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Part-time work, social welfare limbo?

  • 02-09-2013 9:40am
    #1
    AppleTartFace
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 41 ✭


    Hey all,

    I've been working part-time in a clothes shop, a job that I love, since November. The social welfare office has sent out a letter asking to prove that I'm looking for full-time work. So, off I went looking for full-time retail jobs. What I found is that they are part-time and require at least 2 years experience. Now I have had jobs in the past as a waitress and sales assistant, all jobs have been a customer facing role.

    However, I would love to get into the not-for-profit/voluntary/charity sector. I don;t have a degree, and sure my experience doesn't really match. Despite this, I have been working on a student food website, so anything in the area of food would be great too.

    Correct me if I am wrong, but it seems that there aren;t a lot of opportunities for someone like me. As in, I can't apply for a Jobbridge or CE scheme, it feels like I'm going to be stuck in the waitress/sales assistant area forever. I know I should be grateful for having a job in the first place, but I want to develop my skills and make some sort of a career for myself.

    I have talked to a few people about this, and my main concern is about not having a degree. Most people have been optimistic and said that it doesn;t matter, it's all about selling yourself, but I can't help but think that I'll always be overlooked for a position by someone with a degree or way more experience.

    I don't really know what my question is, I guess. I suppose I'm just looking for advice. I'm hitting 25 in 2 months, and all my friends have travelled the world and are in great jobs, and I'm feeling a bit lost. It feels like I'll never escape being dependent on social welfare.


Comments

  • #2
    tatli_lokma
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,332 ✭✭✭tatli_lokma


    If you want to get into the charity/voluntary sector more important than a degree for a lot of the roles will be previous experience and a passion for the particular charity. I would reccomend that you volunteer your time a few times a week to build experience and also a contact base you can network with - charity sector work uses references a lot, so the more contacts you have the better. If you are interested in food, what about volunteering with the Simon community or a soup kitchen or meals on wheels? If you are interested in web design, there are lots of opportunities to volunteer your skills there too.

    Check out this website
    http://www.volunteer.ie/

    As for the SW request that you are looking for full time work, ask your current employer for a letter stating that at present they do not have full time hours to offer you but should that change in the future they will give you extra hours. That should keep them off your back for a while.


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