On a mailing list I’m on with career coaches I saw a post from Rabbi Karpov, a professional resume writer. In her post she wrote: “He has the right to remain unemployed.”
That got me thinking… wow! What are our rights, as job seekers? Law and Order music began to go through my mind and I thought of this (reference the real Miranda Rights here):
You have the right to remain unemployed. Anything you say (or wear, or communicate through eye rolls) can and will be used against you in your job search. You have the right to a coach, resume writer or accountability partner. If you cannot afford such a professional, you can find a volunteer at a local job club (or job ministry), but you must hustle to find the right person.
Do you understand the rights I have just read to you? With these rights in mind, do you wish to speak to me?
Yes, you have the right to remain unemployed.
But you are EMPOWERED to get out of unemployment. That might mean something traditional, like a job. It might mean something less traditional (although quite common), like starting your own company.
You don’t have to sit there and let “the market,” the newspapers, the government or anyone else tell you that you have to remain unemployed.
It’s your right… indeed, your entitlement, to do something better for yourself. That’s what humanity is all about, isn’t it?