Unemployment 'scarring': your views wanted

When looking for a new role after a period of unemployment, the most common issue people face is an erosion of confidence - an inability to adequately outline their value and promote their abilities. The irony is that, when unemployed, many people actually develop new and transferrable skills, from organisation and prioritisation to resilience and problem-solving. This can actually make them more, rather than less, attractive to prospective employers. Reminding yourself of your proudest career achievements and biggest successes at work to present to a prospective employer can not only elevate your confidence levels but brilliantly demonstrate, on a practical level, your suitability for a position. People who commit to learning a new skill while unemployed, or getting a qualification, can prove even more attractive to prospective employers as it shows they’re keen to keep busy and want to learn.

As someone who recruits, a period out of work may raise a question but a candidate simply needs to be prepared to answer honestly. A valid reason will rarely affect his or her chances. It's also worth pointing out that a period of working in a low paid and unskilled role, or even working voluntarily, would be preferable and can speak volumes for a prospective employee's character. What’s very clear from this report is that the longer you are out of a job, the harder it can be to get back into one, so people need to really commit to getting back into work whenever they are able to.