i feel like a failure

Gerry.L

(everything after this sentence is from my nephew, I just let him use my account to save him the hassle of having to go making up his own one)

I feel like a failure. im 26 i have being on the dole for the past 3 years because i cant afford to take a job that pays less then the dole. i left school at 15 with no junior cert and i pissed away all the good years. i have taken fewfas courses but still when I go for a job people think the i should have at least college degree. and then they ask how am I better then the guy next in line who has college and i cant answer them. and now im livin with my parents again

i talked to the woman at college and she said id have to get better reading and writing and maths skills before they can take me and i talked a private school and they think at my level it will about a year or year and a haldf or maybe even 2 before my skills are good for college. i dont know what im doing anymore. i dont take im ever goin to make it. when all these smart people are leaving the country because none of they cant get work what does that say for me, i just dont know what to do with myself now any advise?

I am a friend

Gerry.L wrote: »

i cant afford to take a job that pays less then the dole

Excuse me? You WONT take a job because you would earn less than you are getting on the dole.. Do you expect people to have sympathy for you? That annoys me so much. So I have to go to work and pay huge taxes and you wont go to work, at 26 years of age, cos you earn more sitting at home????? Thats whats wrong with this country.

What have you been doing for the last 3 years? You could have done the basic training you needed by now.

mikemac

Lots of people left school at your age

But they went on to be tradesmen and labourers and pulled huge money during the boom.
You didn't do any labouring? The work was there and the money was good. All gone now of course

Yeah, unemployment is high.
But they are lots of jobs you could be good at.
From working in hotel industry, lots of school leavers started off as porter and if they were good, the hotel would sponser them for hotel management so you work and then go to college part time. There's a place in Shannon

You don't need a leaving cert to be a chef which is tough but a career path. Failte Ireland does courses

I could spend all day throwing out options so how about you reply back with your interests?

Can you do self study and sit the leaving cert next years? You're at home with nothing but time?
Maybe have some research on this

But first, I think you need a kick in the ass and I mean that in a friendly way. The last three years have flown by and you'll wake up tomorrow and it'll be the same unless you make changes

ppink

What area do you want to work in?


To get anywhere you need to fight, so if you have not got that ability find someone.....a relative or friend or someone you look up to?, to help you.

SteoL

I am a friend wrote: »

Excuse me? You WONT take a job because you would earn less than you are getting on the dole.. Do you expect people to have sympathy for you? That annoys me so much. So I have to go to work and pay huge taxes and you wont go to work, at 26 years of age, cos you earn more sitting at home????? Thats whats wrong with this country.

What have you been doing for the last 3 years? You could have done the basic training you needed by now.

Well in fairness, I wouldn't take a job either if it meant being paid less than collecting dole (and looking for work). Why would anybody?

Never been on the dole thankfully but if I was........

MagicMarker

I am a friend wrote: »

Excuse me? You WONT take a job because you would earn less than you are getting on the dole..

Em, no, he said he CAN'T afford to take a job that pays less than the dole. It's pretty fúcking simple.

OP, now is the time to take control. You're still young and you have plenty of time to better yourself, bite the bullet and go do it!

Gerry.L

I am a friend wrote: »

Excuse me? You WONT take a job because you would earn less than you are getting on the dole.. Do you expect people to have sympathy for you? That annoys me so much. So I have to go to work and pay huge taxes and you wont go to work, at 26 years of age, cos you earn more sitting at home????? Thats whats wrong with this country.

What have you been doing for the last 3 years? You could have done the basic training you needed by now.

i said i cant afford it. i live with my parents not for free i gave them 90 euro for my rent and food and electric and bin every week and I give 65 for my daughter and then i keep the rest for myself.

and i get enough giving out to's from assholes in the street and people interviewing me for jobs about being on the dole so long i want one from you to. like do you think i enjoy my life. if its so grate why dont you give me your job and you can get dole and sit around having a blast and i didnt ask people for to feel sorry i just want someone to tell me what i can do

and mikemac i did have a good job but i was stupid with my money thinkin i was too young for a house then i lost job and everbody was sayin that in a year or two it would be better and to wait now its 3 years and things still arnt better i dont want to wait any longer i want to be able to live a life and do things

i like gardening. im trying to grow some vegetables right now and i like the gym and i like boxing and i like training and being fit and i like taking photographs.

