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how do you carry on?

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 JSA 25 Feb 2013
I've been searching for a full time permanent job now for nearly a year and there is absolutely nothing out there. I have applied for everything from shelf stacking to cleaning, anything would do but I can't seem to find anything. I've ruled out joinery now as 99% of the jobs out there are sub contracting through agencies(and I no longer have a car, had to sell it when we were running out of money). I have been driving but that's been part time and has dropped off from 3/4 days a week to 1/2 days a week.

I know I have to keep looking but more recently I keep thinking what's the point? why not just wait until something comes along.

I wonder if anybody else is in a similar situation? and how do you keep your chin up?
 blurty 25 Feb 2013
In reply to JSA:

Keep on keeping on mate, it's all you can do

where are you based? any possibility of moving (even weekly commute) to where the jobs are? I.e. the South East

Joinery: Tried (ahem) supplementing income with some cash in hand work/ small adds etc. (& I appreciate this is difficult without wheels)
In reply to JSA:

Can I ask have you got anyone who a) knows you and b) shortlists and interviews as part of their job.

Application and interview skills get rusty but unfortunately its not easy to tell from 'inside the house'. You need someone to look from outside.

The Job Centre don't necessarily know you well enough to dig out and reword those skills,experiences and qualities that make you more employable. You may need to get someone who knows how interviewing and shortlisting for jobs works to spring clean your approach
In reply to JSA: Forgive the highjack but for the sake of Gudrun or Chateauneaf Du Pape, and for the record, JSA seems to be someone who deserves state assistance and support until a role is found.

JSA, my sympathies. Have you contacted every agency around? Used all the job sites?
 Timmd 25 Feb 2013
In reply to JSA:

Have you tried sending your CV and any references off to companies and other employers with a covering letter, so they might have you in mind for any vancancies in the future?
OP JSA 25 Feb 2013
In reply to blurty:
> (In reply to JSA)
>
> Keep on keeping on mate, it's all you can do
>
> where are you based? any possibility of moving (even weekly commute) to where the jobs are? I.e. the South East
>
> Joinery: Tried (ahem) supplementing income with some cash in hand work/ small adds etc. (& I appreciate this is difficult without wheels)

No chance of a commute unfortunately, I would have to stay in digs and having a house in Yorkshire would be no better off(possibly worse off, but hey, I'll be one of the "employed stats" the government like to harp on about.
If I had a van then it would be a good possibility that I could commute weekly, sleeping in the van with my tools.

OP JSA 25 Feb 2013
In reply to idiotproof (Buxton MC):
> (In reply to JSA)
>
> Can I ask have you got anyone who a) knows you and b) shortlists and interviews as part of their job.
I know lots of people (Sorry. my dry humour ) but none who I know either shortlist or interview as part of their job. That said there have been a few Friends who have been very good to me and have even asked at their place of work if there are any vacancies.
>
> Application and interview skills get rusty but unfortunately its not easy to tell from 'inside the house'. You need someone to look from outside.
>
> The Job Centre don't necessarily know you well enough to dig out and reword those skills,experiences and qualities that make you more employable. You may need to get someone who knows how interviewing and shortlisting for jobs works to spring clean your approach

 browndog33 25 Feb 2013
In reply to JSA: Hi again mate, I've not had any substantial work now for about three months, despite (like you) working as a joiner for around 18 years before hand, in the last three months I have contacted around 180 builders multiple times via txt offering my services- the last time I did this I offered to work for £50 PER DAY less than I charged just a few years ago but still had no replies. I've also sent around 20 high quality CV's to companies advertising for joiners on the jobseekers website but not had a single reply. I've also been dropping off leaflets and business cards left right and centre for months and months now but to no avail, I've also had my leaflets and business cards re-designed and printed on high quality card and sent 50 of these out with a high quality letter which included my new website address to builders I hand picked off the NHBC website, 10 days later I've not had a response so today I've sent another 25 letters. the list goes on and on.
Keep your pecker up mate and I hope BOTH our lucks change SOON.
Mark.
OP JSA 25 Feb 2013
In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:
> (In reply to JSA) Forgive the highjack but for the sake of Gudrun or Chateauneaf Du Pape, and for the record, JSA seems to be someone who deserves state assistance and support until a role is found.

I have had a look at the thread, and decided to bite my tongue, had I not there would have been a good possibility I could have been restricted from posting.
>
> JSA, my sympathies. Have you contacted every agency around? Used all the job sites?

