Finding a job

[LilyLily1999]

Need a bit of advice, I’m 23 and a single mum, currently on universal credit but my daughters just turned 3 so now looking to get back into work. Universal credit said I should get into waitressing or retail jobs but that’s not something I’m interested in and it wouldn’t help with my mental health, no judgement to people with these jobs, I’d rather have a job that I can develop in and make a stable income, my mental healths bad and I get very depressed but for the right job with the right income I’d be very motivated to work I’m quite ambitious. I’d love a job in the council and from what I’ve seen the pays good (35-40,000) but they all say you need experience or qualifications in the roles which I don’t have so I’m not sure where I start. I’ve seen one local apprenticeship working in the council where I could gain experience but waiting to see if I get it. Where do I go from here, I really don’t want to work in waitressing or retail as I was suggested, it’ll benefit me mentally if I have a job I look forward to going to and I really want a well paid job just don’t have the qualifications for the jobs. 😕

[CalistoNoSolo]

Just get a job, any job, and develop from there. If you have no training and no skills then you need to do the work that someone will give you and upskill in your spare time. Your mental health is your problem to solve, using it as an excuse to sit on your arse because waitressing or stacking shelves is beneath you is pathetic. And no way are you walking into a 40k salary with your attitude.

[frozendaisy]

Even with qualifications aged 23 £35-40k is an unusual starting salary.

So you need experience, and in time qualifications, so sounds like the apprenticeship starter job was a good one to apply for.

You might need to think more about a long game, start smaller, gain experience, perhaps study as well in the evenings.

Good jobs with prospects are competitive, you need to show you are willing to work hard. Starting off saying you can't do this or that is not going to put you at an advantage, if I were employing I would employ the young person willing to do whatever was needed.

Just apply for everything you think you could do right now, get a couple of year's experience and take it from there.

[justanothermanicmonday1]

I started in insurance and had no experience and the starting salary is 22,500-25700. Definitely worth looking at claims handled or claim adjuster roles.

[Hoppinggreen]

Just get a job.
Once you have experience or qualifications you can be a bit more choosy. You are unlikely to walk into your dream job now so just find work

[GoodChat]

The point of getting a job is to provide for your child. That needs to be your priority.

Do you have any work experience at all?

[UsingChangeofName]

I’d love a job in the council and from what I’ve seen the pays good (35-40,000)



That's hilarious.
£35K for someone with no qualifications nor experience.
Someone's pulling your leg mate.

but they all say you need experience or qualifications in the roles

Nooooo. Really ? <--- sarcasm, for the hard of understanding

Where do I go from here, I really don’t want to work in waitressing or retail as I was suggested, it’ll benefit me mentally if I have a job I look forward to going to and I really want a well paid job just don’t have the qualifications for the jobs.

You can't actually be serious ?
I mean, I'd rather like a well paid job I look forward to, too. Is there anyone that wouldn't ?
Oddly, that's why people study for a long time for qualifications, and get soft skills (yes, often through working in the jobs that are too lowly for you) as they go, to then apply for entry level jobs and then work their way up from there.

[LilyLily1999]

For your information my mental health is bad I have depression, anxiety, ocd, bpd and get suicidal so having a job I don’t enjoy such as waitressing wouldn’t help me at all I have very little motivation in life but I’m actually motivated to make something of myself I wouldn’t want to do waitressing as it’s not a job you can properly develop in I’d rather have a job I can progress in and slowly earn more money.

[LilyLily1999]

Yes I do have work experience

[startafresh123]

Do you have any qualifications or experience at all OP? GCSEs etc?

No one is going to give you a well paid job because you have mental health problems I'm afraid.

[GoodChat]

@LilyLily1999

Yes I do have work experience

What is your experience in? Is it adaptable to the kind of job you're looking at if you can show your skills are transferrable even if you dont have the specific experience in the sector?

[startafresh123]

You can also progress being a waitress to earn more being a restaurant manager etc.

