I can't get a job

stratospheres

I got good LC results in 2005 but since then I've dropped out of college twice (which so doesn't look good) and haven't held down a job for more than a few weeks (I'd be the first to admit that I hate working and tire of things too easily). I really need money so I've been applying for anything and everything. I've no interest in any particular area and I'd just like a job where I don't have to work evenings or weekends. Any ideas? And also how can I come across better in interviews as I've had about 5 in the past few weeks but never got anywhere with them? I'm 18 btw.

is_that_so

What do you like?
What hobbies or interests have you got?
Is there anything you feel passionate about?
Do you like people?
What would you like to learn about?
Would you give someone like you a job?
What job could you see yourself doing for say six months?

Unless you can figure out things like this you will continue to have a problem.
As regards interviews your apathy is probably coming across.
One thing you can do is visualisation where you imagine yourself at the interview, how you might say things. At 18 you are young. These things take time to work it out. Good luck.

TCollins

How about a binman?
No weekends or evenings.

Seriously though. It'll happen eventually. Just keep looking.
Not many people do know what they want to do at your age anyway.

FlutterinBantam

stratospheres wrote:

I got good LC results in 2005 but since then I've dropped out of college twice (which so doesn't look good) and haven't held down a job for more than a few weeks (I'd be the first to admit that I hate working and tire of things too easily). I really need money so I've been applying for anything and everything. I've no interest in any particular area and I'd just like a job where I don't have to work evenings or weekends. Any ideas? And also how can I come across better in interviews as I've had about 5 in the past few weeks but never got anywhere with them? I'm 18 btw.

Sorry if I come across a bit harsh,but you have a problem. Employers need to know that a potential employee has at least a bit of drive and flexability-you appear to have neither.
Very few jobs require you to work every weekend and every evening,so my advice to you is figure out how so many immigrants have got jobs over the past few years,and it wasn't by not working evenings and week ends.

Best of luck,but you need to shake yourself up!!

Posy

I agree with FlutterinBantam. You're 18, a college dropout who is afraid of hard work and you don't want to do weekends or evenings. This doesn't exactly scream 'hire me!' You need to get your act together. If you want a good 9-5 job that's not too much hard work, you'll generally need a college education. However, the bank usually only needs a good Leaving Cert and has the best hours around.

As for the interview, they'll see your unenthusiasm as they describe the job, you're unwillingness to do 'unsocial' hours and your obvious past lack of commitment. Plus, this may sound obvious but get a decent suit, look smart and have a haircut. If their first impression is of a scraggly youth in jeans you're finished before you have even opened your mouth!

Have you tried career guidance? Or perhaps a visit to FAS would help? They can suggest courses, do you a CV, figure out what would suit you.
Have you any interest in travel? Bum around the world for a bit, getting crappy jobs, staying in hostels, meeting new people and having the adventure of a lifetime is what many people your age do before deciding to settle down to work or academia. Either way, some serious consideration is required. Good luck!

MrTip

stratospheres wrote:

I got good LC results in 2005 but since then I've dropped out of college twice (which so doesn't look good) and haven't held down a job for more than a few weeks (I'd be the first to admit that I hate working and tire of things too easily). I really need money so I've been applying for anything and everything. I've no interest in any particular area and I'd just like a job where I don't have to work evenings or weekends. Any ideas? And also how can I come across better in interviews as I've had about 5 in the past few weeks but never got anywhere with them? I'm 18 btw.

I am sure you have good intentions and are willing to work, but you just can't do it like this. It makes you miserable, I can see... maybe you will lose your self-respect.
The first thing I would recommend is that you talk to the therapist. I suggest you find a nice one... It looks like you suffer from ADHD, but I can't be sure.

You need to focus on yourself, not on employers. Once you get yourself in order everything else will fall into its place.

eth0_

MrTip wrote:

It looks like you suffer from ADHD, but I can't be sure.

Excuse me? You cannot diagnose ADHD because a guy can't hack college or work, he's only 19 and a lot of us were like that at his age. Making such diagnosis on this forum will result in a ban if you do it again.

I dropped out of college twice doing I.T. and although I still work in I.T. out of necessity, i'm now nearly finished my degree in psychology which i've been doing part time for the past couple of years, because I do not want to be working in I.T. when i'm 30.

OP you need to reassess what you want to do in life. Go travelling or go see a guidance counsellor to try and work out what career would suit you, because it sounds like you have no idea.

MrTip

eth0_ wrote:

Excuse me? You cannot diagnose ADHD because a guy can't hack college or work, he's only 19 and a lot of us were like that at his age. Making such diagnosis on this forum will result in a ban if you do it again.

I dropped out of college twice doing I.T. and although I still work in I.T. out of necessity, i'm now nearly finished my degree in psychology which i've been doing part time for the past couple of years, because I do not want to be working in I.T. when i'm 30.

OP you need to reassess what you want to do in life. Go travelling or go see a guidance counsellor to try and work out what career would suit you, because it sounds like you have no idea.

I did not diagnose anything. There is a possibility. You sound really negative... this guy needs help, not your judgement.

luckat

It's been a week and the OP hasn't answered any of the questions asked. Is this a troll?

