26 and can't find a job

LegacyUser

I'm finding it pretty hard to cope at the moment. Maybe thats an exaggeration, but I can't find a job and its really beginning to get me down. I just finished college 6 months ago and I'm due to submit my masters thesis in september, if I even manage to finish writing it. I have always tried to work hard and get ahead in life but it seems like for the past few months I just can't catch a break. I've had a couple of interviews which have gone really well but then I dont hear anything back. I have applied for countless jobs and dont hear back. I know I don't have the practical experience needed to get my foot in the door but it seems to be impossible to get that. I have applied for jobbridge and interviewed and not heard back. I genuinely believe that the interviews have gone well and my cv is good but for some reason I'm just not getting there. One guy even told me that he had wanted to hire me but somebody else known to the company applied and got preference.

I guess what I'm looking for is advice on how to deal with it when you are struggling to find work. I really feel like its wearing down my self confidence/esteem and I'm really beginning to feel like a failure. It seems like at this age I should have more to show for myself than this. I'm broke all the time, can't do anything enjoyable, and every time someone asks me what I do I cringe a little. Everyone I know from college has found work and I feel like I'm getting left behind.

893bet

Have you gone to the careers office in your university?

Their knowledge regarding CV writing, interview skills etc is invaluable.

Your CV is not that bad obviously given that you are getting interviews but you only have about 8 seconds to impress the recruiter before your CV moves forward or gets dumped.

Dont lose heart. Job market is tough. I am in the same boat. Plenty of education and no experience. Get a foot in the door!

littlelulu

I have gone for interviews (drove 3 hours each way for one) and there was never a job to begin with. Its wrong of companies to do that but its not unheard of.

Would you consider volunteering somewhere? I know it won't give you money but it will get you doing something and doing good will boost your mood. Could you volunteer in your chosen career? Even if its something small like answering a phone but get your feet in as many doors as you can.

Volunteering etc will show your enthusiastic about working too.

Also while you think your interviews have gone well, have you practiced in front of people that you know? Someone that is familiar with how interviews are carried out. Someone that will give you constructive criticism on where you could improve even down to how you sit, how loud you are talking etc. That REALLY helps!

Don't give up hope anyway

Addle

http://www.publicjobs.ie/publicjobs/campaignAdvert/11792.htm

Dave!

It's a good indication at least that you were close with that one job! Take some heart from that—you were very close, no reason you can't be there or thereabouts for other jobs too.

I think you should keep going with what you're doing at least—keep the applications going, and try and get as much feedback as you can on your CV and cover letters (make sure you're including one with each application!).

But I think you should also try and see all this free time as something of an opportunity. I spent a good few months out of work at various times, be it after finishing college back in 2009 or so, or for a few months after coming back from Australia in 2011. I don't know what industry you work in, but I work in the tech industry (programmer), and whenever I was out of work I spent loads of time on the computer researching what skills are needed, and then devoting loads of time to learning them! I learned fcuk all in college if I'm honest—everything practical or useful that I learned about coding, I taught myself from online resources (which are FREE!). I managed to put together a half-decent portfolio which illustrated what I had been learning about over the previous months, and it also demonstrated that I was doing more than just jerking off all that time.

As I said, I don't know what industry you aspire to work in, but I'm certain that there could be something positive that you could be doing which would: improve your skills; make you a better candidate in any job applications; make you more confident in your abilities; get you started on launching your own business; etc.

Technology—as above: teach yourself some in-demand programming languages, etc. Build applications. Contribute to open-source projects.
Economics, Law—what are the most pressing issues in this field? What's in the news currently? Research them, form opinions on them, write about them. Submit them to a few publications. You'll probably be rejected and can "merely" say that you are seeking publication at the moment. Maybe just write letters to non-industry newspapers? Easier to get printed, and shows an active interest.
Arts, Teaching—is there some sample lessons plans you can be working on for some hypothetical class?

Can you do some volunteer work? Particularly if you can combine it with the sector you're trying to get a job in. Maybe there's something you can start on your own, or with someone else (maybe start a thread in an appropriate forum on boards, looking for someone with more experience than you to get involved)?

Just some ideas there. Don't be getting down on yourself. It's really hard to get your first job after college. I can't remember how long I was looking, but it was many months.

And, incidentally, my whole office was made redundant last month—so I'm out of a job again! Thankfully I got some decent experience in that last place, so I'm confident of finding another position, but in the meantime I decided to use it as an opportunity, so I went abroad a couple of weeks ago and will be on holiday 'til mid-July. I'm also trying to focus on up-skilling and learning about technologies that will enable me to make my own products and ultimately launch my own business at some point.

Stay positive, get organised, get a plan, and stick to it.

Good luck!

Rubberchikken

Definitely try hard to stay positive.
It's very hard to want to work and not be able to get a chance but it'll come. In the meantime try volunteering. It's great for you and for those you volunteer with and it shows prospective employers that you have character.

Good luck

LegacyUser

Hi guys, thanks for all the replies. I have actually been volunteering for the past 3 months and I do find that it really helps to fill my time. I also have a great partner and family so there are a lot of positives. I just find that the lack of money is really beginning to get me down. I'm not a hugely materialistic person but not being able to get away for the weekend, even to galway, or go to a gig/festival can really grind me down. Starting to feel like I'm missing out on a lot. It has been about 6 months now of being unable to afford anything. My partner is still in college so also has little cash.

I'm afraid to apply for jobs outside my field in the mean time because going off the dole means I'm not eligible for jobbridge, which may be the only hope of getting the experience I need. That also means working for 6-9 months for no extra money basically (50 spent on travel). It just seems sometimes like the situation is so frustrating. I know I'm intelligent and I have always worked so hard at past jobs, but I can't even seem to catch a break and be given the chance to progress. Its really wearing on my self-confidence, I think I'm just used to succeeding.

My field is pretty hands on, so while some research into techniques can be done from home, I cant gain the practical experience needed in an industry setting. My CV I know is pretty comprehensive, and I think I generally come across reasonably well in interviews. They always seem to end on a positive note. With one guy saying I was perfect for the job, then I never heard back. Another said he knew one of my references and if he thought I was good I must be good (its a written reference). And the other saying I was his second choice. Maybe the competition is stiff but it just seems like I'm getting nowhere.

I know there are bigger things to complain about than this. Its just starting to wear me down, i'm not sleeping too well.

Soft Falling Rain

Are you volunteering in your chosen field? If so you have to maximise your experience, offer your services to a variety of different departments in order to beef up your experience. I know you said your cv is good but the content of it might not be exactly what places are looking for.

If I use myself as an example for instance, when I volunteered in the social care sector I was mainly co-ordinating. I built up an excellent cv but the lions share of actual jobs in the sector where in relation to frontline work. So that meant I had to expand my volunteering into more relevant departments.

It doesn't sound like you're doing much wrong so just keep going. I know it can be frustrating (was out of work for nearly a year from mid 2012 to 13) but you can't lose belief. You'll get a break eventually even if it is through Jobbridge. I did a jobbridge internship myself and I won't sugarcoat it, a lot of it comes down to the kind of company that hires you and if they have a distinct role carved out. But if you get a good host company then the pain of 9 months unpaid could potentially prove well worth it in the long term.