Stuck in a massive rut. Some really good advice would be useful.

TrickyWicky

Hi

I'm in a pickle. I've been out of work over a year now after walking out the door from my last job due to massive spat over working conditions.

Before reading any further, I think its probably a good idea for me to tell you why I walked - hopefully some of you will understand. I worked for a PPC (Private Parking Company). Initially when I landed the job it was good money but they soon started making life severely difficult not just workwise but also financially in my pay. I won't go into the details and I won't name them but they are a very nasty bunch as I'm sure they probably visit here as trolls. The way these sharks operate as employers is even more crude than the way they treat the public.

My previous experience is also parking based. I would like to state, I NEVER WANTED to work in parking. I was in a serious fix and it was pretty much offered on a plate and I was basically forced to take it. Parking is boring, tedious, stressful, full of @r$ewipes and extremely hostile. Its been a total waste of many years of my life, caused me a lot of mysery and destroyed a lot of my confidence. I've hated pretty much every minute of it from watching the lazy ****s getting the easiest ride and reward, to being given **** for doing a honest job and putting in a lot of effort, parking has it all to offer to the honest and hard working. Once upon a time employers used to appreciate those who worked hard.. (and no that doesn't mean putting out tickets) but not in that industry.

I've not got much in the way of qualifications due to a screwed up start in life, lack of family (none), support and money. To put it bluntly, parking is actually the only field I have any qualifications in and it's a real sh!**y industry. One of the worst.. it really is. Needless to say I don't exactly have any appeal to employers. Once you've been in the parking industry for a few years you don't get job interviews - no matter how much you want to break out .

On top of this I've had severe depressive problems (years of it), some health issues which which make me unreliable for physical work and no other decent experience of use to anyone.

I've been checking out the job searches etc and there is just nothing. I'm struggling to stay sane and my moods are up and down daily. I really don't know how to dig myself out of this fix. Everything in my life seems to limit me from my health issues to my lack of opportunity/skills. The only few things I'm good with are negotiating with hostile people and calming them down (comes with being in parking), and computers. No IT qualifications have completely limited this as a new career path. The only jobs out there seem to require csps cards, SIA licences, this, that, tother, x, y or z. None of which I have or can obtain due to lack of finances.

So.. does anyone have any ideas what on earth I can do to dig myself out of this mess? At the moment everything is against me and I've no idea how on earth to get myself out of this and into work. I've had a few people suggest I setup a PPC myself.. the very thought sickens me.. I want to escape parking not dedicate my life to a scam thats the cockroach of our economy.

I'm open to volunteering but due to health probs I need transport to get there and I can't see anyone paying my fuel bill for the car. On top of that with my current depressive state I'm sure it won't take long for the negative thoughts of "my efforts aren't worth anything here either" to kick in. I really don't know what to do. I've been suicidal a few times and the police have been called round etc. I guess normally this is the kind of thing family help you with..

Any advice guys?

cali_

I didn't want to read and run ... first of all, I'm sorry that you've had a hard time that has resulted in you walking out. And from what you have written, I don't blame you.

(Just a quick one since it's 1.30am ) - Have you thought about checking your local colleges / websites to see if there are any courses that you can do to help gain qualifications which will help you focus getting employed in a different industry? Even starting off with GCSE? The following link is very helpful.

Direct Gov UK : GCSEs are the main qualification taken by 14 to 16 year olds, but are available to anyone who would like to study a subject that interests them. You can take GCSEs in a wide range of academic and 'applied' (work-related) subjects.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/QualificationsExplained/DG_10039024

Volunteering at your local charity shops will help you gain experience and will also help you with references to try and find employment within retail, for example.

Emmzi

There are hundreds of jobs that need no qualifications.

What are your health problems so we can avoid ideas that won't suit?

doodoot

Cali has given some good advice.

Contact your local college and ask about enrolling on literacy and numeracy courses - although they are usually a September start, some places also do January enrolments.

I've been depressed - and suicidal - so I know how it feels...you aren't on your own, so please don't feel as though you are.

I'm a good advertisement for picking yourself and making a new start - I'm 37, only have 3 GCSE's, no A levels and I'm in my final year at University doing an English degree...not bad for a high school drop out.

When I graduate I'm planning on studying for my maths GCSE and teaching assistant qualification next September.

What you need is something to work towards, and I reckon that increasing your qualifications is the way to go - it will also give you a goal, and some confidence and hopefully a better shot at those jobs that you currently see as being out of your reach.

Good luck :beer:

saintjammyswine

Agree with above but Literacy & Numeracy are usually rolling programmes so you can enrol at pretty much any time. Speak to your local FE College or a Next Step advisor. If the college cant help then they wil normally refer you to Next Step anyway as they give very good advice on training and careers (and its free).

Extra info: There is a new round of ESF (European Social Fund) funding being tendered out about now and this will take effect from about April 2012. This is likely to fund programmes for the unemployed & repsonse to redundancy which usually include CSCS cards, SIA licences and the like which are not fundable through the usual means.

Inflatable_Armadillo

Firstly, you should not be so hard on yourself for ending up working for a private parking company. The regulars on the Parking Forum know how private parking companies operate and they pull exactly the same trick they pull with the public on their own employees, it is indeed a nasty industry. I have lost count of the number of times I have chatted to private parking attendants (I know that you didn't do this yourself) and they have no idea what they are actual doing is just handing out speculative invoices that can't be enforced and that they are not really working in parking enforcement... the PPC uses all the same tricks on them they use on the public. They tend to go white when you talk to them and the penny starts to drop, and suspect I have talked several people into taking a little bit of a longer look at who they are working for!!! Unfortunately, the majority of people who start working for a PPC don't realise that they would be better signing a contract with the devil!

