unemployed - How do you structure your day?

Tygermoth

Ok left my last job last Friday and was due to start my new job on Tuesday. After my leaving do I picked up a voice mail advising me the role I was about to start had been put on hold. So i am now unexpectedly unemployed on JSA

So this week I have hit both the web and agencies hard. However today I have run out of things to do.

I get up at 5am (as that’s when the OH leaves for work) and would normally get up as i need to feed all the animals. I pop next door to check on their cats as they are away. Come back make a cuppa and then check my four main websites for jobs.

I try, if I have the skill set they are asking for, to apply for a min of three a day. I will do a tailored cover letter and then also tweak my CV to highlight the relevant skills I have for the role. This normally takes me up to ten.

Then the day just drags.

I workout (at home, can’t afford the gym)The house is normally tidy anyway and I did the deep cleaning like the oven and the fridge on the first day. Curtains, bedspreads windows on the second, skirting, switches and the porch yesterday.

I got the sewing machine out today in desperation for something to do and altered some clothing and repaired some bits and bobs.

In an attempt to make my time more productive and me more employable I looked in to courses – nothing available to me in this area. (loads if I was 16-24)

Volunteering – (in not so many words) JSA advised they frown on it when you are ‘new unemployed’

So fellow unemployed people, what do you guys do to improve your chances – what extra do you do? How do you structure your day?

westv

Tygermoth wrote: »

Volunteering – (in not so many words) JSA advised they frown on it when you are ‘new unemployed’

Go see what's available for volunteering. If the JC complain then go tell them to swivel on it. You can volunteer and job seek.

ILW

Gin is good.

Treehugged

Most days I'll do my aerobics before taking myself and my laptop to the library and fill out job applications and search for jobs, or write. The library is huge, has free wifi and a decent cafe. I'm usually there from around 11 to 5-ish and if I'm on a roll I'll stay there a bit longer.


Oh and I volunteer a couple of days a week unless I'm on a temp job.

getmore4less

Look for support groups that can help with job seeking skills.

Start networking everyone you can think of even those that left to go work elsewhere, phone them and ask if they know of any work
(a lot of jobs never get advertised)

check the websites of all the local companies, not all will use agencies and other traditional means to advertise positions.

Get out of the house every day, daylight is good.

Make sure that the OH has nothing to do so you can use the evenings/weekends to do things together.

There are a lot of self teach things online if you have a good look around.

phill99

Unemployed people in my area gather outside the job centre drinking Special Brew and swearing while comparing tattoos.

getmore4less

Oh I forgot, spend time looking how to cut costs.

review the budget all utilities insurance etc.

Find out when the local supermarkets reduce stuff.

think of all the stuff you buy and how to get it cheaper or not buy it or cheaper alternatives.

Look for deals on things you do, like vouchers for nights out meals shows etc.

You might have done some of this before but now you have more time if you can't think of job seeking things to do.

see if you can fit in a holiday if OH can get ime off, so you can focus on work once you get a job.

Is there anything you wanted to do but never had the time...

duchy

Just structure the day like a job. Job seeking CAN fill the whole day if you are motivated enough - Colleges are about to go back -are there any courses you could do at a local college that would improve your skill set (and network too) or just learn a new skill for pleasure. Maybe allocate some time to entering competitions every day ? Write reviews for review sites ( don't think the amazon vouchers they give you count as income).

princessdon

I am not suggesting that this is the case personally - BUT may be relevant.

Have you thought on brushing up on english and or maths?

They are short courses - free to all and available everywhere.

It can be of benefit (if it was a while since you got GCSE etc) and gets you out, meet new people, JC support it and can lead to other courses at the college.

Clearly if there is no need then please ignore

I am not in the same position - but I work term time and my children went to my parents for 3 days - I really stuggled to fill my day, I have no idea how people do this day in and day out without work/children to fill it up.

aliaslotte

I treated it like a job.
I would search and apply for jobs, plus attend interviews and meet with agencies, from around 9am until at least 5pm. Then I would cook the dinner and do some housework.

It wasn't exciting, but I felt like I had to try as hard as I could. After teaching practise [7am-5pm at school, then a good 2/3 hours of work at home each day], the shock of doing nothing was hard lol!

coocoo51

If you don't already have a degree try Open University - they lead you gently into study and you would probably qualify for assistance with fees if unemployed - it takes a long time but it kept me sane -when I was kicked out of work because of disability I graduated this year.