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Poor work history/mental health - what should I do?

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  • nimbo wrote: »
    I currently work for a drug and alcohol treatment agency. About half the people here have degrees and the others have a gaggle of different level qualifications.

    Many are In Recovery themselves. would you consider working with people who are In Need of recovery co- ordinators? It works for some and not others in recovery. I act as a key worker half my time - deliver group sessions and do assessment and work on the needle exchange too. Obviously different organisations do things differently

    You would need to be able to use a computer - they could teach you the rest. And have an understanding of cycles of addiction. I am paid just under 20k. The increments should take this up to about 23k but these have been frozen for about 8 years now. There are more senior roles in the organisation that I could aspire to if I wished. These would pay better.

    The work is not glamorous - and although qualifications are handy - not essential.

    Training - have you looked at places such as northern college. S. Yorkshire - they offer a range of courses short or other wise live in if you wish - taking up to nine months. Try a few and see why you like? Weekend courses are available in substance misuse fields as well as criminal justice type topics.

    People hired by the place I work are often people who have previously volunteered with the service and then get internal applicant only jobs. - they know the computer system and the style of working etc.

    You would need to know you would not be triggered seeing people in drink or drugs etc. It can be hard and if it would lead to lapses may be not for you. But it is an idea. So the volunteering may be a good start to see if you are able and like the type of role.

    Seriously, what is the point of offering this one, immensely specific thing that he "might" want to do, but which doesn't tick any of his boxes and probably isn't available to him?
  • How do people stay motivated when they are in situations like this? It's easy for people to say "just take any job" when they are working in their dream career and are financially stable, but for someone like me who wants a career he can be proud of/passionate about, it's very frustrating to deal with and comprehend.

    Very hard when the industry you want to work in snips you off equally, imagine that, couldn't and neither do I want to declare what I had done for 6 months of the last year as it's irelvent so not considered for the mighty financial services but of which I'm ok to be lent too, I refuse to make stuff up on my marketing tool that is my CV

    Afraid all my lucky breaks have come from others dismissals alone, the nay slayers on here will say a job doesn't leave you or depression doesn't set in when you are made to feel inadequate day in, day out but would certainly be wrong

    I own more than half my home and I've fought depression or rather it be the blues at times simply thinking how grim someone else has it, that's what seen me through, I'd rather that then let it engulf - quite sad I often enjoy my trips back to 2014 working in a sports supplement company which by far made me the strongest, when I thought I hated it just goes to show! in recent events it has given me the most enormous strength to carry on so yeah I think you should find your nearest as you can break free :)

    I don't know if you should slog away in a job you hate or where you aren't progressing, out of the sheer blackmail one day you could have this or that job - live for the moment, if you feel up to it some companies will give you feedback beyond their standard fare if you put your name to the request I've found
  • TBagpuss
    TBagpuss Posts: 11,237 Forumite
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    How do people stay motivated when they are in situations like this? It's easy for people to say "just take any job" when they are working in their dream career and are financially stable, but for someone like me who wants a career he can be proud of/passionate about, it's very frustrating to deal with and comprehend.

    It's just hard to accept that I don't feel like I have much of a future, and no matter how much someone tries to sweeten the deal, the future looks bleak as hell. Everyone else seems to have it so easy, on the surface at least.

    Well, most people are not working in their dream career. Most of us have to make compromises, whether it is working in less-then-stella jobs, or working in jobs we care about but which don't pay well, or jobs that pay the bills but don't inspire. And very few people get to *start* with their dream job.

    I think the other difficulty is that you have not give us many clues about whst type of profession, or even what general sort of thing you feel you could be good at or could find interesting.

    One approach is to sit down and make a list of what you see as your strengths, what aspects of the previous jobs you have felt you were good at, or enjoyed. For instance, working retail can be exhausting, stressful and thankless, but there were probably some aspects of it you liked better than most, whether it was being part of a team, having the opportunity to chat to someone and help them find what they needed- you don't need to be thinking of big, dramatic things, but the little things which meant it was a good day not a bad one.

    Look for patterns. If all the positives you come up relate to situations where you were able to (for instance) defuse a dispute between colleagues, or get an irate customer to cam down and let you resolve their issue, then that might suggest that customer service, human resources, people management might be fields you could look at, so you could aim for jobs which might allow you to work up to those roles -for instance, looking for junior admin/support staff roles, maybe move on to a PA role working in HR, and try for internal promotions or training.

