Can't get or hold down a job

LegacyUser

As the title says I find it incredibly hard to get and hold down a job. I was let go last week and am finding it very difficult to face this again.

Background - I was one of the top in my college class in my chosen field (12 years ago). I graduated at a time when it was hard to get work in what I do and took the first job to come along. I left this for a job that would give me better experience. And I relocated and changed job again to take up a better job. This was all in three years. All three moves were for a better job and better experience but might look bad on paper (job hopping). Quite a long stint of unemployment followed as the company I worked for closed. I eventually found another job which lasted three years - again company closure here. Another (shorter) stint of unemployment until I got my last job. I was let go due to the turn down but also the company not being happy with my work despite me working hard and to the best of my ability.

I can't believe I went form one of the best in my class to this! I feel the stints of unemployment resulted in my work suffering. It is easy to get rusty but i thought I had pulled myself back up.

I don't know what to do now. Confidence in my work is shattered and I think even if i did get a job in what I studied I might not be kept on long term again. I don't want to go back to college and couldn't possible fund it anyway. I have looked into getting a Canada/OZ visa and I can't get one. I've applied to countless UK jobs and can't even get an interview.

What can or should I do?

LegacyUser

What are my retraining options if I were to find a course that interested me?

I already have a degree so don't think I would get a grant. Even if I did I couldn't survive on it alone.

OP, many people are in the exact same position. It's probably nothing to do with you or your work, it's a sign of the times. I'm younger than you, but also was one of the top students in my year, have a Masters with distinction, great work experience, great references, good IT skills, foreign languages etc, and I'm finding it very difficult to find a job for when my current contract ends. I'm applying for jobs I could have walked into 5 years ago and not even getting rejection letters. I called some of the companies in London who did give me a 'no' answer (cheeky I know ) and asked for a bit of feedback and was told that they'd love to hire me but the jobs aren't there, and that the jobs which used to be 'entry level salary' are now being done by people with 10 years of experience, for £22,000 a year. I mean, we all sort of know this but it doesn't make it less shocking when someone says it to you. It is depressing, but you shouldn't let your confidence be shattered by this. It really is affecting everyone. If I don't find anything here, I will definitely consider teaching English abroad - better than sitting at home bored and lonely. Would you ever consider that?

LegacyUser

I even found it very difficult during the good times. I think it could be because I am shy and quiet and don't interview well. With the stints of unemployment (in the good times) I feel my skills got stale any my passion for my field died a little. I can't seem to pull up from this.

LegacyUser

I think you need to evaluate what your shortcomings were. In cases of people being let go, it's often the weakest of the pack that go first, people the company can survive without.

Perhaps you need to focus on where you were falling short and improve on these areas/skills for future employment?

LegacyUser

jug789t7ykj wrote: »

I think you need to evaluate what your shortcomings were. In cases of people being let go, it's often the weakest of the pack that go first, people the company can survive without.

Perhaps you need to focus on where you were falling short and improve on these areas/skills for future employment?

I know but how do I do that without a job?

wylo

Do you really like what your chosen profession is though? If not, that could be the underlying reason for these issues.

Firetrap

The profession that you have - is there any way that you could set up on your own or freelance?

AngryBadger

The economic situation being what it is OP a lot of people are finding themselves in exactly the same situation. If you feel you've become "rusty" or that perhaps your shyness is having a negative impact on your professional life take this as an opportunity to review those things.

letgolastweek wrote: »

I was let go due to the turn down ,b.but also the company not being happy with my work,</b> despite me working hard and to the best of my ability.

Be brutally honest with yourself here, if they weren't happy with your work why was that? Did they tell you? Do you have any ideas yourself?

A lot of highly skilled people are finding themselves unemployed and having a very hard time finding work. Try not to let it get to you, and if you feel it may be some time before another job comes along then get online and get searching for what re-training or additional training might be relevant to you.