So tired of being unemployed - im at my wits end. What else can i try?

davidh025c

I agree with the idea's of setting up your own business, I have set up a p/t business in my area. With some hard work and grafting there are businesses you can set up, I deliver leaflets in my area and will soon have to take a person on to help me. By resourcing like taking your time to create professional looking flyers for your own business and delivering them yourself you can set up very cheap. There are various free online websites where you can turn microsoft publisher flyers etc into adobe pdf files and print them off, alternatively you can use someone like vista print etc. I did it all myself, with a good bit of success. Hard graft pays off. I walked around my town handing leaflets to store in person and although i got some negativity most people were at least slightly interested. I had enquiries before I got home and firm orders by the end of the day. It is hard work but worthwhile. Other business idea's if you want to get up and go could be dog-walking service's, party planning, googling the subject comes up with a whole range of things.

odesk is another good website to advertise freelance services.

Hope this helps

Sammyantha

davidh025c wrote: »

odesk is another good website to advertise freelance services.

Thanks David that helps me too

bendycarrie

When it comes to jobhunting you have to show any prospective employer that you really want to work. Volunteering is a great way to show people you are keen to be doing something with your time so if you aren't still helping at the charity shop see if you can get back involved with that. Also have a think about any other volunteer work you might want to do.
Most towns and cities have a volunteeer agency who help people find volunteer jobs, get them set up and support them in their volunteer work. They also support the organisations that need volunteers. They're really good at helping you figure out what you might want to do volunteer wise and can often help you find something you have never thought of doing before.
I can't post links as a new user but 'do-it.org' is a site where you can find local volunteer opitunities in your area. If you are only volunteering an hour or two a week try to get yourself doing a couple of days voluntary work at least as this shows employers you are really keen to work and looks really good on your cv if you are volunteering with more than one organisation, especially if they are in differnt areas of work as it gives you wider experience.

Have you thought about studying again?
You don't have to go back to college to study what you were before but any qualifications on your cv are better than none. If you only have GCSE;s then employers love to see that you have been keen to learn work-based skills and earned qualifications that will help you in looking for work as well as in work.

IT skills are essential for alot of jobs now and you can get nationally recognised qualifications for free if you are unemployed.

Learndirect have centres across the UK that offer IT courses and NVQs that will help build up your CV. google learndirect
They also offer advice on how to write a good cv, do a good interview, write good covering letters. I dont know if they still do but when I was really strugglig trying to find work and like you getting really fed up of it all I called them a few times and got some really good careers advice from them.

Also ask your job centre if they offer any courses for people who are long term unemployed. They arent the most thrilling but they will give you similar advice as learndirect.
Apply for as many jobs as you can. I know its really hard to keep getting knocked back but employers prefer to see people who have had 30 interviews in 3 months rather than just a handful.
Its hard for anyyone who is trying to find work right now but trying to find work when you have less experience and fewer qualifications than others makes it harder.
Don't give up and keep trying, there is something out there for you. You may have to just take some steps back and do some extra studying or rethink your direction.

After graduating uni I had a nightmare trying to find work for 4 years. I was ill which made it harder to convince employers to take me and my drs kept telling me that I shouldnt have been trying to work but being stubborn I wasnt ready to give up working yet. I only wanted 16hrs a week to get off benefits but even with a degree and over 10years of relevent experience I still couldnt get work in the same field Id worked in my whole life becuase I'd been out of work for a so long. The longer you are out of work, the more work you have to do to get that job. Its hard I know, but unfortunatly thats just the way it is now.
Also, in reality when you are starting off you have to be prepared to take jobs you might not want. We all have dream jobs we would love to do, and some of us finally get there. I had to work cleaning toilets, waitressing, washing dishes in a pub, and even dancing in a stripclub (thankfully I got to keep my clothes on and only lasted a few nights) before I finally got work in the Arts. There are jobs we all have had to do that we hated but its work and it eventually leads to better things. -I don't recommend any type of work that involves leering men.

You need to dust off your feet and get fighting for those jobs you know you can do and prove to the employers that they just need to give you a chance. I finally got offered a job 6 months ago after 4 years of unemployement but by that point Id finally become too ill to accept it. I was finally given the chance and thats all that I needed. And thats all you need too. Build your confidence back up, get yourself some relevent qualifcations, more experience and get out there and prove to people you desrve those jobs

good luck.
cx

bendycarrie

Ivy just noticed on your original thread your anxiety and depression (having a brain foggy day so didnt take it in the first time, apologies).
Is there a Shaw trust near you? They are a Job broker that work with people with disablities or long term health problems that make it harder of them to find work. They are particulalry good with people with mental health issues.
If not Shaw trust then you will probably have something similar. If not have you thought about contacting Mind? They are a mental health charity.
I know that when you start mentioning things like Mind all the stigma of mental illness blocks come up but they can offer lots of support and can offer great access into employment support that you might not get through the job centre. I know this becuase I went through this route myself when I was first diagnosed with my EDS (I have Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and hit a bit of a depression when I realised what that would mean for me as Id cared for my mum as a child as she has it).

Anyway Mind or any other local mental health organisations tend to great opportunities for volunteering and might have something animal related. They may even be able to get you into some kind of more relevent volunteer work. They are much more about getting you back onto the life path you want to be on. They helped me loads with getting me an interview for a volunteer resident artist position and I got the job!.