I feel like I have no option but to lie about my work experience. Please help!

Savvy_Sue

It is also worth pointing out that volunteering can lead to paid work. For example, many charity shops employ some staff, and while volunteering is no guarantee that you'll get the job, in some cases it's a definite advantage.

username901

For agency work make some crap up, you've been travelling, caring for a relative, took up being an artist at home, travelled playing chess semi professionally etc. Then once you've got a few jobs under your belt, you can cut down on the crap.

amandacat

From an employers prospective a 10 year gap is the red flag because it shows you could leave them quickly because you’ve either not needed to work or not wanted to work. Personally if I was interviewing someone the mental health condition would not influence my decision it’d be the risk that the person has been able to manage for all that time financially with no job so I’d worry they’d leave us quickly so that would be the risk for me.

While lying isn’t necessarily the right thing to do, being inventive with the truth may be your only option eg. Perhaps you didn’t work for 10 years because you were a full time carer for a relative...

I back the volunteering advice given, this will give you experience and will show commitment, as well as a work reference.

GangBusters

amandacat wrote: »

From an employers prospective a 10 year gap is the red flag because it shows you could leave them quickly because you’ve either not needed to work or not wanted to work. Personally if I was interviewing someone the mental health condition would not influence my decision it’d be the risk that the person has been able to manage for all that time financially with no job so I’d worry they’d leave us quickly so that would be the risk for me.

While lying isn’t necessarily the right thing to do, being inventive with the truth may be your only option eg. Perhaps you didn’t work for 10 years because you were a full time carer for a relative...

I back the volunteering advice given, this will give you experience and will show commitment, as well as a work reference.

Appreciate the advice but I actually have a job now! Full time temp position in a warehouse loading and unloading lorries. 12 weeks to start and if I do well they might keep me on for another 12 weeks :T

Sea_Shell

Excellent news!!! Well done!

Huggy_Bear

DaveBullock_ wrote: »

I highly recommend getting into volunteering - to an employer this looks really good and shows you are willing to give up free time for nothing and go the extra mile! worked wonders in my case when looking for a job.

I'm another one to advocate volunteering, you'll be surprised how much you can use this experience within applications and the people you volunteer with will be able to give you a reference after a period of time.

ThemeOne

That's very good news OP. Was that via an agency?

GangBusters

ThemeOne wrote: »

That's very good news OP. Was that via an agency?

Yeah, I applied to 4 different warehouse positions with 4 different agencies and one of them decided to give me a shot.

username901

Good for you, well done.

Gavin83

GangBusters wrote: »

Appreciate the advice but I actually have a job now! Full time temp position in a warehouse loading and unloading lorries. 12 weeks to start and if I do well they might keep me on for another 12 weeks :T

That's great, glad it's working out for you. I wish you the best of luck in your new role.