for example, InDesign you can download a free trial copy to use for 30 days.

4. Create a blog/website to advertise and market your skills.

You can create a free one on www.wordpress.com or on www.blogger.com.

5. Volunteer your writing services.

Many organizations would love to have a writer volunteer their services. Some places I have volunteered for in the past are the Humane Society, Society for Technical Communicators (STC), and horse associations.

6. Begin an exercise program.

Exercise will make you feel better physically and mentally. If you are feeling a little down, walking, running, biking, or swimming are great mood elevators.

7. Plan lunch dates with people you would like to get to know.

This is a great way to stay in contact with business associates and update them with how your job hunt is going. Going to lunch also gets you out of the house and lets you socialize.

8. Write free articles for professional magazines.

Why not write an article for a professional magazine? This task helps you keep your skills up, allows you to get your name out in front of your peers, and gives you something to add to your resume.

9. Create LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter accounts.

Creating these social media accounts will allow you to keep in touch with colleagues online. Your LinkedIn account also acts as a resume where you can show others your skills and job history.

10. Volunteer for a position in your professional organization.

If you have free time, why not use it to help others? I think doing something to help another person makes you forget about your own problems and lifts your mood. Your local STC chapter will be very happy to have your volunteer your time.

So readers, what are your ideas? Send me email if you are shy or post a comment.