Feeling down over Christmas life is in a mess

spud82

Hi guys


This year has been incredibly different. I was trying to set up my own business and it didn't work. I had to move home too.

I am finding it impossible to find work and I mean impossible I have sent out my CV everywhere, met career advisors, had my CV done over my experts etc. I have a MA and two degrees too, and I am actually heart broken not be working.

I am the only one of my friends not working and it soul destroying, My baby brother just bought a house with his fiancee and got a permanent job. I feel like a massive looser and failure in comparison. I mean who wants to be a boomerang child

I have no idea what to do. I apply every day for jobs phone and sometimes call in to follow up. If I go back to college I will get no financial aid but I think it's something I will have to consider or I will sink further into depression. I am dreading christmas and telling everyone I have no job, i just feel so alone and depressed.

eeguy

What is your MA and degrees in?

Go to careers advice and get someone to look over your CV.
You can also get interview coaching.

me_irl

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlBiLNN1NhQ

vicwatson

spud82 wrote: »

Hi guys


This year has been incredibly different. I was trying to set up my own business and it didn't work. I had to move home too.

I am finding it impossible to find work and I mean impossible I have sent out my CV everywhere, met career advisors, had my CV done over my experts etc. I have a MA and two degrees too, and I am actually heart broken not be working.

I am the only one of my friends not working and it soul destroying, My baby brother just bought a house with his fiancee and got a permanent job. I feel like a massive looser and failure in comparison. I mean who wants to be a boomerang child

I have no idea what to do. I apply every day for jobs phone and sometimes call in to follow up. If I go back to college I will get no financial aid but I think it's something I will have to consider or I will sink further into depression. I am dreading christmas and telling everyone I have no job, i just feel so alone and depressed.

Go see your GP and have a chat about your mood for starters, hopefully that's the first step on the road to finding yourself a job. Good luck

Surreptitious

Career advice from the college you graduated in might help. You might have to think outside the box a bit when it comes to what jobs you apply for. Good luck.

punisher5112

Personal issues may be a better place.

After hours not so good for these things.

Just keep looking are you applying for any job or just a certain type.

spud82

MA in Journalism Degree in English. Have gone to career advisor twice, and done CV/Interview workshops. Had a job interview in a university and was told afterwards by someone working there they already had someone hired and they were just making numbers up by having interviews this happened twice. I also had another interview where they area manager hired me, but never told the store manager, and when I went in to meet him he had hired two other people and had never heard of me. The other interview i had wanted me to work for cash in hand and below the minimum wage

petrolcan

punisher5112 wrote: »

Personal issues may be a better place.

After hours not so good for these things.

Someone says that every time a poster looks for advice.

Despite all the flaws of AH, I'd say it's a great place to look for advice.

SEPT 23 1989

How can someone with an MA and two degrees be considered a failure?

Best of luck

frozenfrozen

being depressed won't get you a job, and if the only thing you're depressed about is not having a job then don't get depressed over not having a job. If there's more to it then go to your GP and get it sorted out sooner rather than later.

A massive amount of people are unemployed at the moment, and loads have had to move back home, it's no big deal. You can be glad all your friends and your brother etc have jobs, they won't look down on you, they would all love if you had a job and that'll happen in time so there's no point feeling embarrassed or anything about not having a job right now.

You aren't getting turned down for all the jobs because you're not good or not capable its simply that somebody else made a better impression or had a special bit of experience that made them more suitable for the job at that time. Keep applying and working on your CV and honing it to each job you're applying to and you will eventually find a job that suits you and suits the employer. As you said there you are making good enough impressions in interviews so it's just a matter of time.

spud82

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

How can someone with an MA and two degrees be considered a failure?

Best of luck

Cos I amn't working and have to sign on every week. It's so soul destroying and have to put up with so much ****e from the social welfare.

brevity

No one should think you are a failure because your business venture didn't work out. Those that do are short sighted. It's a brave person that tries to do something like this.

Christmas is a rough time to be job searching. A lot of companies will be waiting until the new year so don't get disheartened if you do get a job immediately.

Be nice to yourself. Don't beat yourself up over this. Take some time to do somethings that you were never able to do. Get out for walks, go see some free gigs/tours/exhibitions. Write some short stories. Try not to get into a spiral of hate towards yourself.

With your qualifications and experience something will turn up.

petrolcan

What about getting a seasonal job to tide you over the Christmas period? It might not be much but at least you'll be working and there's nothing stopping you applying for other jobs in the meantime (I've always found it easier to get another job whilst in a job IYKWIM)

Fair play for having a go at starting a business. Braver than me.

Outlaw Pete

Focus on what is good about your life, even if it is very very small.

I remember reading An Evil Cradling by Brian Keenan and in it (at around 4 years captivity mark) he began losing his mind and what saved him was focusing on the tiniest of things which gave him (and John) pleasure, like the colour of the food they were given, or sound in the distance. They both found that attention focused on the negative for too long and they would become consumed by all they didn't have, or how trapped they were. It would eat them up and they would start losing it.

No matter what you have in life, there will always be things you don't have, even rich healthy fcukers with yachts can become consumed with what they don't have. Just appreciate the small stuff... be consumed by what you do have and everything else that comes your way will be a bonus.

petrolcan

spud82 wrote: »

Cos I amn't working and have to sign on every week. It's so soul destroying and have to put up with so much ****e from the social welfare.

