To think social worker DH should have found a job by now?

[Cantdance]

My DH has a degree in SW and over twenty years experience working with adults and older people in the community and in care homes. But since moving to Liverpool six months ago he has been unable to find work.

We are really struggling to pay for food, housing etc on just my salary and we don't qualify for any benefits. He is only looking to earn £18k+ so not asking for a fortune.

I know he applies for 5 or more jobs a week and has had some interviews but not gotten anything. Is this normal at the minute - are things really that bad in social work and social care in the northwest?

I go back and forth between being frustrated and angry and then thinking bless him it isn't his fault, he's trying. However he hasn't been to the job centre as he says they'll make him work in Tescos (I wouldn't mind that but he wants to stay in his profession understandably). He also won't work in child protection and finally he won't ring recruiters who put their phone numbers in job ads, just email. AIBU to think he should be doing these things?

What will the job centre do anyway? If he's living with you he's not entitled to any help.

How extraordinary unhelpful, samandi! Let me just get my time machine so we can go back and not move.... oh wait. But I do take your point about not wanting a job that's not in your field.

Thanks again everyone. BadLad and Dash, I think you're both right. While I think it's brilliant that DH does the housework I also feel he is using cleaning as a distraction from job hunting in some ways. Our house is absolutely spotless and gets hoovered and cleaned every day. He has always been more of a neat freak than me but I fear the cleaning has gotten obsessive.

DH is going to take his CV round to agencies that we've found on the Internet such as BSsocialcare, etc and try to chat with recruiters in person. does that sound like a good idea?

My husband has been out of work for 3 months now and will not look outside his chosen profession, he is a coach driver and we live in the Med.
It is very hard, I have started to feel a bit resentful that I am carrying the burden of our expenses and I am very worried for the future.
He's not lazy at all, he loves his work and the house is spotless but has tunnel vision.

I am finding it hard to believe that a manager in adult social care would give up a job in the current climate and move. Everyone in social care knows how difficult the job market is, and those who want to leave their jobs are hanging on for redundancy.

Are you sure you know the whole story here? I probably am a bit cynical, I admit, but I know the sector well.

Sorry, but saying he can't make phone calls because he's 'shy' doesn't cut it.

He's an adult with senior experience in social work.

Seriously?!

He needs to grow up.

Sorry if that sounds harsh, but honestly!

I,m a nurse loads of nurses qualifying are struggling to find jobs too?!

I definitely know the whole story, Llar. We moved as my new job wil be worth it in the end and neither of us knew quite how difficult it would be for him. We didn't like where we lived before and on the wile are still really glad we moved despite this which is hopefully a temporary bump in the road.

Would phoning round agencies really help?

Notbroken sounds like what you're going through is very similar and I hope both our DHs find something soon. x2 sorry to hear nurses ate struggling as well.

And please can we stop the "well honestly" and " I can't believe" and "you shouldn't have" type of posts? The posters are clearly not trying to help but to act smug and superior. It's very transparent and unnecessary - we're not five years old. I'm very grateful to those that have responded sincerely!

I'm not being smug and superior (if you're counting my 'honestly' as one of those posts). It was a sincere response. I honestly can't believe that anyone won't ring up about a job because they're too 'shy' , especially when jobs are in such short supply.

Would phoning round agencies really help?

I think it would. It costs the agencies to place ads on sites like monster. If he gets his CV on their databases they could contact him about vacancies they haven't advertised.

Also, if he's ok with this, him can create a profile on monster and upload his CV. The agents search these, as again, it doesn't cost them anything.

Also, try indeed.co.uk. You can do a more detailed search.

Disclaimer: I've been unemployed for a while, so I might not be the best person to give advice but this is info I've been given from people in recruitment.

social work jobs aren't advertised on monster
he needs to get registered with nhs jobs, your council jobs, the guardian, and communitycare jobs. also religiously check council websites - at least weekly for any council he'd consider commuting to.

for agencies, he needs a specific health and social care agency eg this

Oh, I didn't realise. Thanks for that. There are some on indeed.co.uk.

I live in Liverpool and now that Liverpool SS use a lot of agency staff , has he joined an agency?

My husband also does not like to phone for jobs.

Know not now!

I thought the OP meant not just that he won't phone agencies, but that he won't phone any 'recruiter' (which I took to mean anyone advertising a job, so companies as well as agencies) who doesn't give an email address?

But at any rate, someone with his professional experience and what sounds like a strong need for a job really needs to get over it and pick up the phone. Otherwise he's just limiting his chances rather than maximising them.