Whats the worst thing about being unemployed to you?

ch-ch-changes

It was nice to look through a thread where people in a similar situation were sharing thoughts on the topic. It's not always easy to talk about with friends and family about it - not that they wouldn't understand or be helpful.

I for one was finding it helpful, being out of work can be very isolating, sometimes it just helps to be reminded others are in the same boat

There was absolutely no intention on my part to label everyone who is employed as unsympathetic, and I don't think anyone else was either.

Saturnalia

marybelle01 wrote: »

So all you unemployed people are fed up of everyone else labelling you as dole scroungers. You know what? I am fed up of all you uemployed people labelling us people in enployment as labelling you. I happen not to think that being unemployed = scrounger, and maybe I am weird, but I don't know anyone who does think that, Which doesn't mean that there aren't scroungers. But it's somwhat rich you all calling us in employment for making assumptions about what we think.

Yes, being unemployed isn't fun and isn't easy. Perhaps if you didn't start a new thread to whinge about it every day, whilst simultaneously raining on rveryone else parade by telling them that there is no hope for them, you might find some more positives in life.

If you could take your strawman, your rudeness, lack of logic, attitude problem
& your lack of reading comprehension elsewhere, that would be positive alright.

ktothema

I was made redundant in February whilst on maternity leave. Fortunately I have some money from that so the lack of money problem isn't so bad for me. But I've worked hard for 15 years so I decided to sign on whilst now looking for part time roles. The thing I'm finding hardest is having 15 years experience! I can't get through recruitment agents as "I'm too qualified" for the roles that are out there. Or just being ignored for roles I know I'm totally perfect for. It's so down heartening. I can really see why people get trapped.

And then having to deal with the people at the job centre who think you're obviously not trying. You sit there with them going "15 years of constant employment at multiple companies and you seriously think I don't know how to prepare a cv, write a covering letter or conduct myself at an interview".

SnowyOwl_2

For me it's the lack of money - I have time but no cash and there's not much which is free. I am also not immune to people assuming that I am lazy, but when people ask what I do I tell them what my profession is. If they enquire further (nosey beggars!) I say I am between jobs for the moment. I try not to label myself as "unemployed" as if it were a choice I made.

Horace

For me it is the lack of money, the lack of work and the depression that has set in as I now have low self-esteem:( I was made redundant in 2007 and was forced onto JSA and managed to set up my business which I ran until last year - picked the wrong trade basically at a time when the recession really hit and no-one was spending any money. I was forced onto the dole in September as I had run out of savings and had nothing to live on:(

I have been on courses - upgraded my CV and applied for hundreds of jobs, the jobcentre have said that I am doing everything that I can to get a job (backed up by evidence books). What annoys me are the folks that turn up each fortnight - sign the book and then leave (in and out in 5 mins) who never show an evidence book or talk about looking for work:mad: Yet, there is me, doing what I can to find work and either getting a knockback or worse still no communication at all.

I have been told by some employment agencies that I am unemployable but I do have an appointment with an agency next week with a view to finding some temp or temp to perm work as I feel that that is my only chance of getting any form of employment.

Seems that no-one wants a PA with 20+ years experience, who can use her own initiative (as demonstrated by self employment). I think that I am now not getting selected because of age and disability:mad:

I constantly worry about money - I rarely go out and certainly don't have a social life, never have a holiday either.

scooby088

There is also the stigma of long term unemployment, most employers and agencies think that because you haven't had a job for any amount of time you are unemployable, for me i find that truly bizarre as most working practices don't or haven't changed for years.

falko89

scooby088 wrote: »

There is also the stigma of long term unemployment, most employers and agencies think that because you haven't had a job for any amount of time you are unemployable, for me i find that truly bizarre as most working practices don't or haven't changed for years.

I'm starting to think I might actually be unemployable, I only have 1 skill that's not transferable and the construction industry is dead in the water.

wantsajob

scooby088 wrote: »

There is also the stigma of long term unemployment, most employers and agencies think that because you haven't had a job for any amount of time you are unemployable, for me i find that truly bizarre as most working practices don't or haven't changed for years.

