First time unemployed - need moral / practical support

Prosequimur

Hey all,

Apologies if this is out of place or off-topic (mods please move if so) but I need some advice about job hunting. I've never been unemployed long-term before - I got a full-time job straight after uni, worked there for almost three years, then moved from job to job until now.

I recently moved to Glasgow as my other half is doing a PhD here (she has funding, lucky thing, so at least I don't need to support both of us). I don't know anyone here and have had no luck getting any kind of job for the last three months. I've sent off around 30 applications so far and not even had a rejection.

My major problem is that I don't have an industry - I worked in hospitality and training before but I don't want to carry on working in that industry. However, I accept that I'm most likely to get a job where I have qualifications and experience - except that for the last year I've been doing unrelated things in a bid to find something I enjoyed more. My last job was on a theatre tour and my contract was terminated early since they "had chosen the wrong person for the job". This threw out my planning significantly and has made job hunting an extra challenge, as I am now a great deal poorer than I had planned to be, and suffer from occasional but often severe depression, which even when controlled by meds is set off by difficult circumstances such as this.

As I have never been unemployed before (a luxury I know!) I have done my best by applying for as many jobs as I can, but since I have no clear industry to apply to, no qualifications or experience enough for the types of job I am more interested in, and no contacts in the city, I am drowning.

I was wondering if I could ask for any practical tips for dealing with unemployment. Should I go to the JobCentre right now? Should I look at getting training for a different industry? Should I concentrate my job hunt in just one or two places or try and apply to openings from many? Ultimately, is it even worth applying to ads or should I try more focussed, speculative approaches? I know it's only been a couple of months but I know that it can take much longer to find something and I'm finding each day more and more of a struggle right now.

Thanks everyone :undecided

Gillyx

What I would say is make sure you are tailoring your applications to the specific jobs you're applying for, addressing the criteria they are looking for and making sure you cover all skills/experience asked for.

Oldernotwiser

I think that you need to get some substantial voluntary work experience in the area you want to work in if you're planning to have a major change of direction.
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I agree with tailoring your CVs and would make sure that you're using a skills based format so that you can emphasise the transferable skills that you've gained from your degree and previous career.