Unemployment Making Me Utterly MISERABLE!

snowqueen555

Damn, real fed up tonight, just really starting to feel the pressure, A big problem is that the graduates of 2009 are now entering the job market, its going to be very very tough, havve applied to so many places!

rosered1963

andygb wrote: »

Don't give up Rosered, we all feel like this - millions of us (actually that makes me feel worse ). Hang on in there and make lists of everything you are interested in, and everything you have ever been good at, no matter how silly it may seem.
There are going to be a lot of people wanting cheaper services in this recession, and that means that they will have to approach smaller businesses and "one man/woman bands", to save costs. A self employed person working from home has no overheads.
So, do a bit of brain storming and see what you come up with. Oh yes, your idea about groups for unemployed is a really good one.
Andy.

Hi Andy and thanks for your great advice - I will make a list of everything I am interested in and good at - I never thought of that. I agree about "one man bands" being a good option as well - I have been thinking about doing this as a handyman/light domestic jobs and repairs as I have noticed there is no-one in my area doing this - just big companies and agencies charging a fortune. I will look into it further instead of just thinking about it. Thanks so much for your encouraging post.

On a different note, the last time I was unemployed was for a month in 1994 (after I finished university). There were executive job clubs, grants, courses to help you with interviews and CVs, -all kinds of help. I took all these opportunities up and got a job within a month. I have now been unemployed for 5 months and the staff at my jobcentre said that this help no longer exists. I think this is part of the problem - they seem to have been instructed just to get people off the books rather than actually helping people achieve the job they can achieve. RR

andygb

rosered1963 wrote: »

Hi Andy and thanks for your great advice - I will make a list of everything I am interested in and good at - I never thought of that. I agree about "one man bands" being a good option as well - I have been thinking about doing this as a handyman/light domestic jobs and repairs as I have noticed there is no-one in my area doing this - just big companies and agencies charging a fortune. I will look into it further instead of just thinking about it. Thanks so much for your encouraging post.

On a different note, the last time I was unemployed was for a month in 1994 (after I finished university). There were executive job clubs, grants, courses to help you with interviews and CVs, -all kinds of help. I took all these opportunities up and got a job within a month. I have now been unemployed for 5 months and the staff at my jobcentre said that this help no longer exists. I think this is part of the problem - they seem to have been instructed just to get people off the books rather than actually helping people achieve the job they can achieve. RR

There is a load of old "bull" being spouted by the government nowadays, in relation to the help which they are giving to the unemployed. There are so many new people on JSA in my area, that the "Jokecentre" use something called "fast tracking", where they simply sign you on, without looking at your job search or ask you any questions. I am no longer receiving any JSA, but the worst thing is the lack of help available.
Being self employed is now looking like the only realistic option for me.

rosered1963

Totally agree Andygb - every time I go to sign on, I am kept there for at least half an hour, but it is clear they have not read my jobsearch record - they just sign their intials on it and then proceed to ask me if I have applied for any jobs! (Yeah about 20 each week- then I have to tell them which ones when I have already written down the full details. ) One member of staff told me last week "The jobcentre is not for people like you - we are geared to people who have always lived on benefits and have no qualifications. When your contribution JSA runs out, you might as well sign off as you'll get no money and no practical help here" I was grateful for the honesty actually

Self-employment - here we come. Ther is something called a "small earnings exception" which means you can apply not to pay class 2 NIC when you start up, if you think your earnings will be low. I think I might do this as they don't count for future JSA anyway and there will not be contributory based retirement pension by the time I retire - I'm sure of that - it will be private pensions or income support. RR

catnamedog

I have applied to all the supermarkets and diy stores. So far, the closest I got was a phone call from my local ASDA just before last Christmas, asking me if I was prepared to work nights. I told them "yes", of course. I heard no more, despite making several phone calls. The promised "someone will call you back" never happened.
I wonder if it is worth NOT mentioning my qualifications - a kind of dumbed down CV. I have been told a number of times that I am over-qualified! :mad:

catnamedog

andygb wrote: »

Hi Toasterman,
unfortunately a lot of people want something for nothing nowadays, and when they see someone like you or me, then they think it is time to take the mickey. I possibly have a wedding photography shoot lined up for October, but I get the impression that the couple want it done for free, and they don't even know me - cheeky sods. So, do I do this and use it as a learning curve, or do I just ignore it and move on?

