How to get a job, when you don't have one

A practical guide to being unemployed

I have been unemployed exactly twice. Once by choice and the other, not so much and when that happens it’s really, really crap. I wasn’t actually made redundant you see, I was asked to leave. The feeling was mutual but still, ouch. I’ll spare you the details but it’s a great story that does involve vomiting on my first day (an omen). For now, I want to focus on the advice I give / am giving to anyone looking for a job right now, the stuff you just need to know, the practical stuff. The stuff I’d wish I’d known then and what I’d do now, based on my experience of both actively job seeking and as hiring manager myself.

Certainly this is the longest newsletter I’ve written to date and on an important topic with many tangents to explore so I’m going to cut to the chase and dive straight in…

My advice?

You’ve just lost your job and whether or not you were expecting it, it sucks. Eat the ice-cream, drink the margs, cry, shout, throw darts at a picture of your boss for all I care. Feel what you need to feel and then, let it go. Wallow in self pity for a short while, then stop. Don’t let the bad shit consume you for too long. I feel your pain but this is a little tough love because whilst layoffs are happening left right and centre, there are also opportunities waiting for you. Exciting things will happen for you but you’ve got to be willing to let them, so give yourself a moment and then pick yourself up and get on with it. ‘It’ being finding and landing your next (dream) job.

My most shared screenshot.

So you’re getting on with it.

Where do I start?

Do you know what you want? What you really, really want? (Spice Girl fan here) If yes, move on to the next section. If however you’re thinking ‘what the hell am I doing working as a [insert job title here], I really want to be an [insert dream job here] then why not follow that dream? What an incredible gift you have been given to be able to explore your options! If this is you, consider a career coach or even a life coach, either or both could be the way forward. Have a read of the differences in this newsletter, it will help.

This is all well and good but above all, please be practical. Peace of mind and money do not grow on trees, if you need a job and get offered one that ‘will do’. Take it. Grab it with both arms and don’t let go. (Congratulations!) If it really is a dud, you can at least search for a new job whilst having one. If you have a little more time and have felt in a rut or maybe like you weren’t in the right role/industry to begin with, it might be worth exploring that a little deeper. For me that meant working with a life coach on my values, goals and what I really wanted to do. This is how I ended up working for a company with a purpose, I realised this was important to me. Please note, I did this work whilst I was still employed, so again, if this isn’t doable right now, or you already know what you want, then that is grand.

Get your toolkit ready

Toolkit = CV/portfolio/covering letter/intro

Simple but the first step is to get your shit in order. Dust off your CV and portfolio, this is going to take you longer than you think so carve out some hours (I’d estimate a full day for a CV at least) to do this as it’s the first thing anyone will ask you for when you start to reach out to your connections. Then you will be under pressure to deliver, it’s not worth the extra stress when you are already feeling up against it. On the flip side, don’t take too long. It’s an excellent excuse to not apply to that job because you’re folio isn’t ready… done and good trumps perfection. If you’re too late to be considered for a role because you’re still perfecting that sentence or that layout, well that’s shooting your self in your foot.

More on CVs and format/structure in a future newsletter but a polite request, make it easy to read, don’t over design and please PLEASE do not display your skills like the below image. Bar charts of any kind are also off limits.

Please, no.

If you are a designer, I am going to assume you can use Indesign and why would you tell me you are anything but great at it? The point of a CV is to get an interview, would you interview a project manager who gave themselves a 7/10 rating for organisation? Me neither. But actually, the scale is completely irrelevant because it’s made up (by you), a hiring manager can’t judge it against any standard because it doesn’t exist and above anything else, it’s a waste of space when you have so little to capture attention. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it’s irksome.

A note on cover letters. Yes, you need one, everyone asks for one still but perhaps controversially, I’m not a fan of spending hours on the covering letter. For a recent role at Tony’s we had over 500+ applications, this was normal at HelloFresh too. Recruiters / hiring managers don’t have hours to pour over long prose, write something short, snappy and make it memorable. Not a budding copywriter? AI can help, just be sure check it and tailor it to your tone of voice. The cover letter is not the be all and end all though, for my Tony Chocolonely application, I was asked to submit a photo of myself (this is weirdly normal for European applications, something that should be scrapped in my opinion but seeing as the field was a prerequisite and I had to upload something to apply) instead/in protest I drew a picture of myself on a post-it with a cup of tea, naturally. The point is, there are other ways to stand out outside of a well written covering letter telling the recruiter how much you love their company, along with every other applicant. How will you stand out?

Actual job application photo for Tony’s Chocolonely.

