I have started volunteering, but still can't get damn job!

BigAunty

You listed your interests, as requested by a previous poster, but ignored the second request to identify jobs relating to them.

My understanding of JSA is that after a certain period, the claimant has virtually no discretion or choice in the roles they must apply for. So I take it you accept you have to knuckle down and get any job? The government don't care about job satisfaction. For them, all employment is good employment and they simply want to lever people off benefits and into becoming a tax payer.

Lots of people have dull jobs (I do) but find outlets for their creativity (think this is called 'self actualisation') in their spare time.

I know you have strong interests and passions but it does look like your options could be limited by what looks like a fairly comprehensive lack of skills, qualifications and experience in any area. You don't need to write yourself off but just understand that you can't parachute into roles just because you like them.

For example, you like psychology and have an empathy with those who experience Mental Health problems. So this could lend itself to your becoming a counsellor or MH nurse, for example. However, you are going to have to do this in baby steps over years which might start with GCSEs, relevant voluntary work, college classes in health or counselling, then perhaps an Open University or standard Uni degree so this could be 6-10 years away.

Or perhaps you move into a related role that requires less formal training, such as Care Home Activity Coordinator but you start off in a general care home role and build up to the activity coordinator role by volunteering to do this kind of thing at a care home or doing voluntary work relating to social activities for elders. This still may take years.

Currently you are in an emotional slump and a low income but there's still scope for you to do meaningful things with your time.

Tiddlywinks

Look - just accept that you need to get a job - ANY JOB!

The bluff and bluster about a preferred career is just smoke and mirrors.

You are not currently in a position to be choosy - be realistic and see this as a long game. You first need to start on the square marked 'go' and only then can you collect 'experience cards' as you move along.

Seriously - you need to consider getting professional help and support in finding and maintaining a realistic approach to finding a job.

All you're doing at the moment is rearranging the deck chairs while the boat is sinking.

missbiggles1

Hedylogos wrote: »

I tried that site before and the career choices were vague and unhelpful. I will take a look around the site again and see the careers list to try see what would fit me. It's tough deciding what to do for the rest of your life, especially when one has to focus on one or two things. What do you do missbiggles?

I was suggesting that you made an appointment to see a careers adviser, not just look at the website (although it does offer some useful tools). You're not supposed to just look at a list of jobs as though you're buying something from a supermarket.

I'm a retired careers adviser and FE lecturer (although I have worked in many other areas).

topaztiger1983

I took the first job that was offered to me and I applied for anything I saw, I only work at KFC but a job is a job

missbiggles1

Tiddlywinks wrote: »

Look - just accept that you need to get a job - ANY JOB!

The bluff and bluster about a preferred career is just smoke and mirrors.

You are not currently in a position to be choosy - be realistic and see this as a long game. You first need to start on the square marked 'go' and only then can you collect 'experience cards' as you move along.

Seriously - you need to consider getting professional help and support in finding and maintaining a realistic approach to finding a job.

All you're doing at the moment is rearranging the deck chairs while the boat is sinking.

Harsh, but oh so true.:)

torbrex

Tiddlywinks wrote: »

Look - just accept that you need to get a job - ANY JOB!

The bluff and bluster about a preferred career is just smoke and mirrors.

You are not currently in a position to be choosy - be realistic and see this as a long game. You first need to start on the square marked 'go' and only then can you collect 'experience cards' as you move along.

Seriously - you need to consider getting professional help and support in finding and maintaining a realistic approach to finding a job.

All you're doing at the moment is rearranging the deck chairs while the boat is sinking.

topaztiger1983 wrote: »

I took the first job that was offered to me and I applied for anything I saw, I only work at KFC but a job is a job

That was the reason for my question earlier but it was ignored.

If the OP wants a job, I could put them onto the company I do work for, its only a 'zero hours' contract but it would be a start and it might get them moving rather than just talking.

scooby088

Volunteering is good to get experience in any kind of work, but if you need a job any job will do for the time being, I'm afraid that if you are desperate for a job any job will have to suffice, you haven't got the luxury to pick and choose.

Tiddlywinks

missbiggles1 wrote: »

Harsh, but oh so true.:)

There's only so many 'there, there' posts that will help. This poster has been writing the same thing for over six months.

Lots of kind people offer advice but most of it is ignored or glossed over.

It's like someone saying they'd like a four course dinner tonight.... don't know exactly what they fancy but could someone bring them lots and lots of menus so they can have a ponder.... but they fail to realise that they currently only have the budget for a McD Happy Meal.

So, should we KEEP providing the menus, or should we point out the budget requirements? Followed with a suggestion that saving up could then mean that you can eventually get that special meal further down the line.