'm registered with lots of agencies but all the ones I'm registered with are looking for short term or sub-contract staff.
OP JSA 25 Feb 2013
In reply to browndog33:

Hiya Mark,
I keep seeing your posts and have seen you're in a similar situation. I think we've been well and truly bent over and royally shafted. Though the saving grace for my sanity is the knowledge that it;s not only me stuck in the unemployment mire, there are millions to keep me company.
 Gudrun 25 Feb 2013
In reply to JSA:
> In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:
> (In reply to JSA) Forgive the highjack but for the sake of Gudrun or Chateauneaf Du Pape, and for the record, JSA seems to be someone who deserves state assistance and support until a role is found.

Yeah JSA but remember he draws the line at beer and fags.

> had I not there would have been a good possibility I could have been restricted from posting.

Go on be a devil !
 browndog33 25 Feb 2013
In reply to JSA: Yea a bricky I was working with last Autumn has gone working in a factory on NMW due to lack of work and a very good painter I was also working with before xmas hasn't got a single job in ATM. I'm good friends with the senior quantity surveyor at a national £1bn turnover construction company and he's hanging onto his job by his finger tips (he's been working there for 40 years poor chap).
M.
In reply to JSA: You just need to get some purpose to your life. Just because you don't have a job doesn't mean your life is worthless. Learn to live off the little money you have, take pleasures in simple things such as taking three hours to cook your evening meal from scratch, fixing and keeping your kit in order, taking long walks or rides to your local rock.

I can't work for other people because I'm schizophrenic, at the moment I'm paying rent at, and working on my mates house. It's a bit of a bum deal for me at the moment but if his house sells and my Mam gets me a mortgage we're going to try and become property developers and work myself off benefits!

I also find smoking pot all day helps one escape the dull and repetitive existence most inhabit.
OP JSA 25 Feb 2013
In reply to shaun l:

Most of what you have said would be nice (other than the schizophrenia for which I wish you well, and the pot smoking(not me at all, don't even drink)). but I have a 15 month old daughter so look after her when not job hunting. I'm also trying to work my way into full time employment, though if I mentioned on here what it was the thread would probably be pulled lol.

Ps, it's nothing unsavoury, just that the mods wouldn't want me to try get free advertising on here
 Only a hill 25 Feb 2013
In reply to JSA:
Have you considered starting your own business?
OP JSA 25 Feb 2013
In reply to Only a hill:
I have, yes.
I have already started making a product and have a page on a social networking site, but I'm competing with established manufacturers and simply don't have the funds for advertising until I start selling my product.
 browndog33 25 Feb 2013
In reply to JSA: Can you advertise those lovely handcrafted (UK made) finger boards of yours on ebay mate? Or give one to UKC to review???
Mark.
 Only a hill 25 Feb 2013
In reply to JSA:
As I've discovered since starting out as an author, social media is all about perseverence, critical mass, and most importantly of all, quality content. Keep going and don't give up!

You have my sympathy ... I was unemployed in 2011 and it's hard when you can't seem to find much. Good luck.
 Puppythedog 25 Feb 2013
In reply to JSA: I wish I had some magic hint, I don't. I do however wish to wish you luck an dI hope your fortunes turn around.
If you are up for thinking totally out of the box and would consider care NHS Jobs website may be good for a look? If you want to talk off piste about mental health work I'd be happy to email back and forth.
OP JSA 25 Feb 2013
In reply to Only a hill:
> (In reply to JSA)
> As I've discovered since starting out as an author, social media is all about perseverence, critical mass, and most importantly of all, quality content. Keep going and don't give up!
>
> You have my sympathy ... I was unemployed in 2011 and it's hard when you can't seem to find much. Good luck.

Unfortunately for me i'm far better at making my product than I am about quality content on my page haha.
 CJD 25 Feb 2013
In reply to JSA:
> (In reply to Only a hill)
> [...]
>
> Unfortunately for me i'm far better at making my product than I am about quality content on my page haha.

You were going to send me some information... will mail through FB...
 Sleepy_trucker 26 Feb 2013
In reply to JSA:

You have my utmost sympathies JSA, in 14 years (Jesus, is it really that long!?) of being old enough to work, I've been unemployed for over 6mths three times, thankfully I've never had a mortgage or kids to worry about but I certainly know how the rest of it feels. I remember once the "advisor" suggesting I apply for a job as a class 1 hgv driver, when I explained that I didn't have the necessary license she said "well, apply anyway"! Come to think of it, I may not have been old enough to have the licence at the time!

I got a job just before being sent on a course to teach me how to apply for jobs (not that that's what I'd been doing of course!), they still made me do it - even though I had a job!!

