Being a COVID19-unemployed

 Our neighbour’s cat came to our garden for an afternoon nap. He has his favourite spot underneath the cherry tomato cage. The roses were in bloom and lavenders were budding. It was fine day, the weather was warm and dry, and everything seemed peaceful.

I reflected the past 6 months. Since September 2020, I have been unemployed. The company I worked for needed to lay off 70% of workforce due to COVID19. Somehow, I managed to stay positive while unemployment, with occasional ups and downs. The main reason, I recall, was that I was with my family, also I was in touch with my friends and job advisors through SNS and e-mails.

One of the person who supported me was a job counselor. I met my job counselor at his office in Yokohama. He was gentle and always helpful, suggested many job vacancies at stable businesses.

My career at travel companies were not in the mainstream of their business. I was working on specialist’s visit abroad. The field of client’s fields were vast, from local or national authorities to technical student’s school trips. We researched organizations, companies or technical schools which might be of interest to the clients and suite to their purpose of visit abroad. I was sure this is not a popular job. I needed to explain to my job advisors or job counselors again and again, and all of them never heard of such role.

Another problem was that I worked at too many companies. The reason for leaving the companies varies, from injury that took years to heal, unreasonable office transfer order to relocate with extremely short notice, etc. In Japan, normally people work at the same company during their entire career. People with many company change would be seen as someone who can’t master their responsibilities.

During job hunt, I sent more than 100 resumes to companies. It must be the average number or maybe less, for the COVID19-unemployed people across the world.

My job counselor was kind and very patient, sending many suggestions. We met online once a month, and he updated me with situation of people he was supporting. Everyone went through tough time, but somehow they managed to get jobs in the end. I asked for some example of cases which should not follow. There was one interesting example. One of his client was too positive and cheerful. Once he appeared at job interview, he sounded too positive – too positive that companies became cautious that he might be hiding other side of his personality. Happy thing is that he got a job in the end. Being too extreme – too positive or too negative might not be good idea after all.

Being with my family was my major consolation. I lived away from family from time to time, and I fully understand the loneliness of being alone at my flat room. Both of my parents are still well, and chat over meal was something that supported me throughout the employment period.

My neighbours also gave me emotional support. They knew what industry I worked. Due to COVID19, I couldn’t meet them often. But when I came across with them while shopping essential goods, they gave me encouragements.

My friends also supported me emotionally. I could only contact them through SNS or video chats. Seeing their messages by text or their faces across computer screen, and chatted over tea or glasses of wine, listening about their kids or their own life gave me wonderful escape during the busy days of job hunt.

Everyone across the world was having one of the hardest time ever during COVID19. And I realized again the importance of being connected with people around me.