id work at anything that doesnt really need much reading or writing im not so bad here because ive got some help but at work id be stuck. does that help.
nearly forgot i know i know have time for learning stuff but i really just want a job i dont want to spend another year on the dole learning stuff dole life is torture.

tbh

Gerry.L wrote: »

i just dont know what to do with myself now any advise?

yeah, when someone tells you something is going to be hard, get it started rather than giving up. Start looking at long-term solutions, instead of something that will help you now and leave you in the same position in five years time when it'll be a lot harder. Start actively steering your life and stop sitting there hoping against hope that one day you'll get a break. You won't.
I've a decent job now, but I had to work hard, with no money, to get myself in a position where I could get it. You're not going to get paid a fortune for digging holes anymore, those days are gone.

ppink

OP Are you also in Louth?

The following may be of help to you or at the very least worth a call.

http://www.louthvec.ie/adult-education/11-louth-adult-education-guidance-a-information-service.html

you should try to sort the reading and writing part as it will make your life a lot easier and will be one less worry for you.
If this Louthvec dont do any programmes for that then ask them where there is one and get yourself on it.

paperclip2

All VEC's run a basic education service for people who need to improve their reading, writing, maths and IT skills. They are free of charge and can be offered in small groups or on a one to one basis. This may sound callous but unless you address your reading and writing issues there is every chance that you will spend the rest of your working life on the dole or working in jobs that don't pay much more than it. Yes there are exceptions to this rule but lads making good in well paying jobs with poor literacy levels are getting rarer than hens teeth, often they have other things going for them, like contacts.

All jobs are becoming more and more credentialised. Look at the Safe Pass requirement for all site workers including laborers or the HACCP certification required for kitchen staff. Driver theory tests and CPC certs are now required for driving jobs. Employers, even for low skill jobs are using education as a means of reducing applicant numbers. Hell I've even seen an advert for a greyhound walker that specified Leaving Cert as a requirement for the job. :eek:

Education is no load to carry mate so do yourself a favour and get a few qualifications under your belt. At your age you still have a plenty of time to qualify and make a career out of something. Most adult returners to basic education often progress much more quickly than they thought they would. Usually because we are our own worst critics and tend to underestimate our abilities. Chances are if you give yourself the two years you will be well able to do a higher level course as well as having more confidence in yourself which is no bad thing in job interviews.

I'd second talking to the guidance service if you are in Louth. It might be tough to catch Grainne but she is very helpful and can give you lots of information on all learning options in your area.

Good luck.

Southern Dandy

I am a friend wrote: »

Excuse me? You WONT take a job because you would earn less than you are getting on the dole.. Do you expect people to have sympathy for you? That annoys me so much. So I have to go to work and pay huge taxes and you wont go to work, at 26 years of age, cos you earn more sitting at home????? Thats whats wrong with this country.

What have you been doing for the last 3 years? You could have done the basic training you needed by now.

To be honest your whats wrong with the country, complaining people like you make me sick giving out to a fella thats on the dole and made some mistakes in life which we all do and you are by no means different, the op came on here for advice yet you cant even offer one single shred of good advice how sad are you? do you sit at work waiting for a post like this to come up to offer your pointless view on a fella on the dole?

Im on dole for nearly 2 an i am by no means lazy have two trade qualifications as a electrician and welder and more certs than i can count and i find it very difficult to find work, pray that you dont lose your job mate cos you'll enter the reality of how hard it is out there and demoralising even with qualifications.

Op take no notice of individuals like him, you made a start without even knowing by putting this post up, a small start but a start none the less, yess you have made mistakes in life but its nothing that cant be changed, if you like gardening look up teagasc its an agricultural programme, just dont give up, keep in the frame of mind that you can and will do something with your life there is help for people who left school at your age a good friend of mine is sitting his leaving cert now and he will even tell you that hes as dumb as a bag of hammers but still did it.

OP I honestly and sincerly wish you the best of luck and hope its changes for you.

Emoi

I know exactly how you feel OP, my boyf is the same age and in the same position.

He did manage to do his LC but didn't get a great one so never went on to college.
Instead he became a plumber, had tons of work, took out a loan for a jeep for work.
Now he is in your position, no work, huge loan to pay off.

