Long Term Unemployment

blacksmith105

Just wanted to get peoples views on how their lives have been changed through long term unemployment
I have been out of work since 2009 and no sign of any improvement , have gone back to college and got my diploma and now doing another night course but the fact still remains that my chances of getting any sort of job are slim

Whats the average time people are out of work
My wife is working and our mortage is quite small but still trying to fill my days with something positive is becoming ever more difficult as the years roll by
Would like to know how other people out there are coping

Nolanger

According to reports in the media last month about 47% of unemployed here are long term.

MrMatisse

Keep your head up. Something will show up.

zig

I think you need to start attending courses that may more directly involve getting you back to work, like interview courses etc, your confidence/moral/desire must be shattered, leaving you to a point where you stop trying, not blaming you or calling you lazy as you are keeping yourself busy just saying its only natural that this would happen.

At least there isnt a gap in your CV.
Im 6 months now and it feels like forever,im dreading the idea of ever getting to that stage, so im currently attempting to set up my own business (starting very small), and also keeping myself very busy with another hobby that could potentially earn money in the long run.

saintsaltynuts

10 Months Unemployed here.Get up round 11 Head the gym, has been great for losing weight.Go home have some dinner on the web looking for a job for a while then maybe watch a film.Up to bed round Half 7 turn on the t.v. and just veg out til im tired.Get up next day and practically do the same thing all over again!

MidlandsM

saintsaltynuts wrote: »

10 Months Unemployed here.Get up round 11 Head the gym, has been great for losing weight.Go home have some dinner on the web looking for a job for a while then maybe watch a film.Up to bed round Half 7 turn on the t.v. and just veg out til im tired.Get up next day and practically do the same thing all over again!

Gezzz man, you're dedicated!:p

Lux23

What is long term unemployed? How do you qualify?

junipergreen

I'm not technically long-term at the moment, but I've been in and out of employment since I finished my HDip. More idle than not unfortunately 19 months altogether since June 2008. Still plugging away at finding jobs every week but losing the will to live.

egennery

Unemployment can be a very draining experience - sapping all your energy. So well done to you for getting out to the gym, starting a business, volunteering or whatever. Its great to help maintain confidence levels.

I agree about getting professional support. If you are approaching job search in the same way every week, and getting the same poor response, then the approach needs to change. The labour market has changed beyond all recognition in the last 2 years, and it is important to know how to navigate it. Believe it or not FAS offer a great progamme - Executive Career and Networking Programme - great results but it does not run in all locations.

Alternatively I can recommend CareerVision.ie see http://www.careervision.ie/individual-margin/training-courses/default.asp

Ever2010

I was unemployed for 7 months last year and I loved being off! We grow our own fruit and veg and have chickens - so obviously that kept me busy enough. I did all of the household duties as my other half worked, everything we eat was made from scratch. I took advantage of free time to get to know my local area better - lots of lovely walks. I had a little money so did some knitting/crochet classes which has given me a new skill. I also do some voluntary work for a charity which kept me fully challenged. I used the library to read and borrow DVDS.

Obviously I was looking for work as well, but the time off gave me a chance to appreciate more things in life - and now that I'm back in work (although on a contract) I make sure that I enjoy my free time much much more.

Mrs OBumble

I haven't worked in my professional area for just over two years.

The first six months I had no work all. Since then I've had a variety of temp assignments, ranging from 1/2 a day to three months, with lots of gaps in between.

I've loved it.

For the first six months, I made "finding a job" my job. But there was a real lack of vacancies, so I started looking for alternatives. Considered setting up a free-walking-tours business with someone I met on boards, but we rejected the idea as not viable. But needed to learn to use Google maps for the investigation/planning we were doing, so I practiced by drawing a bus route, and then another one. Wondered if I could build a "real" website out of them using only Google's free tool. Experimented, and did. So Galway has a public transport website, and I know a lot about marketing websites about very un-sexy topics on next-to-no budget. This gave me heaps of other ideas for ways to make useful websites out of the content in my life. Got more projects, or ideas for projects, than I can possibly deal with. Still making very little money, but it's growing slowly. I'd love to turn it into a pay-the-rent career, but for the moment a sideline will do.

I also used the time to practice music for an hour a day. I'm an adult beginner ... not talented, but I love it. I'm still sh*te at it, but not nearly as bad as I was.

IMHO you need to set goals in each of these areas:

• job-hunting
• employment skills
• home and family
• hobbies
• community service
• something physical (if your hobbies don't include sport).

Have big picture objectives too, but focus on the day to day goals, realistic ones that you can succeed at. Then plan your week so you can and do succeed, and make use of the fantastic gift of time that unemployment gives. Basically you're giving yourself the structure and positive feedback that work would normally give you - and this is an important part of keeping yourself employable. Even something "ridiculous" like vacuuming the lounge three times a week" can do the trick, so long as you make sure you do it.

Whether I've got a temping gig or not, I get up at 8am - unless I've "given" myself an annual leave day. If I'm not on "leave", I plan the day like a work day. If I am on "leave", I slouch in bed 'til 11.

Hope this helps.

kiersm

I'm not unemployed myself but my hubby is and it is now over 2 yrs since he finished work. He is currently doing a full time college course and is in his first yr of and hoping to do a second yr, and until he went back to college he did find the day soo very long.

He spends a lot of time gaming online, and that helps him...

Merch

blacksmith105 wrote: »

Just wanted to get peoples views on how their lives have been changed through long term unemployment
I have been out of work since 2009 and no sign of any improvement , have gone back to college and got my diploma and now doing another night course but the fact still remains that my chances of getting any sort of job are slim

Whats the average time people are out of work
My wife is working and our mortage is quite small but still trying to fill my days with something positive is becoming ever more difficult as the years roll by
Would like to know how other people out there are coping

I know what you mean, been unemployed from start of 2009, on a course and have a way to go before I finish, just went through a bit of a bout of pondering over preferring to be at work then going back to college with teens, however I will plug away, recently been thinking that as much as I want to stay and find a job here I find that increasingly unlikely.
It can be hard to stay positive at times, try set yourself some goals maybe? even a bit of redecorating if it's needed to keep busy.

hatful

I think at some point it is safe to assume that you will get an interview, one of the interview panel will ask you- "what have you been doing with your free time since you were made unemployed"? Volunteering on a project that you are passionate about, learning a new language, taking a vocational course... all good answers. It's good to drop clues on your c.v. as to the activities you have been partaking in.