Job Hunt

[Waiting]

I have been looking for a job for 15 months without success. It gets do depressing at times. Just struggling to look through jobs is a task. I have to fight the urge to assume I am not qualified or will simply not get the job and simply not bother to apply. Day after day after day it is hard.

I am a skilled IT analyst, but my experience is in a relatively narrow field that will not hire me due to my firing due to discrimination. I worked at my employer for 20 years. I never received negative documentation. I won awards and yet I was fired and now work is almost impossible to find. I do have some work upcoming, but it is part time. I have a few interviews trickling in now, but generally they find others who have experience that is more applicable.

It is just a tough struggle.

Waiting

[LaLa]

Hi, Waiting,

I'm unemployed now, too, and have two friends in a similar situation (we are all around 30 y), so I can relate to your feelings... My situation is different mostly in 3 ways: I'm unemployed only from september, not so long. I'm in this situation because I have to write my PhD thesis (after 4 years of PhD study when I failed to do so), but I have problems with it (it's in other threads...). And... I can't decide what I'd like and be able to do; it seems that all possible jobs are unavailable for me. I know; I'm too negative and 'there must be a job for me somewhere', but... I can't see it.

I don't know why I'm posting this here. I'm in a quite fine mood now, as a member I'm communicating a lot with (SomethingOrOther) posted some good news today, but at the same time I'm a bit sad, too.

Wish you good luck!!!

[Waiting]

Hi Lala3,

I am sorry you are unemployed. It is not fun. I understand about your negativity, I share it often with myself. Sometimes sadness is weird like that and it comes when we think we should be happy.

Thanks and good luck to you as well. (and your friends)

[Luna-]

Waiting (and Lala) I am sorry to hear of this tough struggle. I'm also unemployed, for close on 2 years now. I stay afloat financially with the help of family, but it is embarrassing, at age 49, to be doing this; I feel ashamed to admit it. I am either over- or under- or incorrectly-qualified for jobs I have come across.

What I've found terrible is how badly it has eroded my self-confidence, have you found that too? The longer it goes on, the less confident I feel about my abilities. I'm starting to get the idea I'm not worth hiring and I know it's not true but when you haven't done anything in a long time you begin to doubt. Are you finding this, Waiting?

[Waiting]

Hi Luna-,

Thanks for your support. I am sorry about your situation. I am 47 so we are close in situation.

I am doing fairly well with my self-confidence in terms of my ability to do jobs, but sometimes I feel I will simply never get another job. On to of my situation is fact I now have a criminal record as I broke bail conditions. Being that my experience is with organizations where this is important it makes me feel less confident.

I am sure you will get a job soon, the economy is certainly playing a big part in your inability to find work.

Waiting

[Luna-]

Is there any way to adapt what you have? I mean in terms of qualities apart from your knowledge. Like are you organised or good with attention to detail - that sort of thing? What I did was also specialised and there is no longer such a job where I live. I am going to have to do something else and have been trying to think what kinds of other work I could do.

My complicating factor is that I really have to try not to get into a too-stressful work situation. The adverts I see often say you must be "able to function under pressure and multi-task" - that is just asking for a relapse, for me. But I have to be careful of using that as an excuse. With my loss of confidence I fall into the trap of thinking there's nothing that I can do anymore.

Lousy place to be, for sure.

--

So what else might you be able to do, do you think?

[Waiting]

Hi Luna-,

Pretty much all of my skills are adaptable and there are lots of jobs in my field, but with the market somewhat cool still, it is a employers market if you will. That means they can be pickier about the experience of Analysts. That means unless no one is qualified with the experience I will be second banana.

I am sorry about the limitations you are under. That must make it harder, but you will find something!

Well I am a professional with a lot of experience and so am not ready to switch careers yet. There is also some possibly I will get my old job back via human rights, but that is obviously going to take time.

Waiting