I've never understood why the DSS make life so hard. They exist for this very reason.

spud82

petrolcan wrote: »

I've never understood why the DSS make life so hard. They exist for this very reason.

They are unreal. They were like it's not my fault you studied what you did, so get over yourself:mad:

munster87

Don't know much about journalism but could you do some freelance and get your name out there or possibly get your foot in somewhere that way? If going back to college is what you think will make you happy then do everything you can to make this happen. It'll be worth it in the end. And don't let the opinions of others with regards to your employment bother you. It's none of their business.

Surreptitious

spud82 wrote: »

They are unreal. They were like it's not my fault you studied what you did, so get over yourself:mad:

There's nothing wrong with what you studied, it's obviously something you succeeded in. Have you tried freelance writing? Journalism can be a saturated market. Don't give up, maybe try again with fresh eyes in the new year.

Goya

petrolcan wrote: »

I've never understood why the DSS make life so hard. They exist for this very reason.

I guess it's because can you only imagine the self entitled, aggressive arseholes they have to deal with regularly so they become jaded. It's not fair of them to take their frustration out on genuine people in need of a helping hand though (and who are probably easier to be hostile to).

JeffKenna

Unfortunately education has no real benefit in the job market apart from getting your foot in the door. After that it's all based on experience so despite having 2 degrees and a masters you're really only at a college grad level. Are these the jobs you're applying for?

spud82

Surreptitious wrote: »

There's nothing wrong with what you studied, it's obviously something you succeeded in. Have you tried freelance writing? Journalism can be a saturated market. Don't give up, maybe try again with fresh eyes in the new year.

Yes. journalism has taken a huge hit this year. Used to do a lot for a company but than they disbanded I was also social media campaigner for a TD who got elected and made her election video and posters etc

SEPT 23 1989

spud82 wrote: »

They are unreal. They were like it's not my fault you studied what you did, so get over yourself:mad:

Those tools are stuck there for the rest of their days in their mind numbing soul destroying jobs where everyone across the counter hates their guts

spud82

JeffKenna wrote: »

Unfortunately education has no real benefit in the job market apart from getting your foot in the door. After that it's all based on experience so despite having 2 degrees and a masters you're really only at a college grad level. Are these the jobs you're applying for?

Yes,and admin jobs too. I was told than one admin position in Cork had over 85 applicants in the first few hours!!

noaddedsugar

Have you tried and getting work through those people per hour type websites? I have a friend in the UK who earns ok through them, she does copy writing, proofreading, editing, that sort of thing. You do start off on low enough until you get your ratings up I think but with your quals you should be well able for it.

spud82

noaddedsugar wrote: »

Have you tried and getting work through those people per hour type websites? I have a friend in the UK who earns ok through them, she does copy writing, proofreading, editing, that sort of thing. You do start off on low enough until you get your ratings up I think but with your quals you should be well able for it.

I most google them thanks

Table Top Joe

I'm currently having one of my better Christmases, engaged, hoping to buy a house within the next year or two and work is going well ("well good for ****ing You!" I hear you Say).......thing is I've been where you are, more or less, I had a horrible xmas a few years back, in my late 20s in my childhood bedroom just after being made redundant feeling like a right failure, friends were off buying houses etc......I used to wake up with tension headaches from the stress and I know that dread of hearing "what do you do for Living?"....especially when it's from a member of the opposite Sex on a night out, that's great Craic altogether


Point is my friend what your going through is temporary, being out of work in this day and age in ireland is what it is, I have no doubt things will turn around for you I just don't know when, I do know they will get better though because they always do, Christmas is an awful time when life isn't working out but go meet your mates for a few jars over Christmas cause you'll more than likely be working this time next year and won't get as much time too

Surreptitious

spud82 wrote: »

Yes. journalism has taken a huge hit this year. Used to do a lot for a company but than they disbanded I was also social media campaigner for a TD who got elected and made her election video and posters etc

I did the same degree as you but didn't follow it up with Journalism. I really do understand where you're coming from. I think a new fresh approach is needed and there's some great advice on this thread already.

9or10

Spud just wanted to say - Hang in there

Christmas is the fcuking pits for a lot of people. Thats excacerbated by the "We're simply having a wonderful Christmas time" mentality.

All the best.

BTW my new dog is called Spud

Kal El

Flimpson wrote: »

I guess it's because can you only imagine the self entitled, aggressive arseholes they have to deal with regularly so they become jaded. It's not fair of them to take their frustration out on genuine people in need of a helping hand though (and who are probably easier to be hostile to).

Ah some of the people who work down there are dinosaurs. They change how they feel about someone depending on what there getting. Were always rude when I was getting jobseekers for 9 months, now that I get back to education they are going out of there way to be nice.

petrolcan

spud82 wrote: »

They are unreal. They were like it's not my fault you studied what you did, so get over yourself:mad:

More like jealousy. I have a friend who did it for a while, he classed it as soul destroying being unable to help those that were genuinely in need.

KERSPLAT!

I've no advice that hasn't already been given but I would like to wish you all the best with work and have a happy Christmas