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Contract work can erase long-term unemployment stigma

Posted on September 24th, 2011 Read time: 1 minutes

Some employers may be wary of hiring a person who hasn't worked for a year or more, as this raises questions about his or her ability to perform the job at hand. Yet, the Atlanta Constitution Journal reports that if the prospective employee says he or she has been "job hunting" over the past year, it may introduce the idea that nobody else believes the prospect to be employable. This increases the risk of the employer, and offers no new information about a prospect's qualifications.

Author Amy Lindgren suggests that in order to avoid the stigma of long-term unemployment, prospects should obtain part-time or contract work in their field. By adding related projects to his or her resume, a person can regain professional traction. Even if the position isn't ideal – such as a weekend shift – the experience will demonstrate a person's willingness as a worker.

WSBT-TV reports that one seasonal option for the unemployed may be temporary work at a costume or Halloween-themed store.  

"This time of year we hire a lot of seasonal help," Victor Cao, owner of FUN F/X in Mishawaka, Michigan, told the news source. "We're looking for a lot of people that are friendly, outgoing, helpful and creative, (to) help our customers."
 

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