I'm on JSA- Ask me Anything?

[crunchymint]

On JSA

I think it has affected my confidence.

Based on your experience do you think the support through jsa is helping you get back into work in the most effective way?

Do the job centre staff know about different careers and give useful advice about different careers you could move into? Or are they just checking that you are doing something?

After your experiences, is there any advice you would give to younger people, anything you think you could have done differently? Your career ending in your 50s is a scary thought. Best of luck with your applications.

Has this affected your relationship?

No it has not affected my relationship.
No advice to younger people. I thought there would always be a lot of work in my field, you can't see thirty years into the future as to how industries may change.
No the job centre staff do not know about different careers. But they can get you help with CVs etc if you need it. I don't. So yes it is just checking that I am applying for jobs.

crunchy have you thought about becoming self employed? Cleaning, private home care etc? I know a few women in their 50's doing this.

How on Earth do you even spend 4 hours a day looking for jobs? I'm thinking check all the relevant job sites, apply for what's appropriate, well unless I run across a job with a massive application form I can't imagine that taking me four hours.

safari You are supposed to spend 7 hours a day. Almost impossible to do this. So you make some of it up and stretch things. In reality staff are sensible and if they can see you are applying for lots of jobs, they are fine.
I can explore self employment although I am not a sales person.