To actually give up on looking for a job?

[Hammy02]

I've been out of work since December and applied for countless jobs-about 2 a day since December. Nothing is coming of it and there are less & less jobs being advertised. DP earns enough for both of us & has suggested I do volunteer work a couple of days a week. I've been applying for jobs on about half of what I was earning so it isn't as though I am being unreasonable in the roles I am applying for. It will just be odd living off DP's money until the recession starts to lift.

even volunteer work is thin on the ground!

What sort of work are you doing/trained to do/applying for?

Looking for work is bloody difficult at the best of times ..

YANBU. Far too many people looking for work and not enough vacancies out there. It's an employers market right now, so they are able to be extremely picky. Until going off to have my baby I worked in recruitment for years, and by the end of last year it wasn't unheard of to receive hundreds of applications for just one job vacancy! If anything I'm sure things have gotten worse since then.

The volunteer work sounds great, it will be a way of keeping your hand in so to speak, and will keep your confidence up.

Yes, I agree about doing Volunteer work - It really looks good on your CV, because it shows that you didn't just sit around waiting for job to come along (not that you did!), but that you want to work.

I sympathise. I haven't worked since I was made redundant last year. It's good your DP is being supportive. I would think voluntary work will keep you busy, give you something to add to your cv and if it's only a couple of days a week you'll still have time for job hunting. Good luck

If you run a house and / or have children ,I hardly think you could be classified as "just sitting around on your arse though "

I get the point, but ...

Good luck :)

what kind of job do you want

Voluntary work is also often a good way in to an organisation - if a role does come up and you've done a good job in a voluntary capacity so that you're a known quantity then it's not going to hurt your chances.

Not unreasonable at all. I have been looking for work since January, having had 2 years off with the DC. It has been a horrible three months - I apply for, on average, 5 jobs each week, have been offered 2 interviews, was asked about my childcare arrangements and detailed questions about my DC in both of them, offered one job but the offer was withdrawn after I told them the ages of my DC

It is utterly soul-destroying. Like you, I am applying for jobs paying way below what I used to get, so I am not being unrealistic. I am registered with 25 recruitments agencies as well as all the local job wesbites etc, and apparently there's an average of over 100 candidates applying for each job (I'm looking for part-time admin-type jobs). Most employers don't even acknowledge receipt of my applications. And if one more 20-year-old recruitment "consultant" DARES to say, "so, you've just been at home with your children doing nothing for the past 2 years then," I think I might commit murder

Sadly, I can't afford to have much more time without earning anything. Voluntary work is a good idea OP, especially if you don't need to be earning a wage right now. It's certainly true that employers prefer you to have done unpaid work outside the home - unpaid work in the home apparently doesn't count as "work" at all!

Not unreasonable at all. You're in exactly the same situation as me - I was made redundant in December and haven't been able to find anything. My situation isn't ideal as I can only do part-time and I'm six months pregnant, so a lot of employers are being put off by that (I think, they are too sensible to say that's the reason!). I just thank my lucky stars that we can get by on DH's wage until maternity allowance kicks in in June. And volunteering is a great idea - I'm volunteering at the local preschool, and it's nice to know there isn't a gaping hole on my CV.

I think the volunteering work sounds good and will add to your cv too.

Try and get feedback if you can from interviews, it may help you with your next application.

Also, if you haven't already done so, try and get someone else to cast an eye over your cv., you may be leaving something important out which is stopping you from getting to interview stage.

Good luck, I hope something comes up soon. :)

I'm surprised that they asked about your children and withdrew a job because of your dc ages. I tthin k it's illegal to do that.

how can they retract a job offer based on your DCs ages? are you sure it was not due to references having been taken or something else they found out you had falsely declared/not declared

I just do not get how they can withdraw a job offer without very very good reason!

I moved field recently and got a job that on the surface, I had absolutely no chance of getting - I'm pretty sure that my volunteer work helped convince them that I was serious about my interest in the new field.

p.s. we recently advertised positions, and there were about twenty times more applicants for the lower grade positions than the higher grade - so it isn't always a case of the lower grade positions being easier to get.

ideas for voluntary jobs-

hospital foyer shop

assisting with meal times on a geriatric ward - this is a huge issue, nurses just do not have the time to feed patients and many are unable to do it themselves so if no visitor there to help they don't eat

charity shop

helping in a school

meals on wheels/help the aged type things

most of these would need CRB check if working with children or vulnerable people, but you would not have to pay if it was a charity, they would do it

YANBU to look for volunteer work.

YABU to refer to yourself as 'living off DP's money' - it's the family's money not just his!

Not trying to hijack the OP's thread, but in answer to crystalglasses and ashamedandconfused - yes, of course it's illegal, but what am I going to do? Sue them to force them to give me a job? That would create a really good impression on my first day Employment law doesn't protect people who are seeking work, IMVHO, it only protects employers and employees already working. (If it even does that). And yes, it was definitely because of my DCs ages (I don't falsely declare / not declare anything - I am not a liar - and my references were excellent) - she offered me the job, asked me how old the DCs were, then said "Ah, in that case I will need to run it past the Managing Director" and emailed me next day to say that I didn't have any relevant experience even though I had done exactly the same job elsewhere for 5 years.

Again, sorry for hijack OP. I think you should do the voluntary work. Have you got anything in mind? I worked in a charity shop which was a mixed blessing, and prospective employers always refer to it in interviews. There are loads of options out there.

I think it's shocking MrsMoppet. You really should have reported this to ACAS, as even though it wouldn't have helped you it would make them think twice before doing it again, and you would have had nothing to lose.
If you are asked anything like that at another job interview I would ask them why they wanted to know as it had no bearing on your ability to do the job.