My boyf has become VERY depressed over the last 2 years, his self-esteem is at an all time low.
He was always a very hard worker and has a strong work ethic.

I think before you commit to any courses or career paths, I would try and get yourself free counselling from somewhere to help improve your out-look on life.
It would help you feel more positive and give you back some of your self-esteem and confidence, then you would be able to make a clear decision about your future.

Please don't listen to people who don't understand what it is like to find yourself stuck in that rut of 'it's more affordable to stay on the dole than take that job', they just don't get it!!!

Also, it doesn't help lining up with scumbags, (who have never worked a day in their life and have been milking the state since the day they left school :mad::mad:) each month to sign on.

Honestly I would recommend you build back up your confidence and self-esteem so you can make an informed decision about your future.

You are only 26, imagine where you could be when you are 36.
And 36 is still quite young!!

Hope some of my advice helps you, just remember you are not the only one in your position, because sometimes that can make you feel even more depressed and isolated.

SteoL

Delighted to see only 1 negative dole comment on this thread.

In 3 weeks time I am being made redundant from my job of 14 years and am not looking forward to it at all. Won't know what to do with myself.

thecookingapple

Two examples of people on the dole this week

1st example
An Irish girl complaining about foreign people taking jobs, a woman offers her an interview in maynooth and instead of being over the moon and joyous she puts plenty of obstacles in her way of actually getting a job. Her main gripe was how to get there from south Dublin.
This was on a radio station phone in.

2nd example
A Polish girl I know is offered a job cleaning a house in Kildare, she lives north side Dublin, she did two dry runs two days before interview to make sure she knew the way and which one was more practical.
The reason I give these examples is to point out the defect that some people can have regarding the get up and go to change, to do something new, to do something that will enhance their own life, you say you cannot afford to take a job that pays less than the dole? A full time job will surely even with min wage pay more than the dole? With the right mentality, attitude and get go nature you will not be earning low wages for long.
You like Gardening? That’s great and there is great potential in this field, do friends and neighbours gardens for free and photograph the results, use the free advertisement in the shopping centres to promote yourself.

Do not be afraid of enhancing your education, now is the perfect time to go back to school as a mature student, take small steps and one day this will enable you to take strides, people have posted links to educational facilities.
I left school with no education, my reading and writing skills are basically self taught through books that are cheaply available and even free to take out from libraries, I own my own business now, employ 10 people and have worked and slaved away for years to be what I am now, I have fought for everything I have and will continue too, the recession has not beaten me, neither has our government, silly civil servant revenue or anyone else, intelligence is so much more than academic knowledge, you can take the easy way out and continue to make past mistakes or you can seize this opportunity to make a great life for yourself.
Good luck and best wishes

I am a friend

Southern Dandy wrote: »

To be honest your whats wrong with the country, complaining people like you make me sick giving out to a fella thats on the dole and made some mistakes in life which we all do and you are by no means different, the op came on here for advice yet you cant even offer one single shred of good advice how sad are you? do you sit at work waiting for a post like this to come up to offer your pointless view on a fella on the dole?

No I am too busy :rolleyes:

He has done nothing in 3 years to improve his situation and as such is getting more and more entrenched in the unemployment rut.... There are plenty of resources out there if you go look for them and every VEC does writing course... There is no excuse for wasting 3 years...

I am a friend

sunflower27 wrote: »

The point is that when you are working you are gaining experience that will push you up the ladder and entitle you to a better salary.

Exactly.... I have friends / family who are unlucky enough to be unemployed but each one of them is taking every single course they can get onto to (a) keep busy and (b) upskill....

Mighty_Mouse

i like gardening. im trying to grow some vegetables right now and i like the gym and i like boxing and i like training and being fit and i like taking photographs.

You're not a failure.
You're young, active, fit and healthy. Boxing especially is a full-on sport which requires dedication. focus and self-motivation.

Stop comparing yourself to those around you.
Focus on yourself and things you do well.

Follow your hobbies and cash will follow.

Gardening - sell veggies at a local market?
Organic Farming - summer help ? Take a course?
Move to holland or france? Build knowledge of what you do. There's value in it.

Fitness - theres millions of ways to make cash from fitness.
Become a personal trainer. Train underage teams. Find out about as many different sports and training methods.
Learn as much as you can, build knowledge. There's value in it.

