Profile of someone likely to become long-term unemployed?

starrystarry

tomterm8 wrote: »

I could never work for mcdonalds or ASDA for example, because I am simply not fit enough - nor will I ever be - to do that kind of work.

How fit do you need to be to work in a supermarket? There's an older chap who works in our local Morrisons. He's a very large gentleman but he seems to manage perfectly well.

melysion

starrystarry wrote: »

How fit do you need to be to work in a supermarket? There's an older chap who works in our local Morrisons. He's a very large gentleman but he seems to manage perfectly well.

To be fair, you don't know anything about tomterm8ś circumstances or state of health.

starrystarry

melysion wrote: »

To be fair, you don't know anything about tomterm8ś circumstances or state of health.

Agreed, I wasn't implying anything. It just sounded from his post that anyone who was "old" or generally unfit couldn't work in a supermarket.

scooby088

melysion wrote: »

You have to believe you still have a chance though some long termer on here have found jobs

I am thankful now that I am working although only part time and not really ideal for my circumstances I am happy that I do have something to get up in the morning for.

Being a long termer you do need a bit of luck more than anything else really, being fussy when long term unemployed isn't a comfort you can afford so anyone saying cleaning toilets or nmw beneath them really need to wake up and smell the coffee because before you know it a few months can turn in to years.

tomterm8

starrystarry wrote: »

How fit do you need to be to work in a supermarket? There's an older chap who works in our local Morrisons. He's a very large gentleman but he seems to manage perfectly well.

You need to be able to work standing up for a full shift. I couldn't do that. I have post thrombotic syndrome after a massive deep vein thrombosis which almost resulted in leg amputation, I have lipodermatosclerosis which is the disease Dr House has on the american TV show and causes terrible pain after long periods on my feet.

After an hour sitting at a till my leg would swell up by upto 9 inches because blood flows down my leg but not up. If I were to do it regularly I'd get blood leaking out of my capiliaries causing a venous ulcer.

I amaze doctors regularly when they see what I can do and they compare it to the original prognosis which would be amputation within five years.

AP007

starrystarry wrote: »

Agreed, I wasn't implying anything. It just sounded from his post that anyone who was "old" or generally unfit couldn't work in a supermarket.

well here is an example in all my years I have never seen anyone in a wheel chair man a till in a supermarket, have you?

not saying anyone on here is in one but just an example

Horace

starrystarry wrote: »

I'm probably going to be shot down in flames for this but I do think that there comes a time when the long-term unemployed need to take a long hard look in the mirror to work out where why they've not managed to find a job.

I accept that there a tons of applicants for some jobs and that people are sometimes considered overqualified for certain jobs etc, but if folk are applying for hundreds of jobs and not getting a sniff of an offer they must be doing something wrong surely. There are plenty of example on this board of people who have been trying hard for months or years without success. And then you hear plenty of stories about people walking into a new job quite easily. Why is it so easy for some and not for others?

I'm not pointing fingers or criticizing anyone here, I just genuinely don't understand why some people can walk into a new job in a matter of days, even if they were sacked from their previous job, while others are trying for months or years.

How dare you! I have a brilliant CV, I have had interviews - one job I did not get because I did not know one particular internal policy inside out (in other words, they had earmarked the job for an internal candidate - they failed to make reasonable adjustment for my interview too). I was told by a prospective employer that I would not fit in with their team - I was older than the employer and her team were in their 20's so she wasn't going to want someone of 50+ in there showing them up.

Having a visual impairment puts me at the bottom of the pile where employers are concerned because they are fearful as they are with anybody who has an impairment. I will continue to apply for jobs.

I have no idea why some people can just walk into a job whereas I struggle because it is not from lack of experience or qualifications so it must be age and the fact I have a disability.

BTW I was turned down for an Asda job without even getting an interview because I was overqualified. The jobs market seems to be geared towards those aged 16-25.

BillJones

melysion wrote: »

Wee question for everyone this sunny Sunday afternoon. Do you think that there are certain types of people who are more likely to become long-term unemployed? Or is it literally just down to luck (or lack of).

Yes. People who won't take responsibility for their own actions, who resent authority, and who are poor at foregoing gratification now for gratification later are far more likely to be long-term unemployed than people who take the opposite tack.

GothicStirling

Anyone can become long-term unemployed. I'm a graduate, and up to October last year I was working for the Civil Service. My job was combined with another because of lack of funding, I had to re-apply for my job against another girl, and I was the one that lost out.

I've been unemployed for 5 months, despite applying for anything out there (cleaning, catering, retail), and I've had 2-3 interviews a week, but I was constantly being told 'you were our second choice.' Even my sister told me 'I don't know how you can put up with that level of rejection' (benefits of having worked in Sales.) Seriously though, my motivation was suffering, and I was beginning to think I'm 32 and no-one will employ me again.

Then unexpectedly, I was offered a seasonal position with Beamish (in Co. Durham) starting 5th April. It's a living wage, and it gives me 6 months to find something better.

starrystarry

AP007 wrote: »

well here is an example in all my years I have never seen anyone in a wheel chair man a till in a supermarket, have you?

not saying anyone on here is in one but just an example

I don't doubt for a moment that many people who are I'll or disabled couldn't work in a supermarket. But I think being in an older age group or just being generally unfit doesn't necessarily mean you can't do that type of work. If the employers will give those people a chance that is.