    I'm not sure that fitness, films and games are interests which readily lend themselves to a wide range of jobs, and they are all things that a lot of people enjoy, so such jobs as there are will likely be very competitive, but again, think about *why* you enjoy those things? Then think about how that might translate into aspects of a job which you might enjoy.

    For instance, if you enjoy fitness because it allows you to set goals and to see visible progress, think about whether you might get similar satisfaction if you were working in a job where you had specific, measurable goals so you could chart your progress.

    Another issue is that although you want a 'professional' job with clear structure, not all jobs work that way - big organisations tend to have fairly clear structures and hierarchies, smaller ones are often more organic.

    One thing you could look into would be getting some secretarial/admin skills (voluntary work can help with this, and check whether your local college offers courses in business admin / secretarial skills).

    Good secretaries are worth their weight in gold, and then you can look to move on to wider admin / PA / Office Management roles, if you develop the right skills. And it is a very transferable skill, so allows you work in different industries. (Including, perhaps, those associated with fitness, films or gaming, eventually)
    All posts are my personal opinion, not formal advice Always get proper, professional advice (particularly about anything legal!)
  • daytona0
    daytona0 Posts: 2,358 Forumite
    Seriously, what is the point of offering this one, immensely specific thing that he "might" want to do, but which doesn't tick any of his boxes and probably isn't available to him?

    Well it would probably be the only job in the world where, under the career section, you could write something like:

    2005 - 2015 - Doing drugs and loads of temporary jobs

    Can't see McDonalds accepting such a CV :p
  • SomeRandomGuy
    SomeRandomGuy Posts: 72 Forumite
    edited 25 February 2016 at 11:07PM
    How do people stay motivated when they are in situations like this? It's easy for people to say "just take any job" when they are working in their dream career and are financially stable, but for someone like me who wants a career he can be proud of/passionate about, it's very frustrating to deal with and comprehend.
    ..................

    It's just hard to accept that I don't feel like I have much of a future, and no matter how much someone tries to sweeten the deal, the future looks bleak as hell. Everyone else seems to have it so easy, on the surface at least.
    I think reading this forum is at times quite de-motivational for those looking for work in challenging situations. There are some good suggestions floated, but it is often surrounded by "reality checks" which often feel like nothing more than put-downs to those on the receiving end.

    I've read this thread but I'm still not sure what are your skills, interests and hobbies. What jobs or careers do you absolutely NOT want and what specifically would be your dream job?.

    Comparing yourself with others is never helpful, especially as most people in these flashy jobs will not have experienced 10 years of poor health. I read your posts and I see quite a lot of black or white thinking, negative distorted thinking and a lack of confidence. For example most people do not have dream careers and are probably about 3 missed pay days away from disaster.

    "On the surface" is the key part of your last sentence - so many of the people strutting around with great sounding linkedin job titles; consultant this, project manager that, are actually up to their eyeballs in debt or working a zillion hours a week for what then amounts to an minimal hourly rate. Taken as a whole they are not necessarily better off or healthier than the dull admin guy next door earning 22k living in a modest flat driving an old banger.
  • nimbo
    nimbo Posts: 3,701 Forumite
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    Seriously, what is the point of offering this one, immensely specific thing that he "might" want to do, but which doesn't tick any of his boxes and probably isn't available to him?

    Asked for an entry level job which he was qualified for - check.

    Asked for a job that may have progression monetarily - check - just because increments have frozen in my work place doesn't mean they have been by all independent drug and alcohol treatment agencies. Also he could after several years apply for senior roles and then management roles should he wish. Services are very good at training workers. Makes up for the not so great starting pay.

    Asked for something that did not require a degree - check - he's even uniquely qualified - if he could see himself remaining drug free while working in a similar place.

    Asked for something not in retail - check.

    Asked for something not in a warehouse - check.

    Why would it not be available to him? I haven't promoted 'recovery r us' i've promoted 'drug and alcohol treatment agency' as a heading. There is usually at least one per town / city - often several if it's a larger city. Different functions are often separated out - meaning many different organisations win contracts. Making progression easier as you can move between different organisations at different levels after several years service.

    Personally I find specificity more helpful than - generalisations as I am more able to make a considered judgement about wether I would enjoy the work. So had I thought my role was going to solely needle exchange or groups prior to applying - I would have held off. Being enthused to deliver motivational groups all day having seen some of the heartache in exchange would have been too draining. Knowing there was one to one and assessment duty on the rota Made it more to my taste. Hence the detailed response - as a person in recovery he would need to make a considered decision if sitting in a needle exchange may trigger him - or prove to be difficult if he saw someone he used to use with in the service.

