got a friend out of work and is a bit down trodden about it, what advice can i give?

fitnessguy1

my friend has been unemployed for a few years due to mental health issues and is feeling down about his chances of finding work. i did put in a word at work, but we don't need anybody at the moment.

what is the best solution for a long term unemployed person? he doesn't enjoy jobcentre and refuses to sign on. he doesn't need to sign on necessarily as he had an inheritance from a family member who passed away, so he is supporting himself with that and some savings.

he is perfectly fine to work now, and is entirely free of medication. the problem is, he often stays indoors and only when we meet up he'll come out someplace. i see a difference in him since being unemployed.

he claims he's fine, just frustrated with not being able to find work from all the applications he's sent out and the interviews he's been to recently.

i did suggest volunteering, but he says he wants paid work. he does have an interview this thursday. he has had customer service experience, but the problem is it was so many years ago that he can no longer get a reference or even provide proof of employment.

what would be the next best option? i was saying he could go around to restaurants etc and ask if they need kitchen staff for e.g.

littleredhen

I would seriously encourage him to do some volunteering even if only one day a week, also some tips here
https://www.totaljobs.com/careers-advice/unemployment-advice/tips-for-unemployed-jobseekers

JReacher1

Sounds like he doesn’t need money so doesn’t need a high paying job. Would he be tempted with working in a pub or bar? He could start with just One or two shifts and build up.

[Deleted User]

I live in a relatively small town who has just an average recruitment agency where you can register one day and be working as a warehouse operative (I'm sure this is position of the moment right now!) very next day. Same for pizza drivers/delivers. There is even a payday loan company in Suffolk committed to getting the long term unemployed into work, over other types.

You'll find employment is like dieting, something the person has to want to do for themselves. So anything said further would be a waste of time as I'm sure it will emerge they want a specific type of job, specific hours etc.

sangie595

If he's decided that he wants to do nothing but paid work, then there is no "next best option". He must have a fairly good idea why it is that he's not getting jobs after lots of applications - it isn't rocket science to work out that no recent employment experience, no recent employment references, no evidence of doing anything at all useful or constructive, and a history of mental health problems isn't going to land him at the top of any employers "must recruit" list. So if he doesn't want to do anything about that, then it would suggest that he's either not really sincere about wanting to work, or he isn't prepared to put in the time and effort required to make himself attractive to employers. Either way, you can't talk someone into those things. They either want it, or they don't.

nicechap

What about care work?
Delivery Person?
Taxi Driver?
Train Driver?
Gardener?
If he has any DIY skills - handyperson?
Hotel porter?
Supermarket assistant - lots of part time positions

fitnessguy1

JReacher1 wrote: »

Sounds like he doesn’t need money so doesn’t need a high paying job. Would he be tempted with working in a pub or bar? He could start with just One or two shifts and build up.

well he says he would do anything within reason because he wants to work. i know he has previous experience working in customer service, but those jobs seem to harder to get for him.

fitnessguy1

Deleted%20User wrote: »

I live in a relatively small town who has just an average recruitment agency where you can register one day and be working as a warehouse operative (I'm sure this is position of the moment right now!) very next day. Same for pizza drivers/delivers. There is even a payday loan company in Suffolk committed to getting the long term unemployed into work, over other types.

You'll find employment is like dieting, something the person has to want to do for themselves. So anything said further would be a waste of time as I'm sure it will emerge they want a specific type of job, specific hours etc.

warehouse is what i do. my company isn't recruiting anybody as an operative or general warehouse person at the moment though, which is what he would start as.

he said he would do that, but would a recruitment agency be able to find him work considering his situation?

i know warehouse/factory work is sometimes easier to get into if aren't well qualified (which i wasn't) but i don't know how they would handle his situation.

Diamandis

Call centres? If he's even got a little customer service experience then he would have a shot at that.

JReacher1

Diamandis wrote: »

Call centres? If he's even got a little customer service experience then he would have a shot at that.

They're not a great place to work if you have suffered from mental health issues.

JReacher1

nicechap wrote: »

What about care work?
Delivery Person?
Taxi Driver?
Train Driver?
Gardener?
If he has any DIY skills - handyperson?
Hotel porter?
Supermarket assistant - lots of part time positions

I'm wondering if there are any restrictions on train drivers who have had mental health issues. You've got hundreds of people's lives in your hands so I am not sure if they will have any special restrictions in place for people who have had previous had mental health issues.