[Luxell934]

@LilyLily1999

For your information my mental health is bad I have depression, anxiety, ocd, bpd and get suicidal so having a job I don’t enjoy such as waitressing wouldn’t help me at all I have very little motivation in life but I’m actually motivated to make something of myself I wouldn’t want to do waitressing as it’s not a job you can properly develop in I’d rather have a job I can progress in and slowly earn more money.

That's not how it works though, you don't just walk into a 35-40k a year job with no experience or qualifications. Most people waitressing will also be studying or using it as a second job to make some extra cash. Have you thought about applying for college or university depending on your education, while working part time?

[Lyricallie]

What’s your experience in? As someone else mentioned insurance can be a good stepping stone. I worked in a bank at aged 17 whilst I was studying (I was part time) but if I had worked there full time I definitely could have worked up the ladder to team leader then up to management and maybe side stepped into something else if I wished. This is similar to what my mum did.

Unfortunately you probably wouldn’t be on 30k+ more like 20k FT. However you could maybe study in the evenings to grow your earning potential.

[LilyLily1999]

Guess you missed the part about my mental health issues and forgot to be considerate about that. I’m not saying I’m gonna instantly get a top job with high income my point was it’ll benefit my mental health massively working in a job I enjoy as I have little motivation in life and my mental healths severe to the point I get suicidal also I’d like a job I can progress in and slowly work my way up and increase my income not saying I want to jump straight into the highest paid role. Yes I know experience is needed but hard to find apprenticeships etc in the council just needed some advice not to be laughed at.

[LilyLily1999]

I just said I know I’m not gonna get a top job straight away I know I’ll need to work my way up but I’d like a job I can progress in and that motivates me.

[SquashPenguin]

Realistically with no skills or qualifications you’re going to be starting on minimum wage or slightly higher. No one is going to pay £40k as a starter wage with no relevant experience. You need to get any job and go from there. Plenty of entry level jobs have the potential to upskill and increase earnings. We’d all love to do a job that we like and makes us happy every day, but paying bills takes priority right now.

[LimoncelloSpritz]

What is your experience in?

[Northernsouloldies]

Remember most apprenticeships are four years and wages are very low to start and require study and college also some require entry level qualifications. Genuinely hope you find what you are looking for. Good luck.

[LilyLily1999]

I have experience in waitressing and retail which is why I don’t want to get back into it as it’s not something I enjoyed at all. I don’t have amazing work experience but it’s something. I know I’m not gonna instantly get a 40k job but it’s something I could work up to over time.

[LilyLily1999]

Thank you, the apprenticeship in my council which I applied for is a ‘youth social worker’ role and sounds like something I’d enjoy, it’s just under 22k a year for the apprenticeship so it’s quite good pay. Hoping I get it as not many council apprenticeships come out.

[GoodChat]

If you don't get the apprenticeship (which does sound really good!) keep an eye out receptionist or call handler jobs for the council.

They'll generally be jobs you can get with transferable skills and once you're in it'll be easier to find the right steps to progress

[startafresh123]

I think the problem you might have (although you haven't mentioned your educational background) is that anything that will progress into a professional type career are likely going to want a degree, or if it's an apprenticeship then good A levels or equivalent.

Would you consider getting some more qualifications under your belt?

[notprincehamlet]

Maybe have a look at civil service apprenticeships? Or CS entry level roles? CS can be quite a good place to start a career if you don't have quals/need to work flexibly.

[Bluevelvetsofa]

Do you have GCSEs or A levels? Or other qualifications?

I imagine it’s being suggested that you try to get a job waitressing g, because you have some experience doing that. Even if you were to get an office job, or something in the council, I agree it’s going to be quite low paid to begin with and you’d have to work your way up, through promotion and hard work.

[GoodChat]

@startafresh123

I think the problem you might have (although you haven't mentioned your educational background) is that anything that will progress into a professional type career are likely going to want a degree, or if it's an apprenticeship then good A levels or equivalent.

Would you consider getting some more qualifications under your belt?

A levels and degrees aren't at all necessary to get into professional jobs if you're willing to start at the bottom.