LoGiE

Why not go back to school and get your leaving cert. I know two people who have done this then went on to college as mature students to earn their degrees. I did my degree at night years after completing my LC as it's what I needed to do to work in a profession I really love.


I'm certain you can come to an arrangement with your parents to reduce your rent if they see that the funds are being directed into your education. Take a job and build up your confidence. It's far better and satisfying to be working and occupying your days then sitting scratching your hole even if that means making less then the dole.

You've recognised it's time to make a change for your own sake and that of your family so make a plan and stick to it. Do the research and make the telephone calls, nobody will do it for you. Everyone makes bad choices in life but it's never to late to make alterations.

Best of luck and don't give up.

LoGiE

Seraphina

MagicMarker wrote: »

Em, no, he said he CAN'T afford to take a job that pays less than the dole. It's pretty fúcking simple.

OP, now is the time to take control. You're still young and you have plenty of time to better yourself, bite the bullet and go do it!

The man lives with his parents. There is no can't afford it about it.

The longer you stay out of work, the worse and worse it looks. Nobody will hire you because you have no idea what it's like to work a proper job. Get a job, get ANY job, and work your way up.

Gardening is something you can easily work into. Look into local parks/gardens if there are any, volunteer there or ask the council if you live in Dublin/a city. Volunteer at a farm, take time off and go woofing? http://www.wwoof.org.uk/

You could get out of the country, have a holiday and get some valuable experience. Organic farming is getting bigger and bigger as people become more aware and concerned about what they're eating.

My friend studied horticulture, including garden design, planting etc. He now makes very decent money landscape gardening, from doing a rockery to a whole garden overhaul. However i'm not sure how good the industry is doing apart from him. You could ask a local company (if there is one) about getting some work experience.

Make some notices and put them up around your community - garden work done etc. You might just end up helping old ladies cut their bushes or grass but it would be cash, experience and it would get you out of the house.

Southern Dandy

I am a friend wrote: »

No I am too busy :rolleyes:

He has done nothing in 3 years to improve his situation and as such is getting more and more entrenched in the unemployment rut.... There are plenty of resources out there if you go look for them and every VEC does writing course... There is no excuse for wasting 3 years...

Well not unless you selectively chose what you wanted to read in his post he has been for interviews, courses and all that and cant get a job, ive been to so many interviews and went for jobs in petrol stations, shops, supermarkets positions in factories where i am more than qualified to do, did i get them?? Nope not a bean. People are entitled to make mistakes with there lives and the op could be doing alot worse with his life than being on the dole. Its all well and good knowing people who are on the dole and making every effort to get work and i commend that, but you could not even comprehend how difficult it is to find employment unless your in this situation.

Why dont you appreciate the fact that he has written this post looking for constructive advice and not critisism from you.

MagicMarker

Seraphina wrote: »

The man lives with his parents. There is no can't afford it about it.

Are his parents rich? Do they have their mortgage paid off? Are they both working? What do you know that we don't?

thefeatheredcat

Firstly, don't be so hard on yourself. There are plenty of people out of work, and I know a few that I knew back in college that didn't take an academic degree that have been out of work for around the same length of time. You're not alone. And there's no shame in that, so don't let anyone make you feel that way.

Gerry.L wrote: »

i like gardening. im trying to grow some vegetables right now and i like the gym and i like boxing and i like training and being fit and i like taking photographs.

You need to focus on your talents and what your interests are and what makes you passionate. Build from them into a new career for yourself and then build everything else around it. Have you ever heard of Cloughjordan village? They're an ecovillage in Tipperary and they do offer courses related to some of your interests.

http://www.thevillage.ie/

Perhaps even, there could be the opportunity for you to share your skills and passion or even teach a course?

You may think that the person next to you is more qualified than you.... that may not be the case and may also be the case. But there's a thing called being over-qualified too. Do not let yourself think that because someone has a degree that they are better than you, or can succeed better than you in life, because a degree can only get you so far, maybe in the door, but it's the skills that you have to offer and the person that you are, your strengths, determination, life lessons, creative intelligence, personality, motivation etc that make it all happen.

I believe you can turn all this around for yourself... if you're prepared to and have that confidence and belief in yourself to do it and make it happen for yourself. And you will.