Last but not least, be ready to introduce yourself verbally as the drop of a hat. A bit like an elevator pitch for yourself, who are you and what do you want? Why should I hire you? You never know who you are going to meet and when. I learned recently on a course that I’m taking how to do this in a ‘memorable way’. Boy, that taught me a lot so I’ll share with you what I learned: craft your intro and memorise it, practise in the mirror, so that at any point if you are asked on the spot who you are and what you can do, you’re ready. It will be impressive and ‘sticky’. You want to live rent free in someone’s head.

Connection, connection, connection

You’re ready, you’ve got everything you need. What now?

The #1 way discover a new job is through a referral (LinkedIn Ultimate List of Hiring Stats) for this to happen, people need to a) have good connections and b) it helps to know you are available. I spend a lot of time talking about the power of connection because it is just that. POWERFUL. Now more than ever you are going to work that little black book, make sure you are top of mind so when someone comes along needing a ‘you’, your connection puts you forward. That is how you get referred, also:

• Get in touch with your contacts I cannot stress enough how important it is to reach out to your personal network whether this be email, LinkedIn, or if you know them well, a quick call. Let all your whatsapp groups know what you are looking for and if they could keep an ear to the ground. This is how I’ve star multiple conversations, some of which have led somewhere, some have not. It’s also how landed an internship at Vogue back in the day. My uni housemates, friends, brothers, girlfriend (still with me?) had just started a job there, an intern dropped out last minute and by some miraculous word of mouth, I was in. OK this was an internship, but still. Vogue! Worked for me, can work for you.

• Include recruiters in your personal network, they need managing but are worth it, especially in London. My experience has been a lot of agencies use recruiters, get yourself on their books and have them working with you. All four of my agency roles in London came via recruiters.

• Ask for advice and help from LinkedIn connections whether you know them well, have just connected or want to be connected. Last week I received a gorgeous message from someone in my industry I’ve not met before and she suggested a chat to share experiences and asked if I had some advice for her on a specific subject because she’s looking for work. We’re meeting next week, because I hope I can help but also because I’m sure I’ll learn something from her too, it’s so beneficial for all parties. I know it’s difficult to ask for help, I know this because I’m terrible at it, it’s even harder to ask people you don’t know for help. But it’s also brave and right now, the best thing you can do for yourself is be brave. Tip for cold emailing/messaging someone: a small dose of flattery will get you everywhere (operative word being small) and be clear on your what you want, do not go hard on ‘give me a job’ (I get these emails too) go in for advice and support. The majority of people genuinely want to help others, and go out of their way to do so, so do not be afraid to ask. Nothing ventured, nothing gained and all that. Word of mouth is so freakin’ strong, you don’t know where one connection / conversation might get you. They don’t call it the ripple effect for nothing.

Hang out on LinkedIn, with purpose

LinkedIn is going to be your best friend if you are looking for a job, not just for the hot connections but because 6 people are hired every minute on there, and with 67M+ companies listed, that’s a whole heap of opportunities waiting to be mined. Here’s some basic tips:

• Update your profile - short, snappy, memorable. Have a look at some profiles that have caught your eye for inspiration. Off to take my own advice…

• Put the ‘Open to work’ mode on - how can recruiters know you might be available if you don’t?

• Stalk the jobs board - set up automations for roles you are interested in. Both the last two jobs I’ve had, I got from cold applying via LinkedIn. HelloFresh and Tony’s Fun fact, I didn’t realise the HelloFresh job was in Berlin when I applied, so make sure you read all details before applying. Unless you like surprises (this was a good one for me, might not always be that way)

• Be active - you don’t have to suddenly have a ‘personal brand’ or being a ‘creator’ but like, comment, repost things that interest you. I’m not the girl that understands algorithms but I do know at the very least these small actions will get your profile noticed more, win!

• Spot (and grab) opportunities - quite often people post offers of help, whether it be a career coach’s birthday and she is offering a free 90 min coaching session as a gift to her community (I saw this one today, lovely idea) or a Marketing Director’s post advertising a maternity cover role to their community or one of my favourites recently, an initative to help people out of work. You might have seen Amy Rollings Let’s Connect - a project to connect, inspire and support those out of work. Along with a number of other professionals in the creative industry, I took part and offered 30 min sessions to those interested. I found out about Amy’s plans originally, you’ve guessed it, on LinkedIn, through another friends activity and immediately signed up. It’s Amy’s work that inspired me to pass on that kindness and write this newsletter. LinkedIn is littered with all sorts of interesting opportunities if you are looking for them.