However, the bit that you can take away from your time with a PPC is your skill of dealing with difficult people. There are many legitimate industry's and companies out there that need people who are good at handing complaints (proper ones this time though... if you know what I mean ) and dealing with difficult people. I think talking a long hard look at genuine customer services opportunities could be a real avenue for you.

I think your CV could be key here. You need to make your skills the most prominent part of your CV and play down with whom you acquired them, so you get interviews. Put your previous employers details down last, don't lie, but be very sparse and give them only the minimum amount of info about them, they should not be contacting them without your permission and generally then only after you have had an interview. Once you are in there then explaining to them how PPC's work and how you got trapped by them, it would probably actually go down well if put across in a practised way why you like the work, but not working for a PPC. I think the fact that 70% of people fall for PPC 'parking tickets' is a good stat to explain how they fool the public, never mind their employees into working for them.

I think legitimate customer service and complaints handling opportunities, should be an option you look at.

Good luck!

PS. If you were to think about signing up under a new alias, we welcome ex-PPC employees with open arms on the parking forum. They give us much needed insider information on how the scam and scammers work from the inside!

TrickyWicky

Emmzi wrote: »

There are hundreds of jobs that need no qualifications.

Not around here

Emmzi wrote: »

What are your health problems so we can avoid ideas that won't suit?

I won't mention that online. I know my former PPCs troll these boards and I don't want to give them the satisfaction of knowing who i am or that I'm still out of work.

Inflatable_Armadillo wrote: »

However, the bit that you can take away from your time with a PPC is your skill of dealing with difficult people. There are many legitimate industry's and companies out there that need people who are good at handing complaints (proper ones this time though... if you know what I mean ) and dealing with difficult people. I think talking a long hard look at genuine customer services opportunities could be a real avenue for you.

The problem here (as mentioned in my opening post) is that companies simply don't even give you interviews once you've been in the parking sector. CS jobs just won't even give you the time of day yet alone an interview.

Inflatable_Armadillo wrote: »

Once you are in there then explaining to them how PPC's work and how you got trapped by them, it would probably actually go down well if put across in a practised way why you like the work, but not working for a PPC.

Thats just it, I can't even get interviews. Companies just don't want to know - it's harder than you realise coming from parking. It's not like any other sector out there. Secondly I didn't like the work. It was horrible, grotty and extremely hostile. Just saying "Morning" to the boss would see him reply with "F*ck*ng C*nt" on most days and the days would get progressively worse. I had to put the boss's phone number on ignore due to the phone calls I kept getting. Sure, having customer contact was great, most of the customers are real nice decent people who you could have an enjoyable chat with but the work itself was a misery.

Inflatable_Armadillo wrote: »

PS. If you were to think about signing up under a new alias, we welcome ex-PPC employees with open arms on the parking forum. They give us much needed insider information on how the scam and scammers work from the inside!

I've already been posting in the parking forums, been accused of trolling, now knowing my stuff (even though I have first hand experience) etc etc.

victor2

It's not an alternative to paid work for most people, but look into voluntary work a bit more. You can do up to 16 hours a week I believe, without benefits being affected. A lot of places will reimburse your bus fare or parking costs associated with being there.
I've done it for a few years now after an accident ended my career. Just being able to socialise with people and do something they appreciate is very rewarding. Through it, I've met some wonderful people. Do-it.org is a good source of available voluntary work.
In addition, it can give you some experience and indicates a willingness to get involved, all of which can improve your CV. Also, because you're an unpaid volunteer, there's no obligation for you to stick at it if for any reason you decide it's not for you.

Hezzawithkids

OP - sorry you are having such a hard time but I think there are some really constructive ideas on here, please don't dismiss them out of hand. I don't know anything about the parking industry but is it possible that you might be carrying just a teensy-weensy chip on your shoulder that's stopping you breaking away? I get the feeling from some of your comments "companies simply don't even give you interviews once you've been in the parking sector" and "not around here". Just a thought....

As others have already said, look at doing some voluntary work, it will do you no end of good with prospective employees.

Have you thought about Learn Direct? Their services seem tailor-made for someone like you who needs some basic qualifications and/or want to retrain. If you are on benefits the basic courses (Maths, English, IT etc) may be free, others start from £20. They are all online but if you don't have access to the internet you can go to one of their centres to study or go to your local library. (No I don't work for them by the way!)

Here's the info: http://www.learndirect.co.uk/

Don't give up hope. There are good people out there who will want to help you. And I know from first hand experience that, even if you have worked in an industry with such a bad reputation, just being seen to be doing something to improve yourself, gain additional qualifications and work your way out of it looks good to prospective employers. Hang in there buddy.

sweetilemon

If you are good at negotiating with hostile people what about something like a doorman for a pub/club. You do need a licence but if you found a position im sure you could request training. Can't think of anything specific but if you keep an open mind you'll find something! Dont worry too much about qualifications if you get back in employment you'll gain training and skills via your job. It can get you down as there is so much comp for jobs but keep trying and posting here for support. good luck

Louise03

Have you thought about support work for people with learning difficulties or similar? There are always jobs going and they like to employ people with "life experience". You would also be given lots of training and NVQ. I suggest this, as its work I have done previously and know of ex collegues who came into the work with very diverse employment histories.