What to do, out of work too long!

LegacyUser

Hi guys. I am nearly out of work a year. Have been trying really hard to get a job, any job but they seem to be less and less out there and more and more people applying. I would consider retraining but there are no Fas courses I want to do and I can't afford to put myself thought college again or even pay for an evening course! This is really starting to get to me. My future seem very dismal.

St James

Whatever happens, do NOT get depressed or even allow depressive thoughts enter your head.

Try voluntary work for the time being - there must be organisations in your locality that could do with a bit of help. Charity shops, samaritans, vincent de paul, meals on wheels. If there are none, are there any nursing homes nearby? You might be able simply to visit some old person and become their friend, or read to someone, write for them etc.

keep a positive outlook, eventually the recession will pass and we will move forward again.

MissFlitworth

As you've been out of work for over 6 months you might be entitled to a back to education allowance have a look and see

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/social-welfare/social-welfare-payments/back-to-education/back_to_education_allowance

Didymus

Definately do charity work. Are you in Dublin? Register with www.vonunteer.ie and find your local office, arrange a meeting with them and see how you can help. Or consider setting up your own charity - not sure how but maybe ring your local garda office and ask where to start.

Take up exercise (if you don't already) and set yourself a goal i.e. for me I ran a marathon and training kept my spirits up.

Use to internet and see if there is anything new you can learn online

Sorry to have to suggest it but, consider emmigrating?

It's not for everyone but I find some light yoga and meditation (all at home with a home dvd) works for keeping a positive mind.

TomCo

oufrt wrote: »

I would consider retraining but there are no Fas courses I want to do and I can't afford to put myself thought college again or even pay for an evening course! This is really starting to get to me. My future seem very dismal.

Even with the additional training or education it'll still be hard work to find a job. I have a BSc and an MSc but have yet to get a single reply from any of my job applications since finishing college.

Best thing is to stay focused and approach each application as a potential job.

Also might be worth checking out this job placement program FAS are running -
http://www.fas.ie/en/Job+Seeker/WPP/default.htm

LegacyUser

I will look into the back to education allowance. However, I already have a degree so it looks like my options will be limited. Also, I could only face going back to college if it was a course I really wanted to do otherwise I couldn't face all the study etc. Taking on another degree or postgrad is not to be taken lightly. Also, I would need to be fairly sure it would make me more employable.

Regarding emigrating I am considering it but don't know where to go. I don't have another language, some visas have age limits and the recession is global although Ireland seems to be the worse hit.

I am on the lists for the Fas work placements and have heard nothing back from any of them.

What I also find very hard is only those who are also in the same situation understand how hard it is. One friend said to me "why don't you apply jobs in xxxx?" - I am applying for jobs all over the country and have applied for job in other European countries! Another assumes I am only looking for work in my chosen area which is also wrong.

LegacyUser

Hey OP,

In the same boat as you - been fired twice in this recession, one from my 'career' when the company went under, then from the job I was just doing to get cash. All in all, I've spent four months out of work the first time round and now I'm heading into the second month this time round.

I found it very hard the first time, mostly as I had no cash/savings, wasnt getting the dole and felt very overwhelmed. It's a constant fight with paranoia - I live at home and my family ask me (trying ot be helpful) what did you do today, friends do the same - it's heartbreaking as I believe they're criticising me and judging me. I even had one friend ask what did I do all day since I'm out of work - most people who havent bene through it just dont understand, looking for a job is a stressful time consuming job in itself.

It helps to just accept sometimes people wont understand till they go through it theirselves- it's the same for any experience, many things you dont get yourself till you'll go through it try to just accept and be patient with them and dont take it personally.

what makes a huge difference to my spirits this time round is that i've taken up hobbies and accepted it might be a longtime before i get a job. I've taken up a sport- which makes me feel great and at least i'm workign on my body/fitness and meet up with a guy from a gumtree ad to swap languages - again it's something i can work on. i also volunteer. just keep busy - the hardest thing is waking up/going to bed knowing you've nothing to get up for the next day, or going to bed thinking 'what did i do today, nothing that mattered'.

i'm sure u've already tried agencies? I got my last job through that, otherwise try volunteer in an area to improve your skills - many charities/small businesses have adds up on volunteer ireland for all types of roles from IT to PR/Journalism so have a look. I just called up my local school, met the principal and said hey, i'm out of work, dya need an extra pair of hands.

important thing to remember is that employers will want to see that you kept a positive attitude and DID something during your time off, whether that's learning a sport or a skill...try see it as a chance to try things you never have time for when working - it could be talking to people from other careers.

try to reorientate your thinking from stressing abotu getting a job to thinking what opportunities does this present, it's rare that you'll get this amoutn of free time to try something you've always wanted with the relatively good excuse of a recession to explain why you're out of work. keep applying for work, but dont have ur life go into suspension while you wait...

emigration is a very real possibility - i'm saving up my dole money at the mo' (well, lol, trying to) and when I get enough, i'm gonna just go and try make a go somewhere else. True, everywhere is in a recession, but ireland and spain are the worst off - canada, norway/sweden/denmark etc seem ok, england might be picking up, any of those countries are worth trying far as i can see. from what cousins say, australia doesnt have much work.

as for languages - u'll pick it up when you're over there, or try do a language swap - there are loads of ppl on gumtree that will teach u their language in return for practicing english, all for free. i met a guy from there and it's great to practice.

it's tough to hear always 'keep your chin up' I AM angry, sad, really f'cked off with this country, recession adn ppl who put it there, but it's not gonna do any good. recognise it, allow urself feel it but also put a stop to it when it's starting to affect u too much.

