What to do?

LegacyUser

I have what I like to refer to as my 5-year plan, of sorts. Currently I'm on the Dole and I'm beginning to realize that where I live right now has little or no opportunities for me to move on with my life - I'm a very ambitious guy in my mid-late 20s and I just want to get my life going again.

My plan somewhat works like this:
Move to Dublin, get involved in an area that I'm interested in (namely Publishing/Creative Media or (online) Marketing) and work there gaining experience for maybe two years, before moving to London.

The reason I'm not moving to London direct is that I know many people who go over there and walk into not-so-well paid jobs. I have friends and a family member over there, so they've told me just how expensive it is. My thinking is that if I stay in Dublin and gain experience, I should be able to walk into a relatively well-paid job over there, because I'd have good experience alongside my qualifications (I have an honours degree in a Business/web-computing).

If I move over to London, I would be hoping to stay there for the long term and I know many people who would return after a few months, because they either couldn't find work or just found it too expensive.

Am I overthinking it too much or am I being sensible? I find it extremely hard to differentiate sometimes.

For moving to Dublin, I'm thinking of trying to find somewhere that has a short lease, perhaps of 2-3 months and move up there, while staying on the Dole and job hunting. I'd be giving myself that time to find a proper job in Dublin, but if by the end I don't, I'll try and find any job. Since I want to live in Dublin, I feel like having a current address elsewhere in the country may work against me.

I've been looking at prices of houses around Dublin (primarily Dublin 7) and I would easily be able to survive there on the Dole.

HowItIs

Seems like as good a plan as anyone can have right now. I would ask, purely out of ignorance, do you have some kind of qualifications relevant to the area(s) you want to work in? If you don't maybe you should look at getting some qualifications first? If only because there are so many people competing for jobs right now who have degrees etc.

The only other thing I'd say is; do you really need to move to Dublin to look for a job? Could you not just travel up to Dublin for interviews and then move when you actually have a job? Rather than going up for 2/3 months, spending all your money just to stay there on the gamble that you do get a job.

I'm just playing devils advocate here but realistically you could be lucky enough to find a job your first month in Dublin or you could still be looking in 6 months.

Whereas if you stay put but continue applying for jobs in Dublin and make it clear that you want to re-locate to Dublin when you're applying for jobs I'd say your chances are just as good.

edellc

agree with above, but also its very hard to find somewhere that will lease to you for a 2/3mth period only

But I do think you should try find a job before coming here as its tough going here and very expensive and you dont want to waste what little money you have on moving, renting - deposit and living expenses.... do you qualify for rent allowance even on that very few places accept it

What I would do is make a list of all the places that interest you, ring them and find out the name of the person and email of who you send your cv too, make sure to write a good cover letter and follow it up with a phone call to confirm they got it, and be super nice....saves moving here and all the expense and if you do get your foot in for an interview then get a train up and if you need to stay over for some reason find a b&b for the night much less expenses

You do realise how hard that industry has been hit at this time and however hard it is in London its going to be much harder in Dublin, being a smaller city with less work

But from your post OP I think regardless of what is said you want to come to Dublin to seek your fame and fortune and there is no harm in that, but please dont come here with goggles on, its a tough city to live and survive in and Dublin 7 may be affordable but there is a reason for that, so think about it.....as for your cv why is it necessary to have your address on it these days thats a bit old fashioned, your name, email and mobile is more than enough to contact you, normally they look for your address when they hire you for the tax office or to send your P45 when they have had enough of you, so maybe leave it off, and dont put your date of birth on it either, I never do and its never held me back, dont need to be judged on something that is irrelevant

Best of luck with it OP

LegacyUser

Thank you for your replies

I guess the main reason I want to move to Dublin is that right now, where I am, I feel like I'm in a rut and moving will force myself to get out of it. I've become far too comfortable here on the Dole and that most certainly is not a good thing for me.

I'm not expecting it to be easy; I'm perfectly happy to start off on the bottom and work my way up and while I haven't lived in rough areas, I've lived with some rough people, so I have had experience with that (from people with pretty severe mental illnesses, to alcoholics to stoners).

It is an industry that is hit hard, but I have managed to get a video interview, two phone interviews and a face-to-face one, yet unfortunately these jobs went to other people. It's to be expected, but the sheer fact I got these made me feel good; gave me a massive confidence boost in both my CV and myself.

I have some qualifications with experience in the field (have worked on many marketing plans, for real-world companies too, and have also done an internship in market research) so I have faith in myself that I will get a job.

StillWaters

I don't understand your logic OP. Why don't you move straight to London? Its going to be very hard to get a job in that field in Dublin, although you may pick up an internship which will give you valuable experience but deplete your savings.

Pippy1976

I'm kind of in the same situation so I can understand why he wants to move to Dublin first... survive [a paltry existence let me tell you] on the dole whilst looking for work & be close to interviews when they happen, get the job and save properly to get to London and keep yourself going for at least 6 months there with your savings??