Edited to add:
If you have a passion for gardening, garden.ie (fronted by gardener Gerry Daly) have a gardener's club... building on from a suggestion someone else made about taking photos of your efforts, perhaps joining that site would build up confidence or inspire ideas and even allow you to network on a few different levels from personal to professional?

http://www.garden.ie/club.aspx

SteoL

I don't have all the information on your finances, but I also find it hard to understand how someone with barely any outgoings is claiming they can't afford to work. Even if your parents are dirt poor, you have a cheap roof over your head. Rent is the biggest expense for the majority of people. According to what you said you pay for, you're spending 360 on rent, food and bills. That's a pretty damn good deal. You're already ahead of people who don't have the option of living at home.

SteoL wrote: »

Well in fairness, I wouldn't take a job either if it meant being paid less than collecting dole (and looking for work). Why would anybody?

Never been on the dole thankfully but if I was........

Why would anybody? Perhaps to actually be working and gaining valuable experience for the CV instead of wasting time? I know times are hard now, but that's all the more reason to take anything you can and work hard at it. If you're working an 8 hour day, you have plenty of free time to look for work. I worked 50 hours this week (for pretty crap money) in addition to attending 3 hospital appointments, a training session, a language class and a birthday party and I'm spending my entire Saturday online, applying for jobs. I'm not patting myself on the back here, this is what I'd consider normal or someone who wants to earn decent money and have a better life. Gaps on the CV just don't look good and I'd do everything possible to keep working and get some decent references together. The longer you're out of the 9-5 working 'routine', the harder it gets to go back into it.

sunflower27 wrote: »

The point is that when you are working you are gaining experience that will push you up the ladder and entitle you to a better salary.

The dole is not going to go up, in fact, it has gone down.

Exactly. Saying 'well I'd be better off on the dole' is a really short-sighted view. In the short term, yes, it might be true, but in the long term, work experience is valuable.

OP, I think you need to pull yourself out of this 'poor me' attitude and start actively doing things to help you get a job. Focus on what you do have and can do instead of listing all the reasons you can't. You've been given plenty of good advice on this thread. Personally, I think your writing skills are fine (I've seen much worse from people in professional office jobs) but if you look into becoming a photographer or a personal trainer, it may not even matter. College isn't for everyone and I know plenty of people without degrees who make good money and enjoy their jobs. A degree is pretty much required for my job, yet they just hired a girl without one because they were impressed by her ambitious attitude and previous experience in entry level jobs.

Employers aren't setting you up to fail when they ask how you're better than Joe Bloggs with a college degree. It's a normal question and if you get it together by finding a job (any job) and showing you're up for attending training courses and are willing to learn, there's not a lot they can say. Whatever you choose to do, you're going to have to work at it and demonstrate that you deserve it. Best of luck.

mikemac

Gerry.L wrote: »

I go for a job people think the i should have at least college degree. and then they ask how am I better then the guy next in line who has college and i cant answer them.

You need an answer to this question so start researching one

It's a fair question from the interviewer

Oranage2

Gerry.L wrote: »

(everything after this sentence is from my nephew, I just let him use my account to save him the hassle of having to go making up his own one)

I feel like a failure. im 26 i have being on the dole for the past 3 years because i cant afford to take a job that pays less then the dole. i left school at 15 with no junior cert and i pissed away all the good years. i have taken fewfas courses but still when I go for a job people think the i should have at least college degree. and then they ask how am I better then the guy next in line who has college and i cant answer them. and now im livin with my parents again

i talked to the woman at college and she said id have to get better reading and writing and maths skills before they can take me and i talked a private school and they think at my level it will about a year or year and a haldf or maybe even 2 before my skills are good for college. i dont know what im doing anymore. i dont take im ever goin to make it. when all these smart people are leaving the country because none of they cant get work what does that say for me, i just dont know what to do with myself now any advise?

You said you had a good job before you were unemployed - what was it?

Also you really only have 2 options

1) Carry on being a f*ckwit with all your excuses

or

2) Stop all this self pity crap and start making positive changes now!!!


You say you cant afford getting a job less than the dole, why dont you take one of those jobs and ask you parents can you give them less.

Also what kind of pay are you expecting? You havent got a junior cert and you cant read write or do maths all that well.

What you should do is as of today is concetrate on one area you think you'd be good at

ie:
Chef
Barman
Some sort of tradesman
Truck driver

Now to get into one of these trades its gonna take a lot of hard work that might require you to even do some free work at the atart to get some experience in.

theg81der

Just out of curiousity op do you have a learning difficulty eg. dyslexia? I was intelligent and internested in education, loved learning new things, but always had difficulty reading etc pushed myself to go to college but still had problems - anyway found out I was dyslexic and had I known in advance would have made planning easier and would have had help accessing the courses I`d have prefered to do with some help. Just a heads up just in case not meant to cause offense.

seraphimvc

my post may seems abit harsh but i think OP you need to realize whats going on in ireland atm.

the amount of people out of work is so high atm and i am talking of those people with a master/degree/cert qualifications or even those with a very good looking cv(with achievements etc). there is simply no job out there. i repeat, there is no job out there for many of these professionals. if you look around jobs recruitment websites you will see how depressing of the current jobs market (if you dont have at least 3years experience you dont have a chance and why would anyone with good experience need to change job anyway).

so tell me, you as a potential employee with no qualifications or whatsoever and you wont get a job that pays lower than your dole, what other option do you have(while all the more qualified people couldnt even get a job)?

1.leave ireland and run to your rich uncle in australia with companies
2.do a fas course/further study (this has no guarantee to secure but at least you are doing something else which can lead to a career).

Elle Collins

Serenity Spoiled Self-confidence wrote: »

I don't have all the information on your finances, but I also find it hard to understand how someone with barely any outgoings is claiming they can't afford to work.

The dole is €188 now as far as I am aware. The OP is paying €90 keep to his parents and €65 maintanance for his child. If my figures are correct he is living on €33 a week.

3qsmavrod5twfe

Min wage will gross around 300 for a full week to go back up to about 340 next month if government are to be believed so can't see how you are better off on dole. That and you are not thinking about your "woe is me" situation for at least 39 hours of the week.

Having said that, there is nothing worse than gaps in a CV when it comes to interview. From the interviewers perspective if there are gaps in the CV that are not filled with something productive, as far as they are concerned you are doing nothing. Any work at all (paid or unpaid) or upskilling course to fill the gap shows that you have the drive to change things.

You say you are interested in gardening? Go to a local landscaping company and tell them you would like to work with them for a couple of weeks on an unpaid basis. You get a bit of experience, they get an extra set of hands. I know the knee jerk reaction to this is "F**ked if I'm going out to work for free" but you are not gaining anything sitting at home. And if this is an area that you would like to get into it will look very impressive on a CV that you took someting unpaid to get experience, and if you put in the effort, you will get a good reference from someone in the industry.

Additionally, half the battle is getting in the door with a lot of places, and once you're in a position might "arise" for you. Good luck.

LegacyUser

OP, when you say €90, I presume you mean a week?

So, could you ask your parents about maybe reducing this as you want to better your life etc? You would be entitled to rent allowance which would probably work out cheaper (I could be wrong), then do a shop in Lidl/Aldi, see about getting one of those ESB meters installed etc, you can do it !!! How often do you see your daughter, if she stays with you for a few days could you make an arrangement that it doesn't cost you as much that week or something as you will be feeding her/buying her nappies etc(Presuming she's still a baby)? Look into a part time VEC course, they are quite reasonable and run regularly enough. If you can tell me whereabouts in the country you are from perhaps I can get you more info. Whatever about taking a job that pays less than the dole OP, if you get one that pays the same you should take it hand and all. You also need to stop feeling like a "victim of circumstances", you won't get anywhere with that kind of thinking.

elbee

OP, you're 26. If you start working on your reading and writing skills now, you'll be 31 when you finish whatever course of study you embark on.

But guess what? You're going to be 31 in five years ANYWAY. The only choice you have is whether to have this issue resolved when you're that age or not!

Yes, you've wasted some time, but that's what you had to do to get to this point. You're asking for advice so that's good. Don't focus on what you've done, focus on what you're going to do NOW.

First of all I'd say don't force yourself into something that doesn't suit you. If you're not strong with reading and writing, then don't take a college course in legal studies! Pick something you'd like, maybe something outdoorsy, or a trade. You'll be better at it, and happier. I know you said you'll need to get your literacy skills up first, and that's grand but long-term, if using those skills is difficult for you or not enjoyable for you, look at something that doesn't demand you use them constantly.

Secondly, you need to start building up some work experience to show you haven't just sat on your butt for years on end. Do voluntary work for a charity, ask local companies for work experience, whatever you have to, just do something. It has to be better than doing nothing

Finally, you say that in interviews, people ask what you have that the college graduate applicants don't. Here is what you should be able to say in a few years:

'I left school early and as a result I found the competitive job market during the recession very difficult, so I committed to returning to education to build up the skills I felt I hadn't gained the first time around. I had to revisit education in my mid-twenties which took a huge amount of humility and dedication. I also sought out work experience and voluntary work when paid jobs were hard to get, to make sure I was developing myself and learning new things even while I was out of work. You may have applicants with a better education but I doubt you'll find someone as hard-working and as willing to pitch in, get their hands dirty and do their best.'

Now try and make that true. Very best of luck OP

LegacyUser

thecookingapple wrote: »

Two examples of people on the dole this week

1st example
An Irish girl complaining about foreign people taking jobs, a woman offers her an interview in maynooth and instead of being over the moon and joyous she puts plenty of obstacles in her way of actually getting a job. Her main gripe was how to get there from south Dublin.
This was on a radio station phone in.

2nd example
A Polish girl I know is offered a job cleaning a house in Kildare, she lives north side Dublin, she did two dry runs two days before interview to make sure she knew the way and which one was more practical.
The reason I give these examples is to point out the defect that some people can have regarding the get up and go to change, to do something new, to do something that will enhance their own life, you say you cannot afford to take a job that pays less than the dole? A full time job will surely even with min wage pay more than the dole? With the right mentality, attitude and get go nature you will not be earning low wages for long.
You like Gardening? That’s great and there is great potential in this field, do friends and neighbours gardens for free and photograph the results, use the free advertisement in the shopping centres to promote yourself.

Do not be afraid of enhancing your education, now is the perfect time to go back to school as a mature student, take small steps and one day this will enable you to take strides, people have posted links to educational facilities.
I left school with no education, my reading and writing skills are basically self taught through books that are cheaply available and even free to take out from libraries, I own my own business now, employ 10 people and have worked and slaved away for years to be what I am now, I have fought for everything I have and will continue too, the recession has not beaten me, neither has our government, silly civil servant revenue or anyone else, intelligence is so much more than academic knowledge, you can take the easy way out and continue to make past mistakes or you can seize this opportunity to make a great life for yourself.
Good luck and best wishes

This is a great example OP. The question is are you really trying for a job? The reason so many (for example) Polish have jobs is because they are damn determined to get the job. Maybe if we Irish had a similar ethic there wouldn't be many of us on the dole. The fact is there ARE jobs, the question is do you really want them? I got a job doing security near a halting site, no one would take the job after a week trial basis because it is very rough. I work with a bunch of Lithuanians who are desperate for work, I'm doing it because I am also desperate for work but from talking to my co-workers, a lot of Irish husbands with children to support. walked off because it was so rough. The other week one of the Lithuanians was slashed in the face with the claw of a hammer. He was back to work 2 days later.

No excuses, get a job no matter how tough and get on with it. These are different times. There is no shortage of security jobs in this city, you dont need education for that.

LegacyUser

work24 wrote: »

This is a great example OP. The question is are you really trying for a job? The reason so many (for example) Polish have jobs is because they are damn determined to get the job. Maybe if we Irish had a similar ethic there wouldn't be many of us on the dole. The fact is there ARE jobs, the question is do you really want them? I got a job doing security near a halting site, no one would take the job after a week trial basis because it is very rough. I work with a bunch of Lithuanians who are desperate for work, I'm doing it because I am also desperate for work but from talking to my co-workers, a lot of Irish husbands with children to support. walked off because it was so rough. The other week one of the Lithuanians was slashed in the face with the claw of a hammer. He was back to work 2 days later.
No excuses, get a job no matter how tough and get on with it. These are different times. There is no shortage of security jobs in this city, you dont need education for that.

Are you serious. Not working somewhere because you might slashed in the face is now an excuse? Them husbands with familys to support won't be much good if they wind up dead. And please don't tar all Irish as being lazy. Some people who would rather chew their right arm off than be on the dole have no other option.