Any one in the same boat...

LegacyUser

For over a year now I just feel a bit hopeless feeling it stronger as the time goes on. I am sort of unemployed, I just have casual work that pays very little. I'm in my late 20s and feel like a total and utter loser. I feel like i am constantly hearing about other peoples great jobs and that i am going nowhere very fast. i have had my CV looked at by different people and they tell me its really good but as yet I have had 0 interviews! I have moved back home as well and basically all my friends live miles away so my social life is non-existant.
I am now hoping to get a job abroad and have started looking. Although I would love to be in a career and have something to focus my attention on I just can't seem to figure out what exactly I want to do and think I would be happy with just a decent wage and sociable hours. The problem is I just feel so down I cant even imagine ever being happy again, like I don't even know what that is anymore. Also I feel as if there is something wrong with me that I cant get a job when so many of my friends are doing well for themselves or at least have a goal in life. I now just wake up in the morning thinking there is no point in trying anymore, its like a sick feeling in my stomach that i actually have to life this life.
I don't know how to pull myself out of it, its like i have an inability to think anything positive about myself. Its like i'm wasting a life because i am not able to live it properly, like i don't know how to deal with anything and I always make the wrong choices. I hate being me at the moment and no matter how hard i try i cannot snap out of it!! what can i do to snap out of it!!!

seenitall

You are stuck in the rut of negative thinking and lack of vision. It is not unusual.

Go abroad. Maybe get a TEFL qualification or similar, but just go and work abroad if you possibly can. It will open new horizons and you will see a lot of opportunities and new ideas springing up for you if you travel, and this will all lead to things that won't look too bad on your CV either (if you are careful to make wise choices). This is a perfect opportunity for you to do so, while you are still young and free of heavy responsibilties, but not too young to really get out there wherever the road takes you and experience the best of the world.

Speaking from experience here. You just seem to be an ideal "candidate" for some serious world exploration in my eyes

The best of luck to you!

AJG

Been there and will be unemployed as of June 1st. I've had the job since November and spent 15 months unemployed before that.

The only advice I can give is to treat getting a job like a job. I had to send of at least 500 cv's/applications and attend 30+ interviews. Some of these jobs were 100's of kilometres from where I lived but whats the alternative? You have to flexible when on the hunt. I'm also pretty sure that a good proportion of the jobs I interviewed for were already gone before the interviews took place.

So as hard as it is (and believe me I know how down this is getting you) the only person who can get you out of this situation is YOU. Fusk what other people's situations are and what they think. You should focus on yourself.

Don't sit on your couch and wallow. Don't waste your time on the internet/tv. Get active and stay focused (easier said than done but that's the truth).

I believe the negativity I generated about the situation and my hangups in part cost me a long term relationship recently.

I've no idea what I'm going to do. Get on the job hunt thread-mill again or emigrate? I've done both before and there's no easy options.

All I can say is self-pity gets you nowhere being proactive WILL get you somewhere.

law86

Most likely everything I say will sound obvious and a little like it was stolen from the back of a self-help book but I'm just entering the workplace in my chosen profession (after five years of floundering and training, but mostly floundering) and for the first time I feel a bit of self-worth after a period of crippling self-doubt and depression (which I can only admit to now that I'm coming out the other side).

Even if it's unpaid and not obviously an asset to your CV, try to find a regular, time-consuming activity where your reliability is essential - where it would make you feel bad if you decided not to show up some morning.

In other words, force yourself into a schedule if you can, even if it's dog-walking for some elderly neighbour. It will make time go more quickly, make you happier and keep you in touch with the world.

And know that you're not alone, this recession is taking its toll on the whole country, financially and psychologically.

pog it

OP some good advice above.

Also, if you need to talk it out with someone, that can help. If you don't want to pour your heart out to a friend, sister, etc. then call Samaritans- and get it all off your chest. It may only take one long good chat to help you! Also, relax your mind. Run a bath, create an atmosphere, oils, candles, good book, or your favourite music. I find music is always great to pep up my mood when I'm down. The more relaxed you are the clearer your vision will be.

Also, you need to get pen and paper out, and look at what career/job you'd like. You say you think you'd be happy with any job and sociable hours, and if that is true then that can be anything! Such as jobs as waiter, etc. available here and all around the world! If you can, I'd recommend googling for career help questionnaires, and at the end of it, they give you ideas for what you could be good at/suited to.

If your work ends up being something you're really interested in, that happiness filters into other parts of your life too.

Sashy

Feel the very same snapoutofit, we are both the same age, I know exactly what if feels like, I am the same too as in looking for work abroad, I have had calls from recruitment agencies who seemed really keen in the UK, sent across my certificates etc, then kept getting the same response back that they had took on someone local. At this stage I would be glad to go anywhere if I could get the work!!!
I have been out of work since march 09. Its horrible, we are both so young, no social life, have no money and no money to do anything, it is a horrible existance.
I went through a really bad stage last year where I spent about 3 months waking up in the morning and not even changing or leaving the apartment, I was actually depressed.When I went to the shop waiting on ques I used to be jealous of the checkout operaters and it annoyed me sometimes to see them sitting there really sad looking!! But I have to agree with LAW 86, it isnt just us and things will improve for us SOMETIME.
I am starting to see a little improvement this year though with interviews etc.
All I can say is get out there, spend time with family and friends,go for walks, and keep plugging away with cv's etc.
From someone who knows exactly how you feel, I wish you the very best of luck, and hopefully things will go right for you (us) very soon!