Soul Destroying Job Seeking

A question about : Soul Destroying Job Seeking

Hi am a mature university graduate and have been looking for a full time permanent job since I graduated 3 years ago. My degree doesn't correspond to any particular job, and in the busy job seeking market that doesn't help. The only experience I had in the previous 4 years to graduating was being a student. When faced with large amounts of younger more specialised qualified job applicants, I believe employers dont give me a second look.

Trust me in that I am able to tailor CV's and application forms to particular jobs, I have had some interviews but still nothing. As is the usual tale these days, I often dont even get replies from applications. The closest I got was last year getting an interview for a place and then not getting the job but being offered to work there on a casual contract anyway. I have been there ever since averaging 20 hours a week but of course not guaranteed. I figured that I'd gain experience in the place and when another full time job came up I'd be best placed to be qualified to try to get it.

At the end of last year I did apply for a full time job that came up for a job that part of which I do on a daily basis. I got an interview but apparently tons of external people applied too and one young whipper snapper got the job and I am forced to work with him now! I did feel like I wonder why they let me do their donkey work at my place of work when I'm not good enough to get a full time contract there, but of course being negative doesnt help so I grin and bear it.

Now another job has come up at work for a position that I do on a daily basis and never have any complaints. I have heard other casually contracted colleagues say they will also apply for it, and am sure as usual hundreds of amazing external people will apply too. I have to look at the folk that I know who will apply as well as me and think Why would I get the job over them? and I cant think of a reason. We all do the job and its honestly easy enough for none of us to perform badly. So it will be down to personality? Quality of interview? I mean seriously the job will hang in the balance of me remembering and quoting the exact wording of the company's mission statement, when I actually fulfil the mission statement perfectly on a daily basis?

I have not had a long term full time job for seven years now. Am 41 years old and have less and less confidence every time I get a knockback of not getting a job, not getting an interview, not getting a reply for an application. These things REALLY take their toll and honestly make me a little less of a good candidate every time they happen. I have no idea how to get out of this circle.

I have a degree, but with no academic work for three years now, that it getting less relevant (not as if it is relevant to anything anyway!)
I will do any job, but I'm 41 - I kinda dont want to work constantly with 19 year olds in a minimum wage job where I have no contract!
I'd really rather not work EVERY weekend, and I'd kinda really love to just work daytimes. I know beggars cant be choosers and that is too much to ask.

I have extremely low self esteem. I really hate that I have to totally pretend that I am happy, grateful just to get paid for ushering customers and wiping tables, and stay looking positive so that I can beg for a full time job doing exactly the same thing. I just really grudge being put into a competition up against the nice people who are also applying for a job, making us criticise each other in the passing about who will or will not get the job. Then I'll just be forced to work along side the lucky person who gets the job and TOTALLY pretend I am NOT humiliated beyond belief.

I guess I just want to know that I am not alone in this weird vicious circle of not getting a job and feeling low about it which then in turn makes me seem a worse candidate for the next thing I desperately apply for. Thanks for listening anyway.

Pablo

Best answers:

• Have you got any basic admin skills? If not, consider getting yourself to evening classes to get some. Then try to get a job with your local council. Even with the recent cutbacks, there are still plenty of opportunities.
  Use a professional (but free) CV checking service. I know you said you don't need help, but they might have some ideas to make your application stand out.
  Consider voluntary work within an srea you are interested in. My daughter is looking to move from retail and the Prison Service. Two very different roles - have you considered a really drastic change?
  Are you getting feedback from each failed interview? If so, try and use that to improve - using additional training if necessary.
  It is tough out there and a shame you've wasted so many years getting (what appears to be) a pointless degree. There is still time though, you just need to refresh your thinking and applications.
• Yeah I have admin skills as I have got a university degree in the modern day. My course work, research, even accessing lectures was all done using information communication technology. I have applied for every local authority around as some sort of admin worker, and I continue to do so whenever they appear. I haven't ever been given an interview. Those jobs all seem to be temporary but I apply for them none the less.
  I am working in the industry I would like to be in. I'd also love to have time to volunteer elsewhere but am having to keep myself available to work in my zero hours casual contract job. Sadly the money is the most important thing for me to try to keep my head above water.
  I get feedback as much as I can from every interview I have been to. The gist of it is - there are better candidates. I have looked at and changed my opinions, my choice of job, the way I fill in applications etc etc so many times I dont know what way is up. It has been three years of looking for work. Honestly.
• Have you applied for graduate schemes?
• It can be frustrating and difficult I understand. First of all, many companies would prefer internal candidates over external ones given that they are at equal skills etc.
  What was the feedback you got apart from better candidate? As it is not really a feedback. It is obvious that there was someone better and they got the job but more specific reasons.
  Not sure what sort of degree you have but can be a vicious circle , I have witness around me as well.
  Sometimes you need to go for a job/sector you don't want as well.
• Not sure why you're discounting Civil Service if you're applying to local authorities. Have a look at this site - https://www.civilservicejobs.service...g2OGU3NjVhNw==
  Also not sure if you know but the Myjobscotland website for local authority jobs changed recently - I missed out on a couple of alerts as you need to re-register - https://www.myjobscotland.gov.uk/
• OP what job would you really love to do? Look for adverts for that role, see what you don't have and make it your mission to get the skills, knowledge, certificate etc that you are missing. Without wanting to sound negative about your degree, if it isn't linked to a particular job, you need to get a professional qualification too.
• I suffered from depression & anxiety, but I have a job now and I feel much better (it's only NMW in a fast food restaurant, but it's a job), I am 31 and some of my shift managers are younger than me, but I am going for a promotion to SM in a few months, also its zero hours too (not had less than 28 hours a week)
  Sometimes you gotta take a risk to reap the rewards
• I have graduated from uni and had to change sector due to health reasons and I was looking at admin as I feel I have transferable skills. Why not volunteer get some skills down. In your uni course did you do placements or extra circular activities. If so think of the skills you developed there and put in cover letters or additional info these skills and how you could use these in that job. I done this in regard to ICT skills saying ive used them in personal, working and academic life. Think of the skills you use every day but don't notice have a good think.
  When putting in applications you could indicate you don't have any experience or knowledge but willing to undertake training, also say why training you would be good for business. I put that they will have someone trained specificly to their buisness needs.
  I've been looking for 6 months now and managed to get a job offer after 4 interviews in different places. It is possible but you need to sit and think what have I got to offer. Maybe you could do a lower goal for now to make it a step to where you want to be.