A few people in my neighborhood have lost jobs due to the economic problems. I have offered to help by looking at their resumes because technical communication skills correspond to effective resumes (without charge at this point because I’m fortunate enough to still have my job). So my first thought for technical communicators who are looking for a little extra income at this point is to offer their services as resume reviewers. True, unemployed people who use those services may have a harder time paying, but perhaps you can develop a system, such as a lowered rate for the unemployed and underemployed, or payment conditional on the person’s finding a job after your review.

My other thought for anyone out of a job right now is to not be picky. By all means, look for jobs in your field; but if other opportunities arrive that still allow you to earn what you need, take them. In the meantime, continue your training in your field so that once the econonomic troubles have passed, you have up-to-date skills with which to get back into your field. I expect that hiring managers would be more impressed by someone who was proactive and got some job during a recession and simultaneously got training than by someone who sat around waiting for the recession to end. Besides, few of us can afford to wait around for the perfect job. And you never know when that stopgap job could lead to something in your field.

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