• Apply to jobs - sounds silly but to get a job you’ve got to apply for it. Too many people underestimate the power of applying to a vacancy posted on LinkedIn, I’ve heard from many job seekers that they felt there was no point because ‘everyone would apply’. This is nonsense. Both the last two jobs I have had, HelloFresh and Tony’s Chocolonley, I saw and applied for on LinkedIn, with not previous connection to each company.

Learn new things

When was the last time you did some formal training? Job or no job, show of hands for who doesn’t use their training budget last year? (My hand is up) Lack of time is usually the culprit but our industry is rapidly changing and constantly, we have to evolve with it and this is your chance to upskill in areas your demanding job hasn’t afforded you the time to do up until now. Sign up for a course if you can spare the budget but there is so much for free out there too, or at a minimal cost. A creative director friend I used to work with is topping up his skills in UX design while he searches for his next role. Super smart. This doesn’t have to be learning a specific skill per se, it could be watching a Ted Talk, reading an article in The Drum or listening to a Podcast, anything to enrich your development. Ask for recommendations on courses, books or any creative resource from friends / colleagues / connections (again LinkedIn is a good place, you can always rely on your new BFF). Coming back from maternity leave I posted to my network on LinkedIn I was looking for some inspiration and was overwhelmed with the response. No gatekeeping at She is Creative, here are some suggestions for great courses:

• The Marketing Academy masterclasses, workshops and lectures aimed at inspiring, developing, and empowering talent in marketing, media & advertising globally. TIP: they are currently offering a ‘Golden Ticket’ (aka free) membership for a year to those who have been made redundant or working freelance. This is an incredible resource! Apply in the link

• Domestika there’s a sale on right now for all courses - this website is always reccommended whenever I’m discussing training, though I’ve not used myself…yet.

• Ideo multiple online learning experiences from ‘Design for change’ to ‘Impactful presentations’ - a few members of my team are currently enrolled in some of the courses and have given good feedback so far

This is just a handful - if you are reading this and know of more, please do share in the comments for others. Let’s be kind and support each other :-)

Beat the loneliness

This is a toughie. You can’t hide from it and it’s likely going to gradually hit you at some point, it’s totally natural. Despite the headline, you can’t always beat it but you can absolutely prepare and manage it. Most importantly know that YOU ARE NOT ALONE. I’m not going to tell you work in a coffee shop and meet people there because that’s not realistic, but do work in a coffee shop because changing up your work space will energise you plus you’ll get to try lots of hot new spots. What else?

• Find a buddy. Not just any buddy (promise that was unintended) but a job search buddy, someone who is in a similar situation as you, someone job searching, in a similar role perhaps or at least industry. This person will be the person you can share with, you can bitch & moan to but also be your cheerleader, helping to boost your energy and confidence. Just this morning I spoke with a lovely woman and gave her this very advice, not because I’ve done it but because this is what I would have wanted when I didn’t have a job. Friends are great, I adore my girlfriends but they play a different type of supportive role; Ben & Jerry’s binging is the kind of support I need from friends, it is not discussing the challenges of the creative industry at length and why winning at Cannes should have made you untouchable (this is someone else’s story not mine, but it’s gold) because frankly it’s boring for them. Save them from this. Get a buddy and yep, you’ve guessed it, you can find them on LinkedIn! How? Look for interesting people that fit the above bill, reach out and suggest a chat to share advice. (See above points on this) This goes beyond being unemployed, I’ve just this morning had a gorgeous message from a Creative Leader who suggested a chat to share stories and advice. I’m there, with bells on. I met

  Emily Ash Powell
  my now good friend, esteemed copywriter and creative on LinkedIn, she reached out a couple of monthly chats later and she was on a plane to Amsterdam covering my mat leave! Can you imagine? ! More on this story soon… In the meantime take a read of her article on her own experience of redundancy here.

• & the Table ‘an experience of nourishment through food and company’. For around £50 you can join a table, where someone hosts dinner for 6-8 people with a topic for that evening. There’s one in London this week on creativity but so many others, plenty of topics in plenty of cities. It reminds me of my friend Anne who having just moved to Berlin, organised a beautiful dinner at her home for 8 women she vaguely knew/ had met once or twice and liked them. None of us knew each other, Anne the only common denominator. A different kind of connection but one of those women is now effectively my sister-in-law. We hit it off, became besties and 2 years later she introduced me to her brother… the rest as they say, is history.

• Ladies, Wine and Design does what it says on the tin - events for women in multiple cities around the globe. A woman in my team moved from Denmark and not knowing too many people in Amsterdam she signed up for a session. She had a great night lino printing with other designers, beating Netflix on her own and having a beautiful print for her apartment. All in all a successful experience.

