How Do You Cope With Unemployment?

cuthbertlilly

I've had periods of unemployment.
I find the best thing is to go "back to basics" and live as healthy a life as possible, i.e. exercising, good diet, getting out and about, setting a routine to simulate the working day.
there are plenty of free things you could do to take your mind off things, e.g. free day pass at a gym (Fitness First), visit an art gallery/museum, spend time in the park, as others have said voluntary work (great for both parties and extemely rewarding).

Please try to keep your head up and maybe volunteering will lead to a start somewhere as you make new connections.

best of luck.

Horace

I was unemployed from August 2007 until April 2009 - having a disability made it worse plus age seemed to be against me and it would seem that I was over qualified for jobs. PA jobs seem to ask for RSA II typing and when I would say that I had RSA III employers would think that I was mad:rolleyes:

It is demoralising going for job after job and getting knockbacks but you need to persevere and as others have suggested do a bit of voluntary work as it looks good on your CV and demonstrates to employers that you have some recent employment history.

Good luck - you will get there in the end:D

mizzbiz

I can understand how you feel to a point as I am in the same boat. However, barring having no money whatsoever, I am truly loving the free time. When you're working all hours you don't get a chance to read, go for walks, generally relax and do things you don't have time to do.

I spend my days really prductively. I get up at 7:30am with OH and have a coffee with him til he goes to work (fix his lunch etc). The I spend a couple of hours scouring the job pages - if I find something to apply for this is half my day gone already in applying.
If I don't find something, I go shopping so our weekends togetehr are free of domestic chores, I read, I surf on the net (and MSE which drains FAR too much time lol), I clean my house, we have some decorating so when I have time I do that, I play with my cats, I write spec letters, I go for walks, I excersize at home or go for a jog. Even though i'm uneployed I still don't have enough hours in the day.

In fact, the only thing that gets me down is lack of money. My mind is constantly whirring about business and setting something up but I don't have anything in mind that doesn't require investment/has too much competition/I can actually do!

Good luck with the job hunt and try to think of this as an extended (if very poor) period of holiday/free time.

mizzbiz

Happy_Girl wrote: »

I've been unemployed for 8 months now, and although I too get negative days, what I've done is to convince myself it is my choice to be out of work!

If you are unemployed, you will get heavily subsidised or free learning opportunities. I have taken 3 part time OU courses (fully funded), and have also just been accepted to study another part time course at College in the new term (heavily subsidised)

If you convince yourself you have chosen to take a study break, and use this time to brush up on, or learn new skills, your mindset will be that you are achiving rather than unachieving!

All of my courses are part time, so they will not get in the way when I do eventually get a job, but they will keep your mind active, and show future employers you have been proactive with your time out of work

Good luck!

I'm very interested in this. Can you still get funding if you are on contributions based JSA? My partner earns but not enough to pay for me to go to college lol (don't think he would be too impressed with that).

minerva_windsong

I haven't been unemployed that long (a little over two months, or a month - it depends whether you count from when I handed in all my uni work, when the uni term finished or when I graduated), but on the days when I'm not at my internship I spend it checking job websites religiously. I've got about five that I like to look at at least once a week, usually more, and will occasionally browse temp agency websites to see if there's anything good there. Then if I see anything good I'll save the application form and make a note of the deadline as I go along, and then start working on the forms later when I've got time to come back to them. Normally I'll have stuff to post that I've sold on Play.com so I'll walk into town to do that after lunch to get some fresh air and a break.

It is mind-numbingly depressing at times, especially when you're not getting any responses to your applications. I think I've applied for between 30 and 40 jobs since I finished uni and I'm starting to get a bit fed up of it, but you've just got to try and stay positive. Like someone said earlier, every 'no' gets you closer to the 'yes'.

skintpaul

I have been looking for work for ages, and its getting me down too. sometimes i feel like just staying in bed, to avoid facing the world.

My self esteem has dropped a lot, and hardly go out except for food or occasional bike ride just to get some exercise or i would go stir crazy, staring a pc all day looking for something worthwhile.

it has given me time to clear out a load of junk, and i may even repaint the place (freecycle is a godsend!), though it does take me longer to motivate myself.

here's a phrase that i remember from ?? - breathe in, breathe out- its free, and proves you are alive.. everything else is a bonus!

Happy_Girl_2

mizzbiz wrote: »

I'm very interested in this. Can you still get funding if you are on contributions based JSA? My partner earns but not enough to pay for me to go to college lol (don't think he would be too impressed with that).

To receive the concessionary price at your local college, you will need to be in receipt of means tested benefits, so sadly conts based JSA will not suffice

However, for OU, you can receive SOME funding if your household income is less than £30k.

Click on the link here for the area in which you live, and put your details into the support calculator to see if you could get any help http://www3.open.ac.uk/studyatou/apply/financial-support.shtml

The balance of your course fee can be paid by Clubcard vouchers (face value of voucher multiplied by 4 = amount OU will deduct from your course fee)

They also do some free mini courses, which might be of use? They usually take 4 - 6 hours and are completed online. Link for the free courses is here http://www.open.ac.uk/openlearn/home.php

There are a few business courses on there which I'm certain would decorate your CV nicely...

Giulliana

Regarding the people who make the nasty and unfeeling comments; wish them well, they'll hate it

Then block them.

KILL_BILL

People who make nasty comments like that regarding unemployemnet are just scumbags - i could call them other thnigs but i wont go down to their level

if you have got reasonable good health, a roof over your head and food those i think are the main 3 things

i also think that there are people who are in a similar situation to my self and those who are in a worse situation than myself.

El_Rey

Unemployment is not a pleasant experience. The only advice I can give you is to remain persistent. Don't let the rejection letters (if anyone bothers to send them) get to you.

I'd also set aside an hour or so per day to do some form of exercise. It makes you feel better and it also brings some structure to your day.