Convince me to work

Gottagofast

I am a mid thirties male who cannot hold down a job. Not even a basic entry one. I have had more than 20 jobs, and have recently lost another one.

I am hard working, professional, and intelligent, i do not expect preferential treatment, i am always on time. In return employers have consistently let me down. The worst was last year when my firm laid me and over 100 people off as well to ship the jobs out to a third world country, and my last job was designated office scapegoat and blame toy for a new company with a very high staff turnover.

I have savings, can live on a budget, god knows that has been my life. My family disowned me several years ago. I have poured every fibre of my being into finding a job which can last, and i have consistently failed. It used to be my belief that hard work paid off and being an adult meant you had your own choices. Check out this sucker.

I want to know what i can do. I do not want to work until it is clear what the problem is. It can't simply be all about me. There is no sense to any of this, no pattern. I really think now that my bottom ladder social status prevents me from finding meaningful, reliable work, or being treated as anything other than disposable. But come on, convince me to come off the benefits. Tell me to pull up the bootstraps and get back on the horse. Hit me with all your platitudes and advice about volunteering. Let's do the funny dance again. I am so tired.

Guest101

Find a respectable employer - see if they are hiring jobs you are suited for.


Not being funny but 20 employers all have one thing in common - you. The problem (despite what you might want to believe) could be down to you.

Towser

Why don't you print off your CV 400 times and send it to 400 companies. This is what I did once. It is reckoned out of 100 CV's you get 7 interviews and one job offer. Out of the 4 job offers choose the best one. The trick is to write them all out in two days and send off all at once. Otherwise you will be getting job offers when you have one already. You need to send so many out because if you get cold feet about some employers you can pick and choose and not the other way around. Make it work for you. It is quite an investment but worth it. It has stood me in good stead! People have commented on how successful I have been. I recommend this to anyone and I will do it again if I need to. The hard bit is finding 400 companies but I just go through my industry directories making sure the companies are within 30 miles from home. It's just a case of statistics but you will get there. You have had bad luck that's all. Some people do let you down, fact.

Sure go ahead and volunteer if you need to. You could come up with some wonderful opportunities but if you need money go for first option.

Good Luck with it. I wish I was doing it all over again.

motorguy

Guest101 wrote: »

Not being funny but 20 employers all have one thing in common - you. The problem (despite what you might want to believe) could be down to you.

20 employers "disowned" the O/P and family too. I spotting a theme....

O/P you need to stop blaming others and circumstances and start to understand what makes you tick.

If / when you get another job, try to get regular feedback from your manager as to how things are going. 10 mins a week over a "what can i do better" coffee could help you a lot.

motorguy

Towser wrote: »

Why don't you print off your CV 400 times and send it to 400 companies. This is what I did once. It is reckoned out of 100 CV's you get 7 interviews and one job offer. Out of the 4 job offers choose the best one. The trick is to write them all out in two days and send off all at once. Otherwise you will be getting job offers when you have one already. You need to send so many out because if you get cold feet about some employers you can pick and choose and not the other way around. Make it work for you. It is quite an investment but worth it. It has stood me in good stead! People have commented on how successful I have been. I recommend this to anyone and I will do it again if I need to. The hard bit is finding 400 companies but I just go through my industry directories making sure the companies are within 30 miles from home. It's just a case of statistics but you will get there. You have had bad luck that's all. Some people do let you down, fact.

Sure go ahead and volunteer if you need to. You could come up with some wonderful opportunities but if you need money go for first option.

Good Luck with it. I wish I was doing it all over again.

Frankly i think thats a bad idea. Scatter gunning 400 employees will be very demoralising and doesnt help an employee "feel the love" that you're committed to working for them when they receive a standard letter.

I'd search for the jobs you're most suited for, and tweak your CV to suit.

Check the job boards twice, maybe 3 times a week, with an aim to find 5 jobs you've a decent crack at. Bump off a tailored CV and see how you go.

Thats how i handle it. I'm an IT contractor so can have to go through job hunting every three months.

Johnnytwostep

Gottagofast wrote: »

I am a mid thirties male who cannot hold down a job. Not even a basic entry one. I have had more than 20 jobs, and have recently lost another one.

I am hard working, professional, and intelligent, i do not expect preferential treatment, i am always on time. In return employers have consistently let me down. The worst was last year when my firm laid me and over 100 people off as well to ship the jobs out to a third world country, and my last job was designated office scapegoat and blame toy for a new company with a very high staff turnover.

I have savings, can live on a budget, god knows that has been my life. My family disowned me several years ago. I have poured every fibre of my being into finding a job which can last, and i have consistently failed. It used to be my belief that hard work paid off and being an adult meant you had your own choices. Check out this sucker.

I want to know what i can do. I do not want to work until it is clear what the problem is. It can't simply be all about me. There is no sense to any of this, no pattern. I really think now that my bottom ladder social status prevents me from finding meaningful, reliable work, or being treated as anything other than disposable. But come on, convince me to come off the benefits. Tell me to pull up the bootstraps and get back on the horse. Hit me with all your platitudes and advice about volunteering. Let's do the funny dance again. I am so tired.

Why, maybe you are one of life's losers, destined for a life of JSA and jezza Kyle.

fairy_lights

Gottagofast wrote: »

I am a mid thirties male who cannot hold down a job. Not even a basic entry one. I have had more than 20 jobs, and have recently lost another one.

I am hard working, professional, and intelligent, i do not expect preferential treatment, i am always on time.

Well..no, you're obviously not all that if you've lost over 20 jobs.

Mersey_2

It may be that you're more suited to being self-employed.


Even one of the 'Dragons' Den' millionaires had a similar experience - although I think he said a dozen jobs.

tomtontom

Gottagofast wrote: »

I am a mid thirties male who cannot hold down a job. Not even a basic entry one. I have had more than 20 jobs, and have recently lost another one.

I am hard working, professional, and intelligent, i do not expect preferential treatment, i am always on time. In return employers have consistently let me down. The worst was last year when my firm laid me and over 100 people off as well to ship the jobs out to a third world country, and my last job was designated office scapegoat and blame toy for a new company with a very high staff turnover.

I have savings, can live on a budget, god knows that has been my life. My family disowned me several years ago. I have poured every fibre of my being into finding a job which can last, and i have consistently failed. It used to be my belief that hard work paid off and being an adult meant you had your own choices. Check out this sucker.

I want to know what i can do. I do not want to work until it is clear what the problem is. It can't simply be all about me. There is no sense to any of this, no pattern. I really think now that my bottom ladder social status prevents me from finding meaningful, reliable work, or being treated as anything other than disposable. But come on, convince me to come off the benefits. Tell me to pull up the bootstraps and get back on the horse. Hit me with all your platitudes and advice about volunteering. Let's do the funny dance again. I am so tired.

Reading this made me feel miserable. Your view on life, your view on employers - miserable. If you can have that effect on someone in a few paragraphs just imagine the effect you have on those around you.

I think there needs to be a change in attitude here. I'm not suggesting life is all roses, but it's not nearly as gloomy as you make it out to be.

BrassicWoman

Why is it anyone else's job to "convince you"?

There are enough people wanting jobs who are convinced already; I would let them get on with grabbing the opportunities.

RuthnJasper

To earn some self-respect, if nothing else? My 9-5 job wasn't bringing in enough money so, instead of wallowing in self-pity I went out and got a second job.


It's exhausting, but at least I know that I am working to help my own situation rather than sitting around with a sense of entitlement and a persecution-complex.


Sorry OP, but you have to help yourself first sometimes if you want others to help you.