I moved to Dublin about 6 months ago with the same plan. I'm just about surviving paying the rent but don't forget to take into account the bills... which are crippling me to be honest. Yes, I'm close to businesses should interviews arise but honest to God, stay where you are until you have a few concrete options. My savings are keeping me going - the dole just about gets me through. It's really tough and unless I get a job soon I'll be back home with mum & dad before I can say 'rent allowance'!

I'm glad I moved but it's hard - that's the bottom line. I like your plan though. Stick to it. Plans are just about what's getting me through it. That and enthusiasm!

Sorry to be the Debbie Downer here, but have you experience and qualifications in those areas? Anything along the lines of publishing/online media or marketing is incredibly difficult to get into. I've tried here in London and I've had no success so far and I had some very successful websites when I was younger. I have also taken many courses in web design, localisation and online marketing. The competition here (and anywhere) for these kind of jobs is incredible, because it's pretty much what everyone wants to do. Most entry positions are long, long term unpaid internships. I'm working as an English teacher (ESL) for now, until I find an opening in something I'm really passionate about.

Perhaps I took your OP the wrong way, but it seems like you might think you can just walk into jobs in these areas. Why not be a bit more realistic and take a job doing whatever until you find the perfect job, rather than be on the dole until then?

Pippy1976

@Blaire Fluffy Bun In the current climate it's not realistic to think the OP can just get a job 'doing whatever' until he finds the perfect job.

Jobs are hard to come by, whether they're retail / hospitality / managerial or whatever genre you care to think about. Believe me, speaking as someone who has an honours BA and years-full of experience I can't even get a job in retail at the moment. I think the OP is right to set his sights on the prize (publishing / media in this case) and of course, the ideal is to find a job (any job) in order to save up and achieve this goal. BUT these days it's just not that easy.

Pippy1976

Pippy1976 wrote: »

@Blaire Fluffy Bun In the current climate it's not realistic to think the OP can just get a job 'doing whatever' until he finds the perfect job.

Jobs are hard to come by, whether they're retail / hospitality / managerial or whatever genre you care to think about. Believe me, speaking as someone who has an honours BA and years-full of experience I can't even get a job in retail at the moment. I think the OP is right to set his sights on the prize (publishing / media in this case) and of course, the ideal is to find a job (any job) in order to save up and achieve this goal. BUT these days it's just not that easy.

I don't agree. That 'dream job' in publishing might never, ever happen. Is the OP supposed to stay on the dole his entire life? I don't understand what the issue is with applying for anything and taking it if it's offered to you. You can still job search and look higher, you don't need an extra 8 hours a day to do it. Waiting for the 'perfect job' is ridiculous and it's using state funds for the wrong purpose. If he can't get a job, that's one thing but not even applying is another.

Pippy1976

I didn't mean don't apply for jobs whilst waiting for the 'dream' job to come your way... what I meant was, jobs (of any description / genre) are hard to come by whether they're menial jobs (and I use that word lightly) or executive positions.

By all means apply but don't assume the jobs that aren't as well paid are easier to come by, because they're not. I know this. At the moment, all jobs are hard to get.

Pippy1976

Pippy1976 wrote: »

I didn't mean don't apply for jobs whilst waiting for the 'dream' job to come your way... what I meant was, jobs (of any description / genre) are hard to come by whether they're menial jobs (and I use that word lightly) or executive positions.

By all means apply but don't assume the jobs that aren't as well paid are easier to come by, because they're not. I know this. At the moment, all jobs are hard to get.

You're really trying to tell me that a job in a coffee shop is as hard to get as a job in a publishing company? ..............................OK.

I live in London and I can tell you that most people who want a job get a job. Most of my students (the ones without rich parents) have jobs in Costa Coffee, Starbucks etc. I did my MA here and I had no problem at all finding part-time work. Neither did anyone else. Publishing, on the other hand, is a niche industry and one that relies heavily on connections. It's incredibly difficult to get into even for people with a degree/background in the area and it wasn't easy even in the good times. Sure, you could get lucky (apply at the right place at the right time) but I can tell you that it's most definitely more difficult than most other fields.

LegacyUser

I should probably clarify that I said publishing, I was more referring to online publishing - similar to what Distilled Media; the company that part-owns boards.ie, is.

People seem to be thinking that I expect to walk into a relatively well paid job. I don't. Not in the slightest - I am totally willing to enter a low position in a company and work my way up. It will be a lot of hard work, but I am more than willing to do it and don't expect it to happen in the next 5 years or so.

Pippy1976

Just do what your original post said you wanted to do... move out... rent a place and try find a job to keep you going whilst you focus on your 'dream' job.

Like I said, my qualifications are in a 'niche' industry like what Blaire Fluffy Bun is talking about and I'm currently out of work. I moved out of home into a rental property in the hopes that this would speed up the employment issue ... however, I've been unable to get work in any field - coffee shop or niche industry.

it's tough but if you're positive and energetic then it'll work out - it might be sooner rather than later but it might be a year down the road. You'll be glad you made the step in order to change things in your life.