So poor and jobs are impossible.

[BellaJessica]

I am increasingly getting down about my life. Today i have finally realised how poor i am. I earn £5000 a year working 14 hours a week in a job that was supposed to increase in hours but 2 years later and 3 new people later they are actually trying to get rid of me instead. I am applying to other jobs and just not hearing back from them at all. I have a degree in the arts and even jobs i would be great at wont accept me due to no experience or less than 2 years experience in that field. I think this is just a rant really. I have no savings and a big loan (£1,000). I can pay the loan off in time but its depressing isnt it? I live with my dm now and she works short hours so we get by but neither of us have savings or free money to do much. Just need to spend hours job searching again until someone accepts me.

[jetsetter87]

Hi- what kind of jobs are you applying for/want to be in?

Your not really clear in your op what your question is or what your looking for advice on- are you looking to see how you could earn more money? How to get a job in a specific field?

[Pascall]

Could you work for yourself? Depending on where you live there seems to be lots of support for fledgling businesses at the moment.

[BellaJessica]

Hi thanks for your reply. It was more a self absorbed rant really. Ideally i want a creative sector job but have been looking at office work. Copy writing/editing, basically any job thats over 15,000 a year im not incredibly fussy right now.

[BellaJessica]

Pascall i have considered it but i am not business minded at all and wouldnt even know where to start with it. I have considered cleaning babysittingselling my possesions. Painting and god knows what else.

[Rocinante1]

Could you offer tutoring in your field?

[BellaJessica]

I guess i am just frustrated that im late twenties single and live at home whereas all of my friends are married or engaged in theor own homes with families and holidays which i am proud of them for. It just makes me feel a little envious i cant afford to do anything and that i am spending ages filling out applications to never hear back. I have spent a fortune on bus fare in the past to volunteer.

[foxpox]

Whilst working towards a job and career you could find work that offers more hours so you can build up some money. It's not for everyone but if you're wanting hours then care and support work is almost guaranteed to give you enough to make money. You can spend time around that maybe creating a port folio. Don't know what your arts area is but in support work there would be lots of opportunities to do creative things with either disabled or learning disabilities. It's often overlooked but can be a lovely way for someone who is maybe non verbal or has limited mobility to express themselves. Paining, crafts, music especially.

[HollowTalk]

You need to do a course. You should be looking for graduate jobs in earnest and often the only way to do that is to have a qualification higher than a degree.

Whereabouts do you live (roughly!)?

[foxpox]

Maybe not paining...that doesn't sound fun at all. Painting would be good though...!

[BellaJessica]

Fox i actually applied to 2 of them jobs one in a care home and one on an after school club. Not heard back from either. My cv is good as well its up to date and fully relevant. I just live in a poor area for work. When i lived in london i had loads of interviews. Sadly i cant afford to return to london.

[BellaJessica]

Rocinante thats a good idea! I dont know how i would go about that?

Hollow im in the north west.

[BellaJessica]

Doh what a typo im currently sat looking at jobs now. Its soul destroying isnt it.

[HollowTalk]

Does your old uni offer careers advice? My daughter had some really good advice from hers.

There are some HR people on here who might be able to give you a few pointers with your CV. You could well be underplaying your strengths.

[foxpox]

Join an agency. There's no way there's not a shortage in your area. Everywhere is short on care and support staff. You'll be employed by the agency and they will place you in different settings. If you go somewhere and make a good impression they may ask for you back. Doesn't have to be a long term plan, but it'll increase your income and keep you busy

[Oly5]

OP, no offence but you won’t get an editing job as you don’t use punctuation and capital letters where they need to be.
Are there other things you’re interested in? I’m sorry
You’re going through this. Do persevere, your luck will change

[QuitMoaning]

How many hours do you want to do a week? £15k is approx £300 a week so for 14 hours that is double the minimum wage per hour.
The reason I ask is my OH runs a business and he struggles to get staff to work more hours (he pays about £2 above min wage per hour but it is unskilled work)

[manicinsomniac]

£5000 a year?! Wow, no wonder you're pissed off!

Surely you'd earn more than that doing bar work, waitressing or retail while you're figuring out what you want to do long term?

How about teaching in a private school? An unqualified teacher earns about £17000 and many school will support/fund you to qualify after a couple of years if you enjoy it.

[BellaJessica]

Hollow i will have look on their website now thanks. I left 4 years ago so not sure if they will have anything. I am willing to look at courses and even a masters degree if there is a course relating to my ba that would help get me work.

[Missikat]

Hi, I would try and look around again for volunteering if you're struggling to get jobs due to a lack of experience. There are many organisations that have budgets for volunteer expenses to pay for things like lunch expenses and travel so volunteers aren't out of pocket. I manage a volunteering service for a local charity who puts aside significant funds to support volunteers in this way. I see people all the time coming into volunteering to develop skills so they can move into work or move sectors and its proven to work. With an arts degree you may be able to do really fun stuff like running arts sessions for vulnerable or elderly people, the charity sector has so many opportunities once you start looking. With you only working part time currently it's the perfect opportunity to use some of your free time to do this. I guess it depends how rural etc you are but you'd be surprised how much is out there once you start looking. www.doit.org may be a good place to start. Good luck!

[MatildaTheCat]

It does sound as if you are limited in options where you currently live. You need to be in or near an area where you can get full time work in an area that is of interest to you. Do you have any friends or relatives at all who would put you up temporarily until you could afford a house share?

At your age, with a degree, it’s a shame to be considering taking just anything so you can scrape by while living with your mum.

[ElinorOliphantIsCompletelyFine]

I second what manic says. Apply for retail and call centre work. Call centre work tends to have a high turnover of staff so they're always looking.

[BellaJessica]

I stupidly gave my loyalty to a job i loved and the management fell out with me and cut my hours. Its a zero hour contract. And sometimes my 2 days a week gets cut to one on a whim.

I didnt know you could be an unqualified teacher?

[flopsyrabbit1]

your single and live at home and work 14hrs

no wonder you have no money,get another job then you will have more money,bar work etc if needed

[BellaJessica]

I will look into all these suggestions thank you! Its crazy i apply to loads of jobs and am mostly ignored or told your not what we are looking for.

[BellaJessica]

Flopsy you clearly havent read the op. I have been applying to multiple jobs and being treated as if i dont exist. I have worked since i was 13 in various jobs and now at nearly 27 no one will touch me.