Anyway, I got there in the end each time - hopefully that helps a bit, and I'm now a class 1 driver of all things. I really do wish you luck with your finger boards, I'd've bought one just to help you out if I hadn't just bought one! A cool name does seem to help with stuff like that too (if you've not already done that).

Keep your chin up, you'll get there
 boots 26 Feb 2013
In reply to JSA:
Where you based and are you a Joiner?
 Al Evans 26 Feb 2013
In reply to JSA: Makes a bit of a nonsense of the advice from Norman Tebbit.
""Get on your bike" was the advice Norman Tebbit gave to millions of unemployed people in the 80s.

He believed they should move from areas experiencing severe economic decline - such as the North East and parts of Cumbria - to places where work could be found, or found more easily.

Tens of thousands of people followed his advice, albeit unwillingly in many cases, and migrated southwards.

For many years, building sites, bars, restaurant kitchens and almost every other workplace in London and the South East were full of Geordie, Cumbrian, Scots, and Welsh accents.

All were internal economic migrants.

OP JSA 26 Feb 2013
In reply to boots:
I'm West Yorkshire based, I guess therein lies the problem and yes, I'm a joiner, unfortunately I had to sell my car though, so no way of transporting my tools I will have to start from the bottom again and work my back to what I once had. I'm not frightened of hard work, quite the opposite, if I don't go home tired I don't feel I've worked hard enough.
OP JSA 26 Feb 2013
In reply to Al Evans:

Unfortunately Al, moving elsewhere is out of the question in my trade, unless it's a full time permanent position I can find. Although, as I'v said above, if I had a van I would go anywhere because I would live in the back with my tools and come home at the weekend.
OP JSA 26 Feb 2013
In reply to Sleepy_trucker:
> (In reply to JSA)
>
>
>
>
> Anyway, I got there in the end each time - hopefully that helps a bit, and I'm now a class 1 driver of all things. I really do wish you luck with your finger boards, I'd've bought one just to help you out if I hadn't just bought one! A cool name does seem to help with stuff like that too (if you've not already done that).
>
> Keep your chin up, you'll get there

Cheers ST, I really wanted to keep the boards off this thread, unfortunately it's too late now.
New POD 26 Feb 2013
In reply to JSA:
> (In reply to boots)
> I'm West Yorkshire based, I guess therein lies the problem and yes, I'm a joiner, unfortunately I had to sell my car though, so no way of transporting my tools I will have to start from the bottom again and work my back to what I once had. I'm not frightened of hard work, quite the opposite, if I don't go home tired I don't feel I've worked hard enough.

You have Mail.

If the hourly rate is high** enough you could rent a car, and if the work is as a self employed freelance contract it would be tax deductable.

By high** I mean if you earn £70 a day for 10 hours, and the car and petrol costs you £35, you are making more than being on the dole.

Anyway, respond to my mail, and I'll try and think of a few ideas this evening.


andrew breckill 26 Feb 2013
In reply to JSA: Are you looking for the same type of work or will anything do? I can suggest things, but not shared your experience as I have never been out of work. If you are looking for other types of work, you need to present your CV in such a way as to get through the CV sift. This is were HR look at all the cv's and discard any that do not cover the key points of the job description in simple one line statements. So every CV sent out needs to be tailored to each job, so if it asks about team work, state worked as part of a team on x,y,z building site, if it says 'must be able to plan' state planned order of work to fit in with other trades, that kind of stuff. I am not in HR or out like that, but since I learnt who to apply for a job properly have never been out of work.
 thin bob 26 Feb 2013
In reply to JSA:
First: good luck and all the best to you.
Have a look at the civil service website: https://jobs.civilservice.gov.uk/company/nghr/jobs.cgi?
or building facilities firms, maybe? You might even be able to get (some) work at a boatbuilders or somesuch.

What's kept me (relatively) sane is volunteer work. Emmaus (furniture repair) might be worth looking at for now, also http://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/ for bespoke stuff?. Crisis.org and shelter http://england.shelter.org.uk/home help people into homes, perhaps some work there? Or housing associations.


I'm starting a job soon, totally not what I trained for or expected. I also got a driving qualification from charity work (unfortunately, the jobs didn't pay enough around here).

Yorkshire made me think of Catterick, the Army base. Any luck there? Or museums?

Mentally, the dole is awful. Gotta do some other stuff. You know what you can do, a joiner is a worthwhile and special skill. I really hope you get something soon.
 Swig 26 Feb 2013
In reply to JSA:

You have mail about fingerboards. And good luck with the job search too.

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