I haven't worked or done anything for 6 years

LegacyUser

I'm 24. I haven't worked or went to college since I done my Leaving Cert. I've mostly lived off my parents and drew social welfare in that period. I attempted some courses over the years but didn't follow through with them. I am not proud of this.

I should mention that I do suffer from a serious long term illness that has left me unable to pursue full time work or go to college full time.

The thoughts of putting a CV together terrifies me. What am I supposed to say? I'm very worried about my future. Does anybody know how I could possibly turn my life around at this stage despite wasting the last six years of my life doing nothing?

PingO_O

If you didn't follow through with those courses then they probably weren't what you wanted to do, so try not to beat yourself up over this.

If you're worried about not getting a job because you haven't done anything in so long,I don't think it would hurt to mention your illness in a cover letter to any jobs you apply to, and that you hope to return to college at a later date.

There's nothing shameful or wrong with your situation at all and nothing to "turn around" as you put it. Try not to worry about the future, plenty of people at this age have gone the traditional route and still don't know where they're going in life or in a precarious situation re. employment.

It's really all about getting an interview and nailing it and how you come across may be more important than your past, so don't worry so much, you seem to have a good attitude in that you want to do something about this and that will come across to a potential employer.

Czarcasm

PingO_O wrote: »

If you didn't follow through with those courses then they probably weren't what you wanted to do, so try not to beat yourself up over this.

If you're worried about not getting a job because you haven't done anything in so long, I don't think it would hurt to mention your illness in a cover letter to any jobs you apply to, and that you hope to return to college at a later date.

There's nothing shameful or wrong with your situation at all and nothing to "turn around" as you put it. Try not to worry about the future, plenty of people at this age have gone the traditional route and still don't know where they're going in life or in a precarious situation re. employment.

It's really all about getting an interview and nailing it and how you come across may be more important than your past, so don't worry so much, you seem to have a good attitude in that you want to do something about this and that will come across to a potential employer.

It'd hurt a hell of a lot Ping, a potential employer doesn't want to hear in your cover letter that you'll possibly be missing days because of sickness and you're planning on going back to college anyway.

OP without knowing more about your illness it's very hard to advise you on a course of action, suffice to say that if you couldn't complete any courses you'd undertaken in the last six years, I would advise that while you're still young, you get back to education before applying for jobs.

Gaps in your CV are understandable these days. As Ping says nothing to be beating yourself up about there. But it's how you fill those gaps that will matter to an employer, there really is no other nice way of saying it.

Would you consider doing voluntary or community work just to give you a taste for employment? Obviously your health should come before any courses or jobs, but get yourself in order first OP before you start turning anything around. Your post seems to be a knee-jerk reaction more so than something you've actually given serious consideration to.

superman28

OP,, So does this mean you are not able to do full time work or college? Well then the obvious thing is either part-time work,, or a part-time college course.. but you should plan to do something.. as you only get one chance at life,, but luckily you are young so its not so bad.. Without details about your illness it is hard to say, , but you will need to fit work/college around managing your health.. but I do believe it shouldn't stop you from trying.. explain that you have had an illness but are now overcome that challange and are ready to take on another one.. there is no need to hide it away.. There are plenty of jobs out there,, that require absolutely no experience as they want to train you up from scratch... from there you can work your way up..

claypigeon777

You should definitely go back to education - do the ECDL course which will make you employable right away, then consider doing a certificate course, a diploma, then working your way up to a degree and if you want to pursue education further take on a masters or even go the full hog and do a PhD. You could travel and teach English as a foreign language. You are young and your life is ahead of you. Your future is not set. You have no fate but the fate you make. Take up part time work and get more experience and then you might get a full time job. Be prepared to move to where there is work. You just need a bit of a push.

PingO_O

I suggested it because the op is worried about explaining their employment history or lack of but yes I should have thought about your point czarcasm.


I was just picturing an employer seeing nothing on the cv and dismissing it without giving the op a chance but yeh they can hopefully work on that if they take your advice about volunteering etc.