Time to get realistic I think.

Flyonthewall

Hedylogos wrote: »

I just wrote out a big reply to this and i tapped the wrong button and now it's gone! :mad::mad::mad: gotta rewrite again. I will write again and post it, including my interests too.

Ah dear So annoying when that happens!

Hedylogos wrote: »

I have many interests and it's tough to actually think of a main interest that i could pursue. When people leave college or uni they have a vague idea of what they want to do, so they go and study for it and graduate or finish then go on to that path. The thing with me is i have such an eclectic and vast array of interests and i am struggling to decide on what i find the most interesting to pursue. My interests include - Music, Art, Politics, History, Writing, Sports (football, boxing, tennis, martial arts/ufc, gymnastics), Travel and Cultures, Anthropology, Languages, Psychology (i have a deep, genuine interest in people and enjoy learning how people think), Health and general well being, Biology, Anatomy, Fashion, Technology, Cooking. I can't think of more right now, but i am sure there are more.

I have never known what i wanted to do entirely because there are so many different options to choose from. I guess if i had a gun to my head and was forced into making a decision on what i wanted to pursue, i would go with maybe Music because i have written songs before and would like to get into producing, as well as being a relatively decent singer (so i've been told) or Writing because it lets me express the wild imaginative world in my head space. However, i am starting to get into Politics and it's interesting to me, but i am a newbie to it all. Politics can be really confusing and overwhelming if you're new to it. I also enjoy learning about people, and have a strong interest in people so Psychology is interesting too.

If, Hypothetically speaking, a member here was a career advisor how the hell would you advise me of a career from the list above? Here is the thing, i would love to work in all these industries but it's impossible because for the majority of them you either have to have a high level education and qualifications or a lot of experience in the industries. Ideally i would like to try my hand in all these areas because i like to learn more about all these subjects. I guess my brain is a bit like a scatter gun, i enjoy many things and get bored with the same thing. Maybe i have some other undiagnosed mental issue, wouldn't be surprised because i am a bleeding hopeless case lol.

I'd say pick 3 you think you'd enjoy doing daily and google career options.

There are online career quizzes. Maybe try a couple of them. When I say quizzes, I do mean ones that ask you proper questions not what should your career be based off your favourite TV character or something like that lol.

Music
Art
Politics
History
Writing
Sports (football, boxing, tennis, martial arts/ufc, gymnastics), Travel and Cultures
Anthropology
Languages
Psychology (i have a deep, genuine interest in people and enjoy learning how people think)
Health and general well being
Biology
Anatomy
Fashion
Technology
Cooking

Looking at that list there's a massive amount of career options there and the possibility of combining some.

Such as writing about one of your interests. If art includes creating your own art then creating artwork on one of them subjects.

If music is one you really like then write a couple of songs and sing them. If you can play an instrument create the music to go along with the song. Even if it's only a really simple tune. You could also sing existing songs and do covers. You could then post it online. You could also write about music too.

While doing that search for people who may want a songwriter. Try the freelance sites. Maybe even look for new bands looking for a singer/songwriter/producer.

You could also do a music course at college.

You could look into teaching one of the sports you like, look to be an article writer for a magazine, write pieces for different magazines, write articles for websites etc.

With cooking you could start by doing a number of jobs and working your way up. Again, courses are an option (Vision2Learn do free courses and they have Nutrition and Health). You may find you start by just delivering the food or cleaning a fast food place or being a kitchen assistant or something like that. However, if you can prove yourself to be a good worker and show an interest in cooking they may give you a chance to get a job in cooking.

You have many options. The key thing is not to look at that all at once and panic over not knowing what you want to do. As I said, pick 3 and go through them one at a time and look at what career options there are. See what you like the sounds of and work towards it.

It may mean starting at the bottom and it may mean getting more qualifications, but that's ok. There's nothing stopping you and everyone has to start somewhere, plus you'd be earning.

missbiggles1

Tiddlywinks wrote: »

There's only so many 'there, there' posts that will help. This poster has been writing the same thing for over six months.

Lots of kind people offer advice but most of it is ignored or glossed over.

It's like someone saying they'd like a four course dinner tonight.... don't know exactly what they fancy but could someone bring them lots and lots of menus so they can have a ponder.... but they fail to realise that they currently only have the budget for a McD Happy Meal.

So, should we KEEP providing the menus, or should we point out the budget requirements? Followed with a suggestion that saving up could then mean that you can eventually get that special meal further down the line.

Time to get realistic I think.

I could introduce her to a poster on DT who's been posting similar excuses for over 10 years! Perhaps they'd get on?:rotfl: