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Unemployment - staying strong, struggles, tips

I am currently struggling with unemployment and was wondering how many of you out there are in the same boat Smiley Happy

 

I think it would be cool to have a place where we can discuss tips for interviews, where to look, resumes/cover letters, staying strong, success stories or just general struggles!

 

1. What helps you to stay strong and positive and maintain hope?

Trying to not take it personally because recruiters recieve 10000s of applications - the competition is fierce. It's not that you aren't "good enough", it's that there are many other suitable candidates and you were unlucky this time. The truth is we can't know what was happening behind the scenes - your application might not have been read and the person who was successful might know the manager. 

 

Knowing that others are in the same position as me and that many people have eventually found jobs through a lot of persistence.

  

2. How do you succeed in group interviews?

I have been in many group interviews but have never been successful - any of you people out there who have been chosen out of 100+ candidates please share some wisdom with me Smiley Wink

 

3. Where do you search for jobs?

  • Asking friends if their workplace is hiring - this tends to be the most effective method
  • Seek (however in my experience these are always group interviews and recieve 100s of applications)
  • University CareerHub websites

 

May_
May_Posted 30-09-2016 07:56 PM

Comments

 
ErinsAntics
ErinsAnticsPosted 18-10-2016 04:18 PM

Unemployment sucks big time! I left my last job due to anxiety (when you have a psych and a doctor telling you to leave for the sake of your mental health you leave) and have been unemployed for 7 months. It sucks as I have to be super picky with what jobs I apply for due to my anxiety, here are my tips for making it easier:

 

VOLUNTEER - this has majorly helped me and it gets me out of the out house and helping people. I am currently a ReachOut Youth Ambassador and loving it 🙂 I do stalls, help run events and get to fundraise for a charity I love. I am also a youth mentor at my local youth centre so I do that every 2nd Thursday night. So many places need volunteers and its super rewarding. The follow places always need volunteers:

Youth Centres

Retirment homes

Op shops

Animal shelters (bonus you get to hang around cute animals!)

Churches

Schools

Seek even has a volunteering section now on their website, plus it looks great on your resume.

 

Pick up some casual work - I have been lucky enough to get 3 hours a week taking out a girl with Down Syndrome and again I get out of the house and its some extra cash. Maybe you could ask around and see if anyone needs any babysitting or something?

 

Learn a new skill or hobby - it could be anything (gardening, baking, craft, woodwork etc.) and with youtube you can learn just about anything online.

 

Check Seek/other job application sites regulary- I have a couple of saved searches on Seek that I check every day and apply for any jobs straight away. The key is to apply for jobs as soon as they come out that way you have better chance of being noticed.

 

Let yourself cry/feel sad/feel annoyed - its ok to feel hopeless and get it all out as long as you just keep moving on. You will eventually find work but its ok to feel sad about being unemployed.

 

All the best for you feel unemployment people lets hope we all find work soon 🙂

 

 
 
May_
May_Posted 18-10-2016 08:13 PM

Thanks for all your responses @Chloee @N1ghtW1ng @ErinsAntics!!

I have been looking for a job for over a year so it's getting pretty difficult to keep trying haha. At this point I would work for any amount of money doing literally anything for any amount of hours 😛

I've been applying to volunteer things too but even for that the competition is fierce - volunteering places are starting to have group interviews now - I've heard lifeline does. Although I'm so happy to be a builder at ReachOut! 🙂 I've also volunteered at a school and an op shop (my dream is to volunteer at an animal shelter!).

How did you get involved as a ReachOut youth ambassador and where did you find your casual carer position @ErinsAntics? My ideal job right now is child care or some form of carer position but all the ones I've seen advertised require a drivers license and car 😕

I definitely agree with your point about applying for jobs as soon as you see them because I feel like if you apply late they probably won't even get to your application - although sometimes this can be hard if you want to make your application really good!

 
 
 
ErinsAntics
ErinsAnticsPosted 19-10-2016 11:19 AM

Long story about the ReachOut Youth Ambassador! So I have always had anxiety and during unemployment you pretty much apply for any job you can do so I applied for a position at a law firm of all places (it was part time and junior admin so I figured it was worth a shot) and for some reason got an interview and got the job. I lasted 3 hours there (pretty much thrown in the deep end, lawyers are scary and law firms and anxiety don't mix) so I went back to my psych and after a couple of sessions she told me I needed to challenge myself, the next day an ad from ReachOut popped up saying they need Youth Ambassadors in my state and i applied and got in! It's been such a fun experience and I love how its challenged me while also knowing I have the support of the RO staff 🙂

Since then I got a job which I thought was my dream job but struggled with it so much that I needed to leave and now I am coming up to 7 months of unemployment (part 2).

