How to build resilience in a tough job market

Sound Familiar?

"I’m in month five of unemployment, and I’m struggling. I’ve applied to hundreds of jobs—every day, across multiple platforms. Roles I’m qualified for, roles below my experience level—anything that might open a door. I’ve only had one interview….I’m doing everything I can, but I feel stuck."

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I was in a similar boat, but I found a solution...

I found myself in that position over 3 years ago, but for different reasons. I moved to Germany to be with my partner, but don't speak German. I applied for loads of jobs but got messed around and given loads of design challenges, so applying for jobs was a full-time waste of time.

I made a list of all my skills and chose the ones I thought could turn into money. I'm a designer, so, for example I can do contracts & freelance design work for clients in the USA and UK (Avoiding the german speaking' problem), which currently turned out to be the most lucrative for me.

I also found a part time job with Career Foundry doing 1-3 hours / week marking students UX work - not much I know BUT the trick with this is to build up loads of different income streams, which makes you far more resilient if one stream goes down.

In the gaps I taught myself loads of new skills, e.g. I now build websites in Webflow & am now learning bubble & lovable. I also teach design online for $75 USD / hour (don't get excited since I had to spend sooo much time creating materials for that too).

I recently wrote a book in 3 days about Surface Pattern Design - because I was teaching myself how to be a Surface Pattern Designer and decided to make notes that I realised I could quickly turn into a book and self-publish. I have many more income streams though, keep reading to find out mine below....

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What you can do to find some kind of paying work

It might be that the old model of employment is dying.

Either way, it never hurts to become more resilient and evolve your skills. (But note that skilling up is VERY time intensive - so quit watching TV right now)

Most people I see who are killing it are highly skilled, highly motivated and running their own gig online, working remotely and sometimes travelling at the same time (travel optional).

The trick to resilence is 'Multiple Income Streams'

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How to get Multiple Income streams

You might be under immediate financial stress, so alongside the ideas below, seek options such as governmental support and immediate 'dumb' jobs just to get the bills paid, short term. Then:

1. Listen to the podcast 'The Side Hustle' for ideas. Some of the most lucrative ideas are simple, physical local ideas like putting all the bins out for a whole suburb on bin day - really, not kidding!
2. Make a list of your main skills, and particularly focus on what you enjoy, what you're good at and what energises you
3. Brainstorm ways to turn those skills into money (AI is great for idea generation, but it often trivialises the effort, time and money involved, so take it with a pinch of salt)
4. Start with the one that balances easy, quick and immediate income, and make a start on that....
5. Once you have one income stream set up, start on your next, and learn what works as you go
6. Find ideas by looking hard at the problems you see around you.

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Trial and Error

My income streams are constantly evolving, but here's a list in order of priority of what I'm chasing and doing now (Note that this is highly individualised to my unique skills - yours would be too):

1. Remote contracts - this requires updating my design folio at www.rachaelpage.com which is very time-consuming AND applying for jobs, which is a pain in the ass and a proven waste of time. I find most work by making personal connections with people either via my linkedin presence, or through my design teaching services.
2. Bubble web apps - This is a new one, but with all the new AI ways to build apps, it's never been easier to be a one-person business with a niche app. I also record useful things I'm picking up to build my youtube channel. One of my most popular videos is 'How to add a clickable prototype to any web page'
3. Private students online interactive design sessions and assessing Career Foundry Students work
4. Wallpaper & fabric designs with midjourney, photoshop & illustrator for Spoonflower and other platforms
5. Create Courses, Email sequences & build email list for my design teaching at Artfuly.com
6. Improve Artfuly.com site e.g. blogging such as this article
7. Affiliate Incomes - I recommend products I use myself across my website, courses & digital products e.g. Webflow. I was recently even approached by someone who wanted me to add their product to one of my articles.
8. Digital Products - Digital downloads e.g. A standard UX portfolio figma file to get started quickly, Digital books, etc.
9. Online Events & Tips - My least lucrative, I used to hold online events to help people with their portfolios and find out how to become a digital designer, but only 1 person ever made a donation, so I turned it into an on-demand webinar and lead-gen-magnet.

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Seeing adversity as Opportunity

It breaks my heart to read all these posts from people throwing themselves into the job search like lemmings. I urge you to start thinking a different way. You are a valuable asset, what makes you uniquely you? Make that list.

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If you're in the trenches, broke, and tired...

Adversity forces clarity.

When nothing is working, you're forced to rethink what “work” even means for you. For me, it meant giving up the idea of one perfect full-time job solving all my problems. Instead, I now think in systems—how can I keep money trickling in from multiple sources, while still staying creatively alive and autonomous.

It's really important to start living max frugal. Cancel every single subscription you have - music, gym etc. If you have credit card debt, pay off as much as you can every month, even if you have to keep using your card to get through that month -because that interest accrues right from the first moment it's on that card!! Once you zero the balance, the interest is re-set. If you have to, move back in with your parents, or live in a campervan. Any way you can to remove that biggest subscription of all - RENT!

A few more things I’ve learned along the way:

1. Beware the Productivity Trap

When you’re broke and scared, there’s a strong temptation to look productive instead of being effective. Job applications often fall into this category. You feel like you’re doing something useful—but if you're not getting results, it's time to pivot. One hour writing speculative applications is often less useful than one hour reaching out directly to someone on LinkedIn or making a product you can sell repeatedly.

2. Play the Long Game and the Short Game

If you can, split your week into “survival” tasks (the stuff that pays now) and “build” tasks (the stuff that could pay in 3–6 months). For me, survival is contract work and marking students. Building is working on my course platform, Artfuly, and trying to grow a mailing list or YouTube channel.

3. Work With Your Reality, Not Against It

Can’t speak the local language? Don't beat yourself up. Work with people who speak yours. Hate video calls? Try asynchronous teaching or making tutorials. Have a weird schedule? Set up income streams that don’t rely on fixed hours.

4. There’s No One Path, Just Patterns

Look at people who are earning online. There are patterns:

• They often teach or share what they know.
• They productize their knowledge.
• They’re willing to be visible.
• They build trust over time, not overnight.

But how they do these things? That varies wildly.

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It's not your fault - the system is broken

If you're in the middle of a long, painful job search that’s going nowhere, maybe it's not your fault. Maybe the system is broken. Maybe you're not “unemployable”—maybe you're just trying to fit into a box that doesn’t fit you anymore.

Try something different. Start small. Diversify. Stay scrappy. Stay kind to yourself.

I’m not rich. I’m not even stable all the time. But I’m building something, piece by piece. And that feels way better than begging for interviews I never get.

Your future might not be a job. It might be a system.

Want help brainstorming your income streams? Message me (scroll down to the form). Or better yet—start your list.

You’re more resourceful than you think.