Andy: Why not send an email/letter to the "happy couple" asking them if they want additional services, such as personalised seating cards with their picture on? (A nice little earner, that one).You can tell them of course that this is at additional cost to the proposed fee. Enclose your scale of charges, and they now get the message. Since you don't even know these people, you will hardly lose their friendship if they take the hump!

scrooge2008

I was made redundant last year from a senior management position, after 13 years of secure employment, and couldn't get a job in my chosen field or any other I desired.... The job centre was totally useless and humiliating, but after a couple of months I got used to it, and just ticked their boxes.

After six months unemployment my confidence was rock bottom and I was advised that psychologically it is better to take anything than continue to suffer rejection. So I swallowed my pride, got two paper rounds, lollypop lady job, mystery shopped, a cleaning job and started up my own business, causing more than a few smirks from friends.

My brain was really stimulated through the business start-up process. Business Gateway were extremely helpful in this regard and definitely worth checking out. In my area they ran free seminars on Monday and Wednesday evenings, which were interesting and a great way of networking.

I got made redundant from the two paper rounds, the mystery shopping dried up, but the company I cleaned for, have also given me 18 hours a week work doing their debt collecting and accounts, through my own business. Confidence is up and I am now looking to expand my business. It's scary times but the old adage is "If you think you're beaten you are!" Think outside the box as suggested in earlier posts and create a job if you can.

Good luck everyone.

mrcow

andygb wrote: »

Hi Toasterman,
unfortunately a lot of people want something for nothing nowadays, and when they see someone like you or me, then they think it is time to take the mickey. I possibly have a wedding photography shoot lined up for October, but I get the impression that the couple want it done for free, and they don't even know me - cheeky sods. So, do I do this and use it as a learning curve, or do I just ignore it and move on?

Send them an invoice for the deposit.

And on the invoice state when the outstanding balance will be due. (and what that balance will be)

sackcloth

Nice to know that you're all out there feeling the same. I've read your posts and you've cheered me up as I'd had another altercation with the benefits people for the third time this week and was about to tell them to "poke" their benefits and not in a facebook way... lol!!

I'd be up for generally having a chat once in a while - might help us all to focus, me especially. I've got another interview now next week and have just applied to a well known supermarket and a local department store for some part time work if nothing else.

Re. a small business, I have an idea but absolutely no money at all to put it into practice. I don't need much but am going to have a look at possibly getting a grant for start up costs. However, it won't cover all my bills and the OH is still out of work, so we do have to be careful.

Andy, great suggestions from everyone so do the job and make sure you have lots of cards available to give out to the guests offering your services. Plus make sure that the bride & groom give you permission to use their images for publicity. You could still charge them a nominal fee or expenses.

Finally, I read a really good article in the Times about mental health and stress which offers you a "five a day" sort of thing for the brain. So my wise words for today are:

Connect
Be active
Take Notice
Keep Learning
and Give

I've done 3 of those things today (thanks to you lot for connecting) and I'm feeling more positive.

Cheers,
sackcloth.

ThinkingOfLinking

Truegho wrote: »

I feel I had to write again to say how utterly FED UP and MISERABLE I am feeling at present through being unemployed. The phone is staying silent EVERY day, despite my numerous job applications on many jobsites. I am not even getting any acknowledgements to my applications from ANYWHERE.

Honestly, I have never felt so low and despondent in my whole life! I am FED UP with Merseyside and its scarcity of jobs. I want to get out of this HORRENDOUS, SOUL DESTROYING rut! I just feel as if my whole life is passing me by.

And why the HELL are they saying on the news that recession may soon be ending, and that job prospects will improve? I don't know about any of you here, but I just CANNOT see ANY light at the end of the tunnel at all!

Are there any other people on here who are feeling the same bitterness and despair and dejection as I am? If so, I would really love to hear your experiences of the employers who NEVER reply and the recruitment agencies with their fictitious jobs.

To anybody who is unemployed, I really feel for you, as it is just the most MISERABLE, CONFIDENCE-ERODING predicament ANY poor person can be in!

Will it EVER end, is the question I keep asking myself?

Despondent Merseyside Jobhunter

It's not just you; I am in Merseyside and can't get a job either. My applications are largely ignored or rejected. Even Tesco won't have me, despite me having an exemplary reference from HMV. It's madness. It's making me low, anxious, stressed and depressed.