 

My younger sister has Down Syndrome and one of her friend's parents decided that her friend needed to get some exercise and asked if I wanted to do it (she actually created the job for me). It's private so I don't need any formal training and it was just a matter of knowing someone. In the past I have done work for some of my sisters other friend's and its great having the extra cash. I have only done it since having a car and license though and am unsure how long I will keep doing it as the girl I care for is proving to be rather difficult at the moment and its mentally draining!

 

I find if the job has a selection criteria then you have the full amount of time until it closes if it just requires a cover letter and resume then your best to apply for it soon as possible. I have a cover letter which covers most positions I apply for (admin/customer service) and I just switch out a few words here and there and I am good to go. I have a great employment agency (which is disability one as mental illness is considered a disability now) who are more than happy to go through job applications before I submitt them and help me when I need it so I use them to my advantage.

 
Orchid
OrchidPosted 04-10-2016 01:58 PM

This is a great post.

I am trying to get back into the world of employment. I have been raising my son for the past 4 years and before that I hadnt really had a long term job.

Thank you for making this post as it has allowed me to see al the different strategies that people use and I myself can now use.

 

1. What helps you stay strong and positive and maintain hope?

I have a very strong support network and have people telling me all the time that when a job that truly suits me comes along then I will get it. Just believing in myself and realising that I really dont have the experience that employers might be looking for helps me to not take things personally. All good things come to those who wait.

2.How do you succeed in a group interview?

I actually went on my first ever group interview last week and I found it extremely confronting. I enjoy talking about my successes and all the things I have achieved personally but when confronted with people who have actual experience in the field you are applying for it can be quite daunting. You always have it in the back of your mid that of course they are going to pick people with the appropriate experience rather than having to take the time out to give you proper training. I did not get the job I was applying for but one of the other applicants were so impressed with the volunteer work that I had been doing that they invited me to be an inspirational guest speaker at an organisation they volunteer for. So even though I was unsucessful in gaining employment, I still came away with a sense of achievement.

3. Where to search for jobs?

Everywhere.

Anyone I know in the professional world, I ask them to keep an ear out for anything they think I might be qualified for. I have also signed up to Seek and regularly visit that.

 

 

@May_ Im not sure if this will help you but just writing on the post and reading the replies gives me the strngth to continue you the journey towards employment. Knowing that there are poeple out there going through the exact same thing makes me realise I am not a failure. Thank you for that

 
 
May_
May_Posted 04-10-2016 06:04 PM

 

@Orchid Yeah that can definitely happen at group interviews - feeling intimidated by other's experience. I went to a group interview once for a retail job and I had never worked in a clothing shop before and some of the other candidates had been store managers for years!!

 

Wow congratulations that's a great outcome! And well done on all your volunteering Smiley Very Happy

 

I'm glad that this thread has given you strength and thanks for sharing Smiley Happy Are you still looking for work now or did you end up finding something?

 
 
 
Orchid
OrchidPosted 04-10-2016 07:23 PM
@May I am still looking for employment, on the internet job hunting right now. FINGERS CROSSED I come across something
 
 
 
 
May_
May_Posted 05-10-2016 07:05 PM

@Orchid good luck!

 
 
 
 
 
May_
May_Posted 15-10-2016 01:17 PM

hey guys so I just went off applying for jobs at cafes and everyone has said they aren't hiring....I don't know how I can go through this again (last year I applied for approx 100 jobs and only got 3 group interviews where they were interviewing 100+ people and I got really depressed because of the constant rejection). Just wondering if anyone is in the same situation? Smiley Indifferent

 
 
 
 
 
letitgo
letitgoPosted 20-10-2016 09:24 PM

@May_ job hunting is one of the most frustrating things in the world!! I feel your struggle! I was looking for over a year before I got my current job. Like you, I applied for heaps and was only asked to do one or two interviews.

 

Where have you been applying? Café's are definitely a good start. Skills Road is a website I've heard can be quite helpful for job seekers (http://www.skillsroad.com.au/home).

 

Sending lots of positivity your way! Heart 

 
 
 
 
 
Stealth_ninja
Stealth_ninjaPosted 17-10-2016 04:51 PM

Hey @May_ I don't think i've said hi to you on here before but HELLO, this thread is totally awsome. I love that you identified that it was something you struggled with and gave other people space to talk about it as welll because we all go through this! I certainly have! 

 

I had a really rough time when I was applying for jobs after Uni and it took me like 6 months to find a job and I cried a lot, it was really tough so I can imagine how you're feeling and how tough it is. It's true what you said in your first post about employers seeing heaps of people and the thing is that there often isn't that much differentiating all the candidates. It's often something really vague and has nothing to do with you which sucks but take assurance that IT ISN'T YOU IT'S THEM and often it's also circumstances.