LegacyUser

Hi dole guest. Thanks for the support. I think you have some valid points.

However, I was going to go to Canada but after researching it I'm not. Things look very bad over there.

As for learning a language I won't get a job at what I do without being fluent (written and verbal). So picking up the language as I go is not an option.

I have sighed up to agencies here and abroad. Not much help. Got one interview through one here but overseas agencies won't even consider me if I don't live there and if I don't have the language.

I have volunteered and learned a few new skills but it has been getting me no where. I don't live in a city so thing's to do that are free are few and far between. Even to go to town costs money (petrol).

I feel so powerless.

LegacyUser

I know exactly where you're coming from.

But I was pleasantly suprised this week to discover that volunteer.ie doesn't just have positions in charity shops or or that kind of thing (I get really really fuming when people talk about working in a charity as cure to all personal and societal ills or think its going to make one jot of difference on a real cv - sorry but I'm just telling it like it is). Anyway they have positions teaching/writing, doing jobs where you may develope real skills or exercise your existing ones.

Also I've started cold calling potential employers and offering myself as a freelancer at a per day rate. I would even offer to work free if I was lower down the career ladder but at the time of being laid off I wasn't. So... I cold call the company, get details of relevant person, cold call them, offer to send them my cv if there isn't anything happening, have a light, friendly chat as one pro to another... and tell them I'll call again in a few months if thats ok... and as they are professionals it is ok. I making the cold calling & building database of contacts my JOB right now and its helping me feel less powerless.

Regarding travelling, even if you hear there's nothing happening in Canada right now, I wouldn't be put off too much. When i was younger I used to show up in foreign countries with NOTHING and always got by, because when you have to, you always do. That might mean taking a dish washing job while you research the proper job market over there, but at least you are in a new place with new people having a new adventure and who knows what will happen six months or a year in.

And then there's always teaching english in korea. Anyone with a degree can do that.

Hang in there, this is just a phase.

Didymus

fumathon wrote: »

I know exactly where you're coming from.

But I was pleasantly suprised this week to discover that volunteer.ie doesn't just have positions in charity shops or or that kind of thing (I get really really fuming when people talk about working in a charity as cure to all personal and societal ills or think its going to make one jot of difference on a real cv - sorry but I'm just telling it like it is). Anyway they have positions teaching/writing, doing jobs where you may develope real skills or exercise your existing ones.

.

Well, I don’t think anyone is suggesting that charity work will cure all personal and societal ills, but every little bit counts, and if we all did a bit of charity work the world would certainly not be worse off. Not to mention that feel good factor when you help someone in need.

As for not making a difference on your cv – if you were in the hiring seat and you had two people in front of you both out of work for a year, one person did nothing while the other person got our there and did some volunteer work, who would you choose?

Not to mention the people you meet who could potentially put you in contact with other people, or in fact you might be able to do some volunteer work in your line of business (i.e. web design for a charity, accounting services, legal aide etc..) which would keep your qualifications and experience up to date.

And I’m glad for you that you actually went to the effort of looking through the volunteer.ie website to see the range of things people can do, rather than generalising peoples suggestions of ‘charity work’ as something beneath you.

Out of curiosity, what is a ‘real’ cv?

LegacyUser

Hi oufrt
Sorry to hear about your situation. Up until 2 months ago, i was out of work for just over a year as well. You just have to keep the momentum going. I was a degree graduate and have had a good length of time under my belt working in my sector. I do not live in a city or town. I have experienced most of the issues brought up on the treads like dole snobbery and depression and being "badgered" by friends and family.

However the following helped.

> I volunteered with 3 different groups during my time. This got me out of the house. Boosted my self estem, I met good people and I recieved valuable training.

> I have appled/regestered with almost every recruitment consulant/website i could find, however as mentioned above, I made more progress cold calling compaines myself. Its harder for them to fob you off over the phone than by e-mail. (One company I cold called has provisionally offered me a job if I reach a required level of training in the next 2 months). I also checked the job section of the FAS website daily.

> Get out and about. Day time TV is the worst when your unemployed. Run, walk, gym, surf, library, course, etc, what ever it takes to get out of the house. My surfing & fittness improved big time over the last year. If any of your relations are self employed, offer them a hand for a few hours a week.

The contract work I am doing now came about through one of the groups I volunteered with. Its only for a few months, but its better than the alternative.

Keep the head up.
J