I don't understand Part-Time Jobs

[VM-Ash]

Hi all,

I recently graduated from Year 12 (Hooray!) this year but I really don't have anything to do besides studying for learners (which I really don't care about; topic for another day), playing games and YouTube. But recently, thinking about part time jobs and job-hunting in particular has really made me mad for several reasons.

1. Part time jobs are crazy hard to get, due to how companies wanting younger employees so that they are paid cheaper. I tried finding part time when I was 17-18 but none were successful (ie. applying for maccas in 4 locations, 3 times. All of them turned me down)
2. Most of these part-times are either Retail or Hospitality/Labour jobs which aren't my sort of thing, very little variation in terms of industry topics
3. I worked casual at a Labour meat produce back in December 2019 for a month and while I didn't have any issues with other co-workers (pay was good), it really burned me out due to how fast-paced and intensive it was ( I did do work experience at a retailer and it was fine.)
4. The companies that I applied for, didn't give me any useful constructive criticism on how to improve my resume, CV and cover letters, leaving me feel useless, because I didn't understand what I did wrong or what I need to improve on.
5. Other people that are around my age are able to have part-time jobs no problem, while I feel isolated and out of touch.
6. Payment depending on shift hours, is questionable, as people get older, they tend to get less working hours and pay due to their age.
7. Employers want resumes and CVs, short and concise, making it hard to relate my skills to a particular company's interest

Thinking about jobs in general has made me infuriated with the world because of the reasons above. I used to have a slightly optimistic mind about finding part-time back in 2018-2019, but at this point, why should I sacrifice my time trying to find employment if companies don't give me direct feedback, work types that have little to no variation, mediocre payment and shift hours?

At this point, I gave up looking for part-time because it wasn't worth the effort for such a generic job. Why would I work and learn something that I have no interest in whatsoever, even if those skills were "useful" to me? Have I gone insane? Or am I just a laughing stock to those who are able to get part-time jobs?

Is it okay for me to have such malicious thoughts about part-time employment? I really want to be optimistic but due to these points above, I'm afraid that this hatred will not leave me anytime soon.

[Taylor-RO]

Hi @VM-Ash, congratulations on graduating Year 12! What an accomplishment, especially in 2020. You must feel so relieved and proud of yourself to be finally done. You have raised some totally valid points about the challenges of getting part time work. You may find a job that suits your interests and personality a bit more than others. However, my experience was that sometimes you have to do boring jobs (or jobs you don't like) when you are starting out to build up your skills when you are young. There is definitely a limit - you shouldn't work in a job if it is negatively impacting your wellbeing.

It is also more than okay to feel mad at the world because it is disappointing and exhausting to put in all that effort and not get a job out of it. Submitting job applications and changing cover letters and resumes is a lot of work and it can be disheartening when you don't get a response. It is important to recognise if feeling mad is taking over your life. If it is, it might be worth chatting to a psychologist to work through it. Is this something you have thought of doing before? I am also wondering if you have thought of getting in contact with a job agency that can help you locate work and also work on your resume? I am done a lot of work on my resume and cover letters over the years and it can make a big difference

[VM-Ash]

Hi @Taylor-RO

Thanks for your advice! I do meet up with a Psychologist every once in a while and he did recommend me an agency, WISE Employment, which is agency that helps those on the autism spectrum (like myself) to find jobs. Though the eligibility requirements leave a lot to be desired, as they don’t want people to study full time, which is what I want to do in TAFE in the coming few weeks.

I have searched up for some job agencies, but I don’t think those are targeted towards my age demographic, which is confusing since they don’t explicitly state they also help teenagers with part time employment.

I am worried if that I broaden my search for part-time, I may not be well knowledgeable in industries (i.e fast food) that I have no interest in. I’m also worried if my chances do get affected by a potential third lockdown due to the NSW border shenanigans.

I just don’t know what to do. I really want to find some form of reasonable, enjoyable employment but don’t want to be looked down by others or suffer from burnout or deteriorating wellbeing.

[Sophia-RO]

Hello @VM-Ash, I think its great that you are already seeing a psychologist for support and that they have been helping you with this. The eligibility of the agency does sound like it could be problematic for you as you are looking to study full time soon. Would there be anyone at the agency that you could talk to about this and explain your situation? I think it is understandable that you are concerned about job opportunities, hopefully things won't be affected and there are still some opportunities out there for you! I can also understand your desire to find an enjoyable job, as it can be hard when you are in a job that you don't necessarily enjoy! Is there a specific type of area/field that you are looking to work in?

[VM-Ash]

Hi @Sophia-RO,

Unfortunately I don't know anyone who works there directly. I want to be involved in theatre/music industry, which is a challenging industry to get into but I do want to build a career pathway even if it means starting small. Though I'm not too sure if companies are looking for part-timers (since I rarely see advertisements like that online) with the exception of volunteering/work experience and internships. I'm also a little afraid of travel distance since I'm not the greatest with navigation. 

[Sophia-RO]

Oh that sounds like an interesting field to work in @VM-Ash. It's a shame that there's not much part-time opportunities at the moment. Sometimes volunteering or work experience opportunities can be really helpful as they can help get your foot in the door and can sometimes lead to paid job offers. They can also help us gain experience or skills in the field that can be really helpful when it comes to applying for other jobs later on! Do you think it would be worthwhile trying to get a volunteering/work experience role whilst you are looking for other roles?

[VM-Ash]

@Sophia-RO Yeah, there's not much opportunities in terms of my particular field of interest. I am still thinking of volunteering (maybe during TAFE) but I definitely will need to do some more hunting and research online! I may need to find something a bit broader like a retailer (maybe, still not sure). I still haven't given up yet! I can't let my optimism for this year go down that easily!

[Taylor-RO]

Volunteering sounds like a great idea @VM-Ash! If you are interested in a career in music, perhaps you could start at a shop that sells musical instruments? It might expose you a little more to the field and you could also use it as an opportunity to talk to people who might have a lot of experience in the field (whether that is staff or customers). Just an idea though. I think it is great that you aren't prepared to give up yet though, that is an amazing quality to have

[squiggly]

I love your determination @VM-Ash! And I really feel your frustration at job searching, they don't make it easy. It took me 5 years after high school to find a job that ticked even half my boxes - but that doesn't have to be prophecy for you I have no idea if it'd be paid or volunteer or maybe either depending on where you go, but helping schools with their plays/musicals could be a great place to kick off your career! They generally need people to play instruments for a band, to do sound mixing and lights. They might have other roles too, so perhaps you could just call up and ask them if they'd have anything suitable for you.

[VM-Ash]

Yeah, it does get tough, but I think my optimism comes from researching in short bursts (if it makes sense). If I do get frustrated, I just focus on what I can do now to prevent myself from getting burned out (i.e hobbies, messing around with photoshop etc). I might be thinking on either commissions or doing something else online (in case if there is a potential 3rd lockdown due to other shenanigans such as the international borders opening up). Either way, I probably need to start practising my skills for some potential of work!