Please keep trying and not give up hope. I think for every 50 jobs I applied for I maybe got 1 interview and then there was a period where I kept getting interviews but never landing the role. Both are tough situations to be in -

 

Some practical advice:

- A while ago someone told me to include a professional-ish picture of myself in my interview because people often remember faces but don't always remember names so maybe you can include that in your Resume?

- Talk yourself up! This is really hard to do but try to imagine that you're the best most perfect person for this job and imagine what they would want from that

- Investigate the jobs and find out what they are REALLY looking for and put it all over your application, make it really easy for them to see that you tick all their boxes.

 

Also have faith that if you don't get this job you WILL find one that is right for you!

 
 
 
 
 
May_
May_Posted 17-10-2016 08:49 PM
Thanks @Stealth_ninja that was really helpful and it's awesome to know others have been where I am at now and managed to find work 🙂
 
 
 
 
 
N1ghtW1ng
N1ghtW1ngPosted 18-10-2016 09:17 AM
@May_ I can't really offer any advice, because my experience of job hunting was applying for jobs online, then handing in my resume when I saw a store near me was hiring and then going for a short interview and having the job. (Which is basically what happened the first time I got a job, except I never applied to places online :P)

You will find a job, like @Stealth_ninja said, sometimes it takes time. When I was applying for all those jobs online, I applied for heaps. Only two places emailed me back saying no (politely of course) and it wasn't until I saw the poster saying "hiring", did I get a job.

Applying for Christmas casual jobs is a good idea too (thanks @Chloee ;)) because you might get a permanent position but it also means that you can work while searching for other options.

Work does come. I went around applying for a bunch of jobs because I hate my current one and got not one, not two, but three offers. Amazing right? Sometimes, you get lucky. I can't remember whether or not you go to uni, but if you do and your uni has a careerhub, check that out and apply for some jobs, if you see any you like, through there because that's where I got those three offers from 🙂

Good luck with your job hunting!
 
 
 
 
 
Chloee
ChloeePosted 17-10-2016 10:37 PM
@May_ sigh... job hunting is SO ANNOYING! I completely understand how you feel - submitting so many resumes and only getting like ONE call back! It's infuriating.

What I did in the past was I would print out a bunch of resumes and go walking around shopping centres - sometimes they have signs saying they are hiring.

Also, this is a good time of the year to try and apply for Christmas casual jobs, and if you show them you are good and they have a permanent opening then they might get you to stay on!

I haven't had any group interviews so I can't comment on them, but a website I used was https://www.spotjobs.com/ - I think it's pretty good, and off memory I think you can save your resume so you don't have to fill in the form each time you apply for something.

Best of luck!
 
safari93
safari93Posted 01-10-2016 12:59 PM

This is such a useful thread, thanks @May_ for starting it! So many excellent tips here already Smiley Happy

 

1. What helps you to stay strong and positive and maintain hope?

One of the most useful things for me was to have hobbies and activities outside of jobseeking. Any activity which was creative or had some type of successful resolution really helped with my mental health while I was unemployed, since you can get pretty down on yourself when you receive rejection after rejection. It also helps to remind yourself that your entire worth isn't wrapped up in your ability to find and keep a job.

 

2. How do you succeed in group interviews?

Usually by standing out! I was actually successful recently in gaining a position after an interview which had a group activity component. It helps to contribute to discussion and build on what other people are saying. That being said, you should also be mindful of how you're contributing - dominating the discussion indicates to your interviewers that you might be domineering or just insensitive.

 

3. Where do you search for jobs?

Anywhere and everywhere! I find job seeker forums and groups to be really useful in this regard, and like @khaleesi_18 said sometimes just knowing someone can go a long way

 
khaleesi_18
khaleesi_18Posted 01-10-2016 09:33 AM

Hey @May_ thanks for starting this conversation! Looking for work can often be a daunting process for a lot of people.

 

1. What helps you to stay strong and positive and maintain hope?

 

I love @Sans-RO's point about asking for feedback if you're not successful. That way, you can know how to adjust your applications for next time. I find it helpful to remember that rejection isn't a personal thing at all, especially when there might be hundreds of applications. @N1ghtW1ng that's awesome positive self talk Smiley Happy

 

Persistence is the key as well!

 

2. How do you succeed in group interviews?

 

(I'm super interested in everyone else's answers here because I've never actually had this experience yet...! I mainly worked for small businesses during uni so I somehow managed to avoid group interviews until this point.)

 

A tip for interviews in general is to research the company/field that you'd like to work for so that you can drop in that information throughout Smiley Happy shows the interviewer(s) that you have a genuine interest in working there.

 

3. Where do you search for jobs?

 

Everywhere! Asking friends/networks to keep an eye out is hugely important - I'm a big believer in it's all about who you know. Don't be afraid to ask around - you never know, someone might hear of an opportunity and let you know about it! Smiley Happy Seek, uni resources, and looking on the websites of organisations that you'd like to work for can be helpful too.