    The op came and asked for ideas that he would be able to access. My response although specific did in fact respond to this request.

    Stashbuster - 2014 98/100 - 2015 175/200 - 2016 501 / 500 2017 - 200 / 500 2018 3 / 500
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  • BigAunty
    BigAunty Posts: 8,310 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    nimbo wrote: »

    The op came and asked for ideas that he would be able to access. My response although specific did in fact respond to this request.

    I agree that your suggestion was constructive.

    Earlier I suggested social care/project worker roles with the vulnerable, wondering whether the OP would have an empathy for this type of community work due to their background and because other posters with taht kind of background have professed motivation to find employment in that type of role.

    Unfortunately, there are no positive signs that the OP is interested since they have a tendency to write off huge swathes of opportunities - public sector, health sector, retail, for a huge variety of reasons.

    I wonder whether the community role you have suggested will be considered. We'll see.

    I hope the OP can find their true path because he's not particularly embracing what is actually out there for someone of his background, skills, experience and knowledge, and is pinning his hopes on some kind of way to sidestep the most relevant opportunities. Good luck to the OP, though, he may have that lightbulb moment and then be on the right path with something the thread hasn't even raised yet.
  • Sncjw
    Sncjw Posts: 3,577 Forumite
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    Have you looked on vision2learn. I was training to be a nurse but had to leave due to health reasons. All my qualifications were health based so I did the free course in business and admin to boost my cv.

    I wrote on additional info although I don't have the experience I am willing to undertake training. Also by training me you have some trained to your business needs.

    Now I'm working as. Band 2 Clark and it's a foot in the door to be able to work elsewhere in trust if needed.

    I am deaf so it made it harder to get a job but I was pro active and worked hard to get this job. You need to sell yourself.

    Also within the trust I am able to complete an nvq as well and you can do various levels and the trust pays for it. There is a waiting list the NHS does allow you to develop your self you just have to grab the opportunities
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  • Sncjw wrote: »
    Have you looked on vision2learn. I was training to be a nurse but had to leave due to health reasons. All my qualifications were health based so I did the free course in business and admin to boost my cv.

    I wrote on additional info although I don't have the experience I am willing to undertake training. Also by training me you have some trained to your business needs.

    Now I'm working as. Band 2 Clark and it's a foot in the door to be able to work elsewhere in trust if needed.
    I am deaf so it made it harder to get a job but I was pro active and worked hard to get this job. You need to sell yourself.

    Also within the trust I am able to complete an nvq as well and you can do various levels and the trust pays for it. There is a waiting list the NHS does allow you to develop your self you just have to grab the opportunities
    Hi, it is nice to read a positive story for once!

    The vision 2 learn thing looks kind of interesting, is there a catch as it sounds a bit too good to be true? - I've just had a look and while the qualifications are only level 2 if one were to take business administration and say IT skills it would be something to offer an employer. The courses appear to be free and only 14 weeks long as well - perhaps a way for OP to dip a toe in the water and see how enjoyable studying is.
  • I don't post very often, but I am a regular reader and a couple of things the OP has said have stood out to me. I've skim-read the thread, so apologies if I'm repeating something or I've missed something.

    So does everyone here have a degree that directly landed them a job then?

    If you don't have a degree, how did you get to where you are now?


    I have a degree, a masters in fact. But it meant absolutely nothing when I graduated. I had to start at the bottom. I didn't even have an idea what I wanted to do - my degree is in modern languages, but there aren't many pure language jobs out there. So I ended up sitting behind the counter of a high street bank, which I found soul-destroying.


    A year later I realised I couldn't keep going through not wanting to be a quitter. I got a low-level admin job in an oil company - and very quickly reaslised this was what I was good at.In the 10 years since, my salary has tripled and I'm now a marketing manager. I work hard, and I'm good at what I do.


    The reason I'm saying this is because I want to make it clear that degrees can open doors, but they're not the be all and end all. My partner doesn't have a degree but it hasn't held him back.
    How do people stay motivated when they are in situations like this? It's easy for people to say "just take any job" when they are working in their dream career and are financially stable, but for someone like me who wants a career he can be proud of/passionate about, it's very frustrating to deal with and comprehend.


    I "just took any job" because I had rent to pay, and I hated it. However the clich! that it's easier to find a job when you have a job is true - I was earning and paying my bills, so I could take my time and only apply for jobs that I was properly interested in, rather than applying for everything I had a shot at.
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