Long-term unemployment has a way of compounding. The longer someone is out of work, the harder it becomes to explain the gap, the fewer people they know who can help, and the more each rejection seems to confirm that something is wrong with them. Underemployment, being stuck in work with too few hours or that uses only a fraction of your skills, can be just as discouraging.
This article looks at what people in these situations bring, why it is so hard to break the cycle, and what helps.
Capability is not the problem
People who have been out of work for a long time are not a single group. They include people who lost jobs when an industry changed, people managing health conditions, carers, people who have moved, and people who simply never got a foothold. What they share is not a lack of ability. It is a set of circumstances that have made work harder to reach.
Many bring:
- Previous work experience and skills, sometimes in industries that are still hiring
- Life skills from managing on a tight budget, navigating services and supporting family
- Persistence, having kept going through a difficult period
- A strong motivation to work, contribute and have more control over their lives
Why the cycle is hard to break
The barriers tend to build on each other:
- a long gap in a resume that employers ask about
- skills and licences that have lapsed or fallen out of date
- the cost of getting to interviews, buying work clothes or covering the first weeks before pay
- low confidence after repeated knock-backs
- health, housing or family pressures that make routine difficult
- fewer connections to people who hear about jobs
Underemployment brings its own challenges, including irregular hours that make it hard to plan, and little time or energy left to look for something better.
What helps
Breaking the cycle usually starts small. A few things tend to make the biggest difference:
- One point of contact who knows the person's situation, so they are not starting again with every service
- A plan built around their goals, not just the next available job
- Practical help with the costs and logistics that stand between a person and work
- Rebuilding confidence through pre-employment workshops and small, achievable steps
- Updating skills through accredited training with our partner registered training organisations, or through Recognition of Prior Learning where existing experience counts
- Introductions to employers who are open to candidates with gaps in their work history
- Support after starting, so that a new job has the best chance of lasting
Momentum matters. The first small win makes the next one easier.
Talking about the gap
One of the most common worries is how to explain time out of work. An honest, brief explanation focused on what you have been doing and what you are ready for now is usually best. Practising that answer, in a workshop or with a support worker, takes much of the fear out of the question.
How we can help
If you have been out of work for a while, or you are working but want more, we would like to help you plan your next step. Get in touch or call 1800 993 557. You may also find our article on transferable skills and RPL useful.