In this busy competitive atmosphere of younger generation struggling to find their place in the society, there is also one part of the younger generation who find their parents struggling with unemployment.
There could be various unexpected reasons of unemployment like factory shutdown, or sudden demise of the leader, unsupported physical condition, or stress in working place etc. This might not be exactly their fault but it has to be faced by both parents and children in a proper way.
Read this post to know how to overcome this kind of situations and how to help your unemployed parents in every small way possible.
Ways Adults Can Help their Unemployed Parents:
1. Do not demotivate or stress about their weak point:
Parents who belong to previous generation might be not so updated with the digital transformation happening presently.
Yes, it is required to know about the digital world, to operate all technological transformations like professional computer skills, learning to work with all high end software’s etc to be a potential employee. But, remember this is only one part of employment category.
Do not demotivate them by telling they need to be digital wizard to be a employee in an organization. Encourage them with their skill set and try helping them to learn parallel few basic computer skills without giving any sort of pressure on them.
2. Help them to be a part of social media revolution:
At present we all know how social media is playing a role in grabbing a job. Sit with them to join various social media networking sites like LinkedIn or Facebook and teach them how to use it effectively.
Make them understand how to search for a job through these websites and also illustrate some positive examples. Keep them updated day to day until they themselves operate it efficiently.
3. Work on their resume and help keeping it updated:
Resume plays a very important role in case of a job search. It is very important to help them keeping their resume updated.
Encourage them to use online resume templates to keep their resume in a proper format and also assist them in adding their skill set to their resume.
It might be something very small to add it to their resume according to their perspective. But the reality is comparing their experience with the skill set, it is essential to add all the minute details to the resume to find a perfect job.
4. Encourage them to have a target:
Unemployment has worst effects mentally. That too for people who have a bigger responsibility it brings lots of disappointment along with losing self confidence. At these tough times, it is essential to have a target or a career plan so that they do not stagnate at one point.
Always encourage parents, to fix a career plan or target date for each and every job search. Help them to keep moving ahead with in their search if things are not working as expected by them.
5. Be a master of networking and also assist them to be the one:
Networking these days is very essential, irrespective of your field. Always make it a point to forward your parents resume to your colleagues or your friends bringing your job search to everyone’s notice.
Even though, this situation might not be comfortable to do so, remember searching for a job is not asking for favor but it is asking for a chance to prove their abilities. And also do take your parents to common get together meetings, networking events to make them feel confident and be one with the talented crowd.
By this way parents might also feel comfortable with the crowd later if they get an opportunity to be with them.
6. Looks do matter a lot to all generations:
Assist parents to be updated with their looks. This does not mean to dress up funky or to be updated with the current style. It is just adding few touches to their wardrobe matching the current professional look expectations.
For example, it could changing their old style of glass frames or getting them a new pair of professional shoes. If in case you feel nervous to confront them about these changes you can ask help from someone of their age category to do it for you.
Remember you are doing all these things to help them from being outdated, so be polite and straight forward about your concern for their looks.
7. Part time benefits:
The job market is flooded with many part time jobs either online or in your own town. Try to encourage them to fill the gap with some interesting part time jobs, or to do any kind of consultation service with their experience.
This will increase their confidence, increase financial stability, psychological difference in their thinking as well help them add more to their skill set with this part time experience.
8. Give them an indirect support:
Make it a point to follow with their job search. Email them or put a word about their job search at end of your caring calls so that you don’t sound dominating. Also keep an eye on them, as they might feel mentally drained or some sort stress along their day.
Motivate them to come of emotional weakness as having good job is only a part of life.
9. Take care of their finances without making them feel different:
Even though they get to understand, you show more care about their finances at this stage, make sure you do not burden them by talking about it often.
Do something indirectly like asking assistance for financial account maintenance, encouraging them buy some gifts for their grandkids by giving your debit card sometimes.
These may not ease their burden of unemployment completely but will just make them feel that your income also belongs to them.
10. Give ears for their decisions:
Sometimes, during the period of unemployment parents may also feel to take a break or do some work for non profitable charities. Respect their decisions and allow them to do what they like to do.
If in case they wanted to have a change of lifestyle like buying a house in their native or selling their properties allow them to take their decisions and just suggest your views and not force them.
11. Ask for their assistance in your finance or give entire responsibility:
One way of making them forget their unemployment is to show them that everything which belongs to you also belongs to them. Try to ask for assistance in finance maintenance indirectly or give them entire responsibility of house maintenance. This is just to encourage them to not feel lonely.
12. Plan for small vacations:
One simple way to de-stress them is to arrange some small spiritual vacations for them. Taking a break will make them feel energized and change their mood. At the same time it will help them to forget their present tough part of life.
13. Join them in some workshops related to work or some any kind of courses:
It is natural they might feel worried about being in home without being occupied. In such times, make them join any kind of workshops related to work or some recreational courses like yoga, or any laughter clubs etc. This will give them a diversion from being unemployed and it will also make them meet new people every day which is a mood boost for them.
Unemployment has many negative effects irrespective of various age group people. And specially it creates more stress to elderly people as it very tough for them to take it because they have crossed a long path of being in work and also their age gives them more stress.These are the times that they might behave different from their natural behavior.
Behavioral changes like showing domination, anger, no involvement in day to day activities are very common symptoms of unemployment. They might not show their true character in these times.
It is very important as being children of them to understand their trouble and be supportive. Show your love more and help them get rid of unemployment struggles and mental stress. Hope this post helps to understand how to deal with unemployed parents.
