Are there any people here who've been long term unemployed?

dancingfairy

I know you want to change everything and don't know where to start. You possibly have lots of ideas and then put yourself off them and feel worse etc etc.
My advice would be to do one thing, whether it's zumba once a week or a crafting club etc. Pick something you think you will enjoy.your life is unlikely to completely change over night but just do one thing to start with.
It doesn't matter if your first job is stacking shelves or working on a cheque out for 10 hours a week. From there you might get say 15 hours then 20. Do not worry about it being a dead end job, anything is better than nothing to get you started. It's a means to an end to build yourself up, its not like you have to do the same thing forever.
Df

[Deleted User]

Hedylogos wrote: »

How did it make you feel?

People don't seem to understand how low my motivation and self esteem has gotten due to being out of employment. I am fed up of having to explain myself to them because they only understand "normal" mentality people.

I think you need to hook up with donnajunkie who regularly gets a pasting on here about unemployment.

I do understand. No different to people who are mucked about in employment, the job hoppers and losers shall we say, so it can go the other way, people also can find them difficult to understand : (

Everyone has their calling. You can go from 12 to 19k in a matter of months if you keep trying, not long after you took out that loan, visited that shop to sell processions - people would say I have a dead end job - fingers up I say, I love seeing parcels going onto vans and knowing I played a part! if you had told me that back last year, going back to stress at work was good, I wouldn't have believed it! what I'm also trying to get at is time makes a difference.

Get a pet? Could you look into fostering? baby/child minding for others? if unable to work, see someone always needs you.

DKLS

Might be worth asking your gp if they can refer you to a low intensity CBT service, it could be very beneficial, there is a growing evidence base to show that CBT can help get the long term unemployed back into work.

One way or another you need to acquire skills that employers want to pay for and to be blunt in your position you can't be picky, volunteer, start at the bottom and work your way up.
There are good jobs out there I just signed off for a new contractor on friday, paying £800 a day for a 9 month project.

tomtontom

Deleted%20User wrote: »

I think you need to hook up with donnajunkie who regularly gets a pasting on here about unemployment.

I'm not sure if you're joking or not - surely you're not suggesting dj as some sort of role model? :eek:

Deleted%20User wrote: »

Get a pet? Could you look into fostering? baby/child minding for others? if unable to work, see someone always needs you.

The OP can't manage to get a job so you're suggesting they are entrusted to care for a child on a 24/7 basis.

This is a joke post. Please, someone tell me this is a joke post!

pupgrum

tomtontom wrote: »

I'm not sure if you're joking or not - surely you're not suggesting dj as some sort of role model? :eek:



The OP can't manage to get a job so you're suggesting they are entrusted to care for a child on a 24/7 basis.

This is a joke post. Please, someone tell me this is a joke post!

Babysitting is a job nonetheless. You can also ask why would anyone hire OP in a supermarket?! If OP can't find a job surely he's not trustworthy or competent enough to handle cash.

Hedylogos

tomtontom wrote: »

We don't have a high unemployment rate in the UK.

OP you keep asking the same kind of questions over and over, and you are given the same answers. With all the support and good wishes in the world, the only person that can move your life forward is you. Booking to see a counsellor is a positive step, what else have you done to help yourself?

I don't know. I should have gone to the doctor sooner, and even though he is someone i feel i could confide in, i still felt reluctant to talk openly about my issues until now. I know i need to do something to move forward, i've been watching videos and reading a couple books developing my social skills etc and so i've been trying to speak to strangers when i am out to try improve that because i know that social skills will come in useful when going for any interviews or speaking to employers/customers etc.

I shouldn't repeat myself i know, but i take advice and then feel static and negative thoughts creep into my head again and again which holds me back. Tomorrow i am going to press the apply button for volunteering, there's a job in a charity shop stock controlling and i just need to do it and stop listening to negative thoughts and worrying about judgement from people. I have always put too much emphasis on what people think of me which is my downfall.

tomtontom

pupgrum wrote: »

Babysitting is a job nonetheless. You can also ask why would anyone hire OP in a supermarket?! If OP can't find a job surely he's not trustworthy or competent enough to handle cash.

