“YTK was one of the most important sources of help and support in my job search” – here’s how Miia managed to find a new job

Topics

• Job seeking
• Member benefit
• Personal story
• Unemployment

Miia, a communications professional, spent about a year as an unemployed job seeker after being laid off during change negotiations. In the midst of this difficult life situation, she received peer support from YTK, as well as tools that helped her identify her own skills, build her self-confidence, and find a new job.

“The tools and job search coaching offered by YTK Spark really impressed me with their versatility. It feels almost too good to be true that all that content is available to me for just a 133 euro annual fee. Spark’s content was one of the most important skill-development tools I used during my job search.”

Miia recently started a new job in the communications industry after spending just over a year as an unemployed job seeker. She was laid off from her previous job as part of change negotiations.

While job hunting, Miia participated in Spark’s webinars and actively utilized the service’s various tools. Among other things, she used the work personality assessment, resume and application templates, and the smart job search feature, which allows you to search for open positions based on your own skills.

“At the beginning of my job search, I had a lot of trouble identifying and articulating my skills. It felt like I knew a little bit of this and a little bit of that. With the help of Spark, I’ve learned to identify my strengths and describe my skills. These have been important lessons for me. Spark has also given me self-confidence and, above all, hope.”

Job hunting requires perseverance

Miia says that being laid off and her daily life as an unemployed job seeker have been difficult experiences.

“Being made redundant caused a kind of ‘work-related trauma,’ and it took me several months to get back on my feet. As an unemployed job seeker, looking for work is laborious, stressful, exhausting, frustrating, and even despairing.”

She describes how the job search took up almost all of her time.

“Job hunting was a full-time job: I participated in interesting, free training courses and webinars, which I used to try to maintain and grow my skills so I’d be an attractive candidate to employers. When I wasn’t attending webinars, I wrote job applications, practiced drafting them, and analyzed job postings using artificial intelligence; had an AI agent search for communications industry jobs for me a couple of times a week, read online tips on job hunting and writing applications, networked on LinkedIn, and joined various online communities where I received peer support and helpful tips for my job search.”

An unemployed job seeker needs a great deal of perseverance and the ability to find ways to continue the job search despite setbacks.

“Job hunting is a game for the persistent: even if you give it 100 percent with every application, success isn’t guaranteed. After a rejection, however, you have to keep trying, because giving up isn’t an option. When you receive dozens of ‘No, thank you’ messages, your mental health starts to suffer. The financial situation, which had deteriorated due to unemployment, combined with the staggered income-related daily allowance, caused a great deal of stress.”

Strength through peer support

While she was unemployed, Miia realized how important a sense of community and peer support are when you lack the everyday social network provided by a job.

“Job hunting was a lonely endeavor, and peer communities were truly invaluable. Being laid off took away my wonderful colleagues and work community, so I had to find new communities to replace them.”

One of the most significant sources of support came through YTK.

“YTK was one of the most important sources from which I received help and support for my job search. I really enjoyed the Spark webinars and the YTK small-group workplace coaching sessions organized afterward. In the small-group sessions, I got great tips for job hunting and peer support from other participants who were in the same life situation as me. I also made heavy use of the Eduhouse online training service offered by YTK Worklife.”

Another significant community was Mimmit koodaa, in which Miia participated through webinars and small groups.

“It means a lot to me to be able to talk with people in the same life situation, because those conversations are empowering and bring hope.”

A lifeline during unemployment

Miia discovered Spark through the YTK newsletter. She said it was easy to get started with the service, and it became an important source of support throughout her job search.

“I always read the newsletter because the content is timely and interesting. I would definitely recommend Spark to others! Spark’s content – and YTK in general – have been my lifeline during my time of unemployment.”

Her long job search finally ended on a positive note when Miia found a new job in the communications field.

“Now I’m in a job where I get to use my experience and also learn completely new skills. I also have absolutely wonderful and talented colleagues. I feel really lucky!”