• Get a mentor and/or be one. Everyone should have a mentor. If you don’t have one, get one. Especially now during this challenging time, they can be a regular source of inspiration and guidance. OR why not be a mentor yourself? It’s a two way relationship, I’ve always learned from my mentees (is this a word) and it’s a nice fixed date in the diary to talk with the added bonus of helping someone. I’ll be sharing more information on mentoring in the upcoming weeks but for now, why not give it a go? Have a look at SheSays, SAYes, The Female Factor. I’ve mentored through The Female Factor and it was truly a great experience, so can speak first hand here.

THE SUPER PRACTICAL STUFF

Job seekers allowance (UK) / the equivalent in your country - sign up immediately. Yes, the hours lost to admin and overall process in general leaves a lot to be desired, but that extra bit of dosh will go a long way. I also know what you are thinking, but best not be too proud. I was and it cost me. Best case scenario, you are snapped up within weeks and don’t need it. Worst case scenario, situations worsen…. So just do it. Think of it like this, I assume you’ve been paying your taxes right? Well, a proportion of those goes towards helping people without work, people like you right now, there is absolutely no shame in that. Besides this is only temporary.

Expats, do your homework on what the country you live in offers. For example, if you are made redundant in Germany and have paid the pre-requisite insurance (pretty much mandatory), you are eligible for 60-67% of your previous annual salary for a period of 1-2 years to support you whilst you search for another role. The rules are slightly different if you leave a job voluntarily, the offer is the same but they will only begin the benefits after 3 months of unemployment and if you’ve not found a job within that timeframe. The Netherlands have a similar system but of course each countries rules are different, please don’t take my word for it. Have a look at your local tax office to know the rules and what applies to you. Knowledge is power. To be honest, it’s worth understanding what they are even if you aren’t in this situation. Before I left HelloFresh I knew that I was eligible for 60% of my salary after 3 months, I applied the day after I left knowing that I would be in the system should I need it and budgeted accordingly. I fell in love, moved country and got another job but it might not have been that way. Be prepared, staying one step ahead of the game never hurt anyone.

Cut all unnecessary expenditure

Budget - Important, very very important and yet so many people I know, don’t actively budget. Wild. A good basic start is the 50/30/20 money rule - splitting your monthly salary into the buckets but more recently the 70/20/10 budgeting rule is more realistic. Break every down into your buckets. Now, trim the fat - what can you get rid of? Do it. Don’t forget to tailor it to your needs; now’s maybe not the time to try saving for example, you can use those funds elsewhere.

Subscription services - obvious perhaps but then again I didn’t do this immediately and ended up paying for services for an extra few months I didn’t need and I knew I wasn’t going to have a job. Nothing like an unnecessary spend to make you feel a little sickThis means Disney+, HBO Max, DAZN, LinkedIn premium, newspapers, Substacks, razors, coffee, Netflix and Spotify premium if you must - get rid. That list right there - you’ve saved 100 quid+ a month already. Tip: keep one streaming service, allow yourself a little luxury, I kept Netflix. You can sign right back up when you are back in the game - and look on the bright side you might even get a new customer deal!

No new credit cards or loans Panic will happen but do not under any circumstances take out a credit card, store cards or increase your limit, tempting as it may be. Klarna is useful to some extent but be absolutely sure you can pay back every instalment before committing. This is a perpetual cycle of and you will only haunt you and add further to your strife in years to come. Full disclaimer, I did this thinking it was a simple solution to pay for my lifestyle in the short term but it had a long term affect. It’s not big. It’s not clever. Please learn from my mistakes!

Wrapping it up

Look, the reality is nothing is certain, we don’t know what is going to happen tomorrow but I really, truly hope something in this newsletter might help you or at least given you some inspiration or energy. Finding a new job is a full time job in itself, do not forget to give yourself breaks, go for walks, do a puzzle, anything that takes your mind off the search. You can’t pour from an empty cup, so do what you need to do to keep that cup full.

I wish you the best with your search, not good luck, because whilst there’s always a little luck involved, there’s a lot more hard work. It will be worth it though. And if you find yourself in need of a pick-me-up, here are the top 10 inspirational Ted Talks for when you’re having a rough day. Or whack your favourite song on. Volume MAX. Or here’s a cute pic of Elmo to cheer you up and make you smile, he’s very friendly and good at checking in on people I hear ;-)

Via Twitter/X, Elmo’s viral moment

You can do it, you’ve got this.

Emma x