 
N1ghtW1ng
N1ghtW1ngPosted 30-09-2016 11:07 PM
@May_ this is a great idea for a thread 🙂 I know I've struggled with unemployment before.

1. What helps you to stay strong and positive and maintain hope?
It was relatively easy for me because I didn't care enough about not having a job. I got my first job in high school and was rather chill about it as it was my mum pressuring me to get a job. Then this year when I returned, I wasn't all that positive, but it didn't really bother me as much. I applied where I did but wasn't holding out much hope because, like @Sans-RO mentioned, most places are after younger people. Eventually I got a job again and by the end of this year I'm gunning for a new one.
One thing that helps is for me to tell myself that I'm not terrible, it's that there's someone better for the job than I am. (Younger too :P)

2. How do you succeed in group interviews?
I honestly have no idea 😛 I've only ever been in one group interview for Kmart (the first job I ever applied for :P) I wasn't successful either, I found it a bit silly and really can hardly remember it at all though.

Where do you search for jobs?
I've used Seek, Uni's CareerHub(where I got three applications in one week! Ah that was a scary time :P) plus I've walked through shops (really just the local shop-center-place near me for posters/signs. I also check out specific companies websites. Places like Dominos, coles, woolies and other places too.
 
 
May_
May_Posted 01-10-2016 12:39 AM

 

Thanks for responding @N1ghtW1ng Smiley Happy

What was the process when you were successful at getting a job? Did you do anything in particular that you think helped you succeed?

 

Most of the individual interviews I have had have been successful but I can't seem to get any individual interviews anymore - every company seems to only be doing group ones now which sucks

 
 
 
N1ghtW1ng
N1ghtW1ngPosted 01-10-2016 09:48 AM
@May_ I can't say for sure. When I got my first job, it was a pretty simple interview and then she told me that she'd let me know when the forms and other stuff I needed to fill out arrived. My second one was basically the same, I went in, talked about my availability and how I'd worked there before (it was the same place) and the next day I came back to fill out the forms and bam.

With the other three jobs, with two of them I had one interview and one sort-of an interview. Both went fine, all I really needed was to get my license because of transport problems. The third was a bit similar, they rang me and I told them that travel is an issue. I haven't had a group interview since Kmart.
 
Sans-RO
Sans-ROPosted 30-09-2016 09:58 PM

Hey @May_,

 

I don't think I've actually spoken to you before so hiya there! This is such a good topic to start us up on! I feel like so many of us are or have been in the place you're currently in and could definitely do with a bit of a morale boost + tips always help! 

 

1. What helps you to stay strong and positive and maintain hope?

 

 

I think when I was starting out looking for a first job, it was SO HARD to stay positive! It's a tough market out there, man. And I was looking at around 17 years old and most employers that hire newbies prefer a much younger cohort (you can legally pay less for the same work - ridic in my view but anyway). I actually got rejected by Maccas the week before I got my first job at a (bigger) Swedish retailer of furniture 😉 So my advice would be don't despair, as corny as it sounds there really is something else you're being pushed towards by the universe - to better & bigger things!  

 

ALSO when you get rejected, WRITE BACK - ask for feedback, it gets you bloody noticed cause nobody else does it. 

 

2. How do you succeed in group interviews?

 

Yeah - group interviews are tricky business. I think one of my biggest learns with group interviews was to try to be authentic to myself and not to be afraid to speak up! If there's a silence, take charge - as daunting as it'll be the more you do it the more you'll get comfortable at it. And honestly you're not seeing any of these people again unless you make it to the next round, might as well make the most of it and take some lessons home.

 

3. Where do you search for jobs?

 

EVERYWHERE when I'm desperate, I'll put in different combos in Indeed and Seek of keywords. Sometimes no keywords just my location haha 

 

 

Hope it helps! 🙂

 

 
 
May_
May_Posted 30-09-2016 10:10 PM

@Sans-RO yes I am a newbie! Hello to you too Smiley Very Happy

 

I worked in hospo/fast food for 2 years and have fairly extensive voluntary work experience but it seems like experience doesn't count for much these days because in group interviews you don't even get to talk about yourself (interests, experience, skills). It's always random questions about seemingly random things which is frustrating. Ah I got rejected from maccas too when I was around 18 I don't think they hire anyone above the age of 15 from what I've heard. Annoyingly this means you can't really prepare because you never know what they'll ask.

 

Thanks for the tip I think that's really important too - I always ask for feedback but I have never recieved a response unfortunately. I just wish someone would tell my how to improve on my interview skills because I am always sure to research the company, practice common interview questions and research how to do well in interviews Smiley Frustrated

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