Miss Fluff

stratospheres wrote:

And also how can I come across better in interviews as I've had about 5 in the past few weeks but never got anywhere with them? I'm 18 btw.

You'll only come accross well in an interview if you actually have an interest in the role you are applying for.

eth0_

MrTip wrote:

I did not diagnose anything. There is a possibility. You sound really negative... this guy needs help, not your judgement.

"It looks like you suffer from ADHD, but I can't be sure". You're the one making a judgement. You have absolutely no basis for this assumption whatsoever. You obviously have no idea what ADHD is, I do.

I was not in the least bit negative, I explained to the guy that i've been in the same position and realised that the field I work in is not what I want to do for the rest of my life. Unfortunately, you usually end up having to work in a job you don't like, as a means to an end, so you can afford to re-train.

pwd

TCollins wrote:

How about a binman?
No weekends or evenings.

Seriously though. It'll happen eventually. Just keep looking.
Not many people do know what they want to do at your age anyway.

Being a binman isn't too bad a job.
They work very short hours (especially if they are on a route near the dump) and get paid full-days at a decent rate. It's secure. It's outdoor.

theAwakening

start an apprenticeship.
no evenings, no weekends, and usually no job interview involved.n plus ul be working towards something and not wasting your time.

stratospheres

Well I applied for a traineeship with FÁS!

nesf

MrTip wrote:

It looks like you suffer from ADHD, but I can't be sure.

Don't ever post something like this in here again. Diagnosing, or even merely suggesting, illnesses either mental or physical over the internet is reckless at best and is not welcome in this forum, or this site in general.

Clear?

BostonB

stratospheres wrote:

Well I applied for a traineeship with FÁS!

Good for you. Seems like you need to find something that gets you interested.

stratospheres

It's an office administrator traineeship since most of the jobs I've been leaning toward are office work. I'm aware that it can be boring work but I like routine and the hours are what I'm looking for! Hopefully I'll get it and in the meantime I am still on the lookout for good jobs. I know I need to pull my socks up but it's hard being so apathetic

Shiminay

Good luck with it. Like someone said above, try find something that plays to your strengths and not something you think'll be easy and managable (which seems to be what you're at). I was working in IT for 5 years, hated the last 3 of it. Didn't want to go to work, hated waking up in the morning and eventually/thankfully got out of it and into Hotel work which despite being phyiscally a hell of a lot more demanding (no bad thing, I lost a daft amount of weight) and financially a lot less rewarding (and I mean a LOT less), I now look forward to work. It can take time to find yourself, not everyone is fortunate enough to know what they fancy doing or be happy doing something that doesn't directly appeal to them.

Also, if you have serious apathy issues (seems by your own admission you might), MrTip's advice wasn't totally without merrit (dunno about the ADHD bit - might have been a type before you think moment). Having a talk with someone about it might help. And, (this is me going out on a limb slightly - apologies to you and the mods if it upsets) if you smoke something a little to the left of legal (and there's nothing here to suggest you do, just personal experience speaking), cut down

Evil Phil

stratospheres wrote:

Well I applied for a traineeship with FÁS!

Good for you! I can't praise FÁS enough, that's where I started after dropping out of a degree course in college. Never looked back.

WhiteWashMan

stratospheres wrote:

It's an office administrator traineeship since most of the jobs I've been leaning toward are office work. I'm aware that it can be boring work but I like routine and the hours are what I'm looking for! Hopefully I'll get it and in the meantime I am still on the lookout for good jobs. I know I need to pull my socks up but it's hard being so apathetic

i mean no offence to you on this, but i think you will probably quit this as well.

what makes you think you will enjoy this any more than you did university? being an office admin is not going to be the most interesting of jobs, especially if, by your own admission, you bore easily.

personally, im of the opinion that many young pepole reckon the world owes them a favour, and cant be arsed to work for anything. i think thats your apathy.

MrTip

eth0_ wrote:

"It looks like you suffer from ADHD, but I can't be sure". You're the one making a judgement. You have absolutely no basis for this assumption whatsoever. You obviously have no idea what ADHD is, I do.

I was not in the least bit negative, I explained to the guy that i've been in the same position and realised that the field I work in is not what I want to do for the rest of my life. Unfortunately, you usually end up having to work in a job you don't like, as a means to an end, so you can afford to re-train.

maybe I do know more than you can imagine
maybe I should keep my opinion to myself
but then, why would I say anything here or anywhere else
If you don’t want to hear people who think different then yourself you might be in the wrong place. Do you threaten everybody or just me?

as I see it, you and somebody else threatened me with what? more of your rudeness? this is funny

I should have said the guy is a loser. You would like that… why?

These are rhetorical questions. I don’t want to be part of this…

nesf

MrTip wrote:

maybe I do know more than you can imagine
maybe I should keep my opinion to myself
but then, why would I say anything here or anywhere else
If you don’t want to hear people who think different then yourself you might be in the wrong place. Do you threaten everybody or just me?

as I see it, you and somebody else threatened me with what? more of your rudeness? this is funny

I should have said the guy is a loser. You would like that… why?

These are rhetorical questions. I don’t want to be part of this…

Banned until you give me a reason to unban you.