What Does In Between Jobs Mean?

In Between Jobs Meaning

Definition: Unemployed.

The phrase between jobs is a euphemism to describe when someone is unemployed. As a euphemism, it is a nicer, friendlier way of saying that you don’t have a job.

Someone who is between jobs used to have a job, but, for various reasons, is now unemployed and looking for another job. People may use this phrase to emphasize that they are working hard to find another job or to try to cover up shame they feel for being unemployed.

Origin of In Between Jobs

Between jobs has no certain origin. Throughout history, it has come into use more often during times of high unemployment rates.

Examples of In Between Jobs

This phrase is often used in the context of work-place interviews between employers and potential employees. Employers often ask, “What are you doing currently in your job?” An unemployed person would not want to give simply the answer “unemployed,” so he or she may try to give that information more delicately by saying he or she is “between jobs.”

Someone may also use between jobs in conversation when describing someone who is qualified to work but does not have a job. For example, a woman who has been a teacher in the past but does not
have a job now may be described as between jobs by someone who believes she should get hired to teach again.

Here is an example dialogue of two friends talking about their husbands,

Alyssa: How are you Jerry doing?

Stacy: We are doing great. It’s tough right now because Jerry got laid off and it between jobs at the moment.

Alyssa: I think the place Jared works at is hiring. Should I mention something to him?

Stacy: That would be great. Thank you!

More Examples

• “Despite their devoted worldwide following, Mr. Azar and many other working novela actors who shoot their shows in Miami struggle to make ends meet between jobs.”  –New York Times

• “Low-wage workers already switch jobs a lot, so lower employment might just mean longer gaps in between jobs.” –Washington Post

Summary

Somebody who is between jobs has had a job before but is currently is unemployed.