You're comparing sitting on a till to fostering a child?

tomtontom

Hedylogos wrote: »

I don't know. I should have gone to the doctor sooner, and even though he is someone i feel i could confide in, i still felt reluctant to talk openly about my issues until now. I know i need to do something to move forward, i've been watching videos and reading a couple books developing my social skills etc and so i've been trying to speak to strangers when i am out to try improve that because i know that social skills will come in useful when going for any interviews or speaking to employers/customers etc.

I shouldn't repeat myself i know, but i take advice and then feel static and negative thoughts creep into my head again and again which holds me back. Tomorrow i am going to press the apply button for volunteering, there's a job in a charity shop stock controlling and i just need to do it and stop listening to negative thoughts and worrying about judgement from people. I have always put too much emphasis on what people think of me which is my downfall.

Is there anything to stop you applying today?

Hedylogos

HappyMJ wrote: »

I love not being in employment. I've not had a job for a very long time. Best thing I ever did was stop working for someone and started working for myself whenever I want for whoever I want.

That would be great to work for myself. I don't know the first thing about starting a business/becoming self employed though. Don't you also have to have some kind of skill to go self employed? You at least have to have a good chunk of money behind you anyhow, or get a loan from the bank with an idea in mind. I enjoy music and singing, but not really sure how i could transfer that skill over into a business though because i just have a singing voice with no background education in music.

BigAunty

Hedylogos wrote: »

That would be great to work for myself. I don't know the first thing about starting a business/becoming self employed though. Don't you also have to have some kind of skill to go self employed? You at least have to have a good chunk of money behind you anyhow, or get a loan from the bank with an idea in mind..

For those on JSA, there's the New Enterprise Allowance scheme that offers mentoring to help develop a viable business plan, that pays benefits for a time until the business gets off the ground and which offers a low interest loan.

There's also the Princes Trust that offers similar business start up support for young people.

Also, there are many businesses which require little or no start up capital because they require very little in things like tools, skills and equipment - self employed cleaner, dog walker, pet sitter and so on. There will be websites dedicated to suggesting low or no capital self employment opportunities.

Obviously, one issue you need to address before going down this potentially stressful (but also potentially rewarding route) is your health and well being issues.

At the moment, your confidence is so low, and your decision making so compromised, that this could undermine your attempts at self employment which requires a lot of drive and planning.

This, I think, is your main barrier rather than lack of capital. I mean - you have been unable to do quite simple tasks like apply for voluntary work so are you capable of researching a business, marketing it, dealing with clients and the paperwork like accounts and taxation?

I don't mean for you to dismiss it as an option, just that if you dive in suddenly and then hit a minor set-back, you may lose your nerve and withdraw, and hurt your confidence even more. However, if you get mentored and supervised, rather than diving it, this is good, as you get a measure of potential risks and how to deal with them.

Hedylogos wrote: »

I enjoy music and singing, but not really sure how i could transfer that skill over into a business though because i just have a singing voice with no background education in music.

I have no idea how you can transfer that interest into paid self employment positions, though most people in the creative industries are self employed.

There are lots of college courses to learn performing but very little stable employment for their graduates but it could still be worth looking into, if nothing than to get you out of the house, engaged in something that you are passionate about, meeting people.

Alternatively, you find regular employment (despite you considering it dull, low paid and so on) and this will allow you to pursue your interests as a hobby - pay for singing lessons, buy and learn an instrument, meet like minded people in community music events. There's nothing wrong with having a passion that has no commercial return.



In terms of paid work for singing/music - becoming a drama/singing/music coach - there are lots of drama clubs for children that are run either independently or as franchises? karaoke host? busking?