I think it's more a case of that they would choose someone who had been employed in the last year, over someone who had otherwise. But I suppose in that respect, you become unemployable as you'll always be last choice on the list. Perhaps it's also assumed people who haven't had a job in x years are lazy, or out of practice with the whole work thing.

People on here suggest volunteering is the magic way out of this black hole, but I never found it helped. I wonder if employers like to think you're a sucker and can be walked all over. Something that volunteering can never prove.

tsimehC

wantsajob wrote: »

People on here suggest volunteering is the magic way out of this black hole, but I never found it helped. I wonder if employers like to think you're a sucker and can be walked all over. Something that volunteering can never prove.

I'm going to have to slightly disagree here, having left uni with no work experience, I did a long stretch of volunteering with a local charity based on sports and young people. I eventually managed to get seasonal work then later use the experience to get a temporary role in local government (too bad the funding ran out after 18 months). Back to square one now but now I can't see how volunteering will help but the gap in the CV is ever-growing. You're right in the sense that some employers will think you prepared to work for nothing or little reward but the right opportunity may lead to a better outcome or at least give you some value of self-worth. It definitely doesn't solve the money problem (sometimes it can make it worse depending on what sort of role you're doing) but I found it solved the other social problems people mentioned here.

Horace wrote: »

For me it is the lack of money, the lack of work and the depression that has set in as I now have low self-esteem:( I was made redundant in 2007 and was forced onto JSA and managed to set up my business which I ran until last year - picked the wrong trade basically at a time when the recession really hit and no-one was spending any money. I was forced onto the dole in September as I had run out of savings and had nothing to live on:(.

I'm sad to hear this, I think I pm'd you a couple of years ago about your business (weddings was it?). I get suggestions all the time from former colleagues to start up a business but it's not ideal in this climate and it's not like it's free or a small cost to start up. Hope something works out for you soon.

evilsquid1603

Thank you for starting this thread! I've been feeling like i was all alone. all my friends have jobs - I'm the only one in this situation now.

i'm another one that has slipped into depression because of unemployment. i also hate the fact every day is the same, you cant afford to go out so just stay in, i've put on 3 stone from a combination of comfort eating, only being able to afford cheap and highly processed food, nothing better to do than snack and not getting out anywhere because i cant afford to leave the house. i lived in manchester city centre and just going for a walk meant seeing people who had jobs and getting insanely jealous/angry or seeing all the things i wanted to buy or do and couldn't.

i have 2 degrees (a science and law, both 2:1) and have passed the legal practice course with distinction yet i appear to be unemployable. haven't found a job in the 6 months since i graduated and its not for lack of trying.

the one thing that's annoying me most is just not hearing back from people. if its a no, i want the no so i can move on and try something else but you just get a deafening silence where you don't know. i hate having my hopes dashed by realising its been weeks so it's probably a no now. also means i have no feedback as to why its a no so i have nothing to go on to improve for next time.

i also get "have you tried supermarkets, bars etc?" from the job centre and know that when i do they see the word "degree" and bin me straight away. i only apply to them now so i can write it down and say to my "advisor" i applied when they ask me, haven't head back from a single one I've tried yet!

i also hate being left to languish by the job centre. they know nothing about the graduate market and especially nothing about the Legal market. i spent the first 4 months of my claim explaining to every single person what qualifications i had and i still have to explain to them what a Training Contract is, why a Paralegal is different to "admin" and "receptionist" and why i can't be a Law Costs Draftsman.

i hate the feeling of having to justify myself to someone who knows nothing about me. to me, i feel like I'm begging for money and justifying why i should get it and I'm terrified that one week they will use their powers and just say "no money this week!" and i'll be left skint with no money for food and bills. the "advice" i get is also useless, just "admin", "bar work", "shop work" and their new thing of "why don't you start your own business?". i looked into it, they basically offer me jobseekers for 26 weeks (13 weeks at £60 and 13 weeks at £30 a week) and a £1,000 loan. how can you set up a business from scratch on that in 26 weeks? how deluded was the person who dreamt that one up?