To consider not working until a better/different job comes up?

[FedupofbeingtoldIcantusemyname]

I am currently a student in my second year of uni.

I'm in the process of retraining because my previous career was going nowhere fast - long hours, shit pay, no respect, no breaks and working every single holiday, weekend and special occasion.

I've just come back from travelling abroad, am about to restart uni again for the year, and I'm now in the position of having to look for a new job to make ends meet while I study. Thing is, I really can't face the idea of going back to work in my previous industry. Just the thought of it is making me so unhappy. Remembering how people treated me like shit for little to no reward is so soul destroying.

I'm considering just attempting to live off my student loan and any benefit I might be eligible for (which is virtually none) just until I can find another job that is not in my previous industry. WIBU to do this? I feel kind of shitty about it because I have always worked and 'paid my own way' in life, never relied on anyone else for money but I just can't bear the idea of going back to work where I was. I know sometimes in life you just have to suck it up and get a job you hate to bring in the money if you need it but it would only be until I could find a different kind of job - it's just that it may be difficult because all of my previous experience is in my old industry!

What do I do!

[MoonStar07]

In your old industry would you be better off working for another company? Would that help? Hard to know really if we don't know what your old industry was to help you see if there are other alternative comparable jobs? Can you claim benefits as a student? I don't know really? Would you be able to survive on your student loan?

[Hoppinggreen]

You get a job
Benefits are for people who for whatever reason are unable to work.
If you are capable of earning your own money then you should. You should be able to fed something that's not imyour old industry and you could do some temp work until you find something you really want to do

[HermioneJeanGranger]

Get a job. You'll barely be eligible for any benefits while studying - what about a job on campus? Working in the SU shop or in one of the coffee shops/bars? The hours can fit around your classes and you won't have to work over Christmas or every weekend if you don't want to.

[nancyblackett80]

Why did you go travelling abroad if you knew you would need money to make ends meet this term?

I initially supposed you were not a teenager as you're "retraining" but that sounds a fairly immature thing t do.

Do you have children?

[trafalgargal]

What benefits do you imagine you'll get as a student in receipt of a student loan ? The answer is likely to be none unless you are getting ESA which sounds unlikely if you are just back from travelling.

There's a world of difference between working in a rubbish job full time with no prospect of change and working part time whilst studying. Retail, call centres and hospitality fit the student schedule best but there's also a fair amount of employment offered by unis themselves from admin to retail to hospitality .

We were talking about this recently at work as my boss was explaining that her boss had started with the company as a part time phone agent whilst at uni, after graduating he worked more hours whilst studying for an Mba and then moved to full time and got promoted several times. A job that was initially to help support himself whilst studying led to a career. It's not unusual. Obviously if you can find work that is related in some way to your degree subject it helps both in experience and networking .

[FedupofbeingtoldIcantusemyname]

No I don't Nancy.

When I went travelling I was fed up, miserable and DP and I had just broken off our engagement. I planned to just get another job in my previous industry when I got back as there are quite a few in this area (although a lot of them are seasonal).

However, travelling really helped open my eyes as to why I had been so down before I left and my job was a huge part of that. Earlier this year I was even signed off by the GP with stress as I just couldn't cope with the job anymore. I feel 100% certain that if I went back to that industry I would be miserable again and would probably quit very quickly for the sake of my MH.

Hermione, my uni campus is not like a traditional uni campus. It is actually a offshoot of another uni in a different county and is a tiny tiny campus with virtually no amenities. No coffee shops or otherwise to get a job in.

Moon, unfortunately I don't think it would help. I have worked in lots of different companies in the same field and it is a pretty universally shit line of work. You get treated like shit and work like a slave, sometimes 14hrs a day for minimum wage with no breaks. Everywhere I worked. The last place I worked was generous in that we got a 15 minute break, which could be interuppted at any time if it was busy.

I would happily work in a shop or something, I'm not waiting for the perfect dream job just anything that isn't my previous job - but there are so few in the town nearest to me, the next closest would be an hour's commute away

[BombadierFritz]

maybe even transfer to the larger campus if you want a new start with more opportunity?
otherwise, if you can manage on your loan for a bit, its your choice. other jobs might pop up, perhaps xmas jobs elsewhere (live in type?)

[trafalgargal]

Maybe you need to decide if you are first and foremost a student working to support your studies or you want a job first and foremost and studying as a second string. Long term the first makes more sense if you are ready/mature enough to accept this will mean some compromises. Short term the second will bring better work satisfaction but at the expense of your studies.

[FedupofbeingtoldIcantusemyname]

I can't transfer to the larger campus unfortunately as it doesn't do my course

They have specific campus' for different things, one is science and engineering, one is marine studies, one is animal stuff, etc.

[R2G]

Yanbu - mental health is important. Speak to your careers service at uni maybe they can help.

[trafalgargal]

I'd look at transferring to the larger campus too , this time of year there's always a few places to live where students have dropped out of accomadation last minute for various reasons. Get a bar job whilst you look for more congenial work or if retail appeals most stores are now looking to employ more staff for now til January.

[AnthonyPandy]

Care work?

[trafalgargal]

If moving campus isn't an option then it's a matter of working out what you can make work for you to reach your goals but a lot of your issues stem from your negativity. Plenty of suggestions but you chose to pick on what wasn't possible to reply to rather than any of the positives offered.

Have you spoken to student services about any possible work yet ?

[FedupofbeingtoldIcantusemyname]

I'm not being negative Trafalgar, I'm just pointing out that some of the options given above aren't physically possible for me at the moment. Surely that's just being realistic?

I haven't started back yet (start on Monday) but I will speak to student services when I do.

[EstelleRoberts]

Definitely don't risk your mental health, as if you become ill it could last for a long time and lead to losing not only the part time role, but also your university place and future prospects.

If it were me I would hang on for a bit until I found another job, even if it was not as well paid as my previous industry.

[trafalgargal]

Another option might be to take a year out , you have no ties so could work anywhere and apply for a place in your (second?) year at a bigger campus at a different uni. Transferring credit from your first year wouldn't be a problem.

[FedupofbeingtoldIcantusemyname]

It couldn't be any less well paid Estelle, I was on minimum supposedly living wage

I've been depressed before, fairly recently, and I feel like I'm just coming out the other side. Honestly, getting away from things for a while was like a breakthrough. It gave me time to think about what was really making me unhappy. I don't want to go back to that. I managed to get a first in my studies last year but only just, and that was with a fair bit of time off, mostly because I was stressed out about my job! I really don't want to have that problem again this year.

[trafalgargal]

OK negative was strong....maybe narrow is better. You've just come back from travelling so have broadened your horizons so keep that broader view when looking at the choices you have (you have more than you think I suspect but sometimes that's hard to see)

[trafalgargal]

Student services will be working already. Beat the rush go see them today !