to accept that I will be on benefits for the rest of my life?

[NothingLeftToGive]

First off, I would happily do just about any job. I'd clean the streets if they'd have me.

I'm in almost perfect health (bit of mild arthritis but it doesn't affect my life at all).

However, I have been told that I am over qualified for just about everything going. The things I am qualified for are not recruiting at the moment and will not be for the forseeable future by which time my skills will be massively out of date. I cannot afford to retrain.

I'm seriously considering just giving up and becoming a part of the welfare burden for the rest of my natural life.

Totally unreasonable or realistic acceptance of my situation?

YABU if you haven't considered the possibility of being self employed and starting your own business.

yabu

but if you areon benefit,alot of training is free....ou degree for example

No training is free is you already have a degree.

yabu...if you have a degree/training, someone will take you...and there are lots of places that don't care about your qualifications.

jobcentre plus have courses they can send you on

Nonsense. There are loads of graduates doing work for which they are 'over qualified'. It's the way things are for the moment - and for a while to come. Times are hard, and if you aren't working at the moment then it's even harder, simply because getting a job when you've already got one is easier than getting a job from nothing. So, people in employment are going to be at an advantage already.

But it seems terribly defeatist to decide that you will never be able to work. It might mean being more flexible - training for something different, or moving to a new area where there are more employment prospects, but it seems terrible to believe that you will never have the chance to work. Are you sure this negativity isn't coming across to prospective employers?

What are you qualified in?
I feel like this sometimes, after being told by the jobcentre to come back for help getting back to work if I ever went on benefits, until then there's no help available

wow, that is a great attitude to have. if only all people thought like you we would truly would be 'great' britain, no new businesses, no enrepreneurs, no innovative ideas to refresh old markets.

YABtotallyU.

you have a degree, you are clearly capable of applying yourself to a task and completeing it, now apply yourself to that task of either finding or creating employment for yourself so that you will no longer be a burden on the state.

If you genuinely would "clean the streets if they'd have you" then why not apply for jobs that require no qualifications whatsoever and not mention your qualifications on your application?

Don't give up on yourself, I'm sure you've just hit that

I have given up cargirl. I've even been rejected for voluntary work.

eleanor amoung the 250 odd (I keep a database) jobs I have applied for, about 40 were in retail.

What field do you want to work in OP?

its not even that easy to get shopwork!! not round here it isnt

mcdonalds here are only recruiting under 18's (wonder why!?)

job situation is bad!!

i'm thinking of advertising myself as a cleaner,which is something i'm good at!

Look at the reasons for being rejected. Ask for honest, upfront feedback.

My guess is that something about your attitude, or sense of entitlement, is coming across.

Firstly, why on earth would you be? Benefits are meant for short term support, not a lifetime.

Secondly, you sound depressed, if you don't mind my saying. That can often be triggered by long-term unemployment. I'm not sure that staying economically inactive (with all the terrible psychological side-effects it entails) is doing you any good.

Go to college and retrain- you will be on benefits for 1-3 years vs a whole lifetime as you envisage.

What voluntary work have you been rejected from? There's def something we're all missing/you havent said yet. Everyone wants vol workers, even if its just sorting through donations on the back of a shop with a cup of tea.

I dont think failing to mention your degree will help, cos then you'll have to lie about what you were doing for those 3 yrs!

You need to adapt your resume to the job you are looking for, only include relevant exp, if any, to the job application and leave off your qual's. They don't know you're over qualified unless you tell them!

How about cleaning? There is often a market for people wanting a good, reliable cleaner.

I have friends who are very qualified that have really really struggled to get a job, one has finally got a maternity cover post. Even the job centre people said the couldn't improve on his CV.

If you have previously earned good money they think you won't stay, won't accept such low pay so don't interview, or their are people with more relevant work experience.

It is very difficult to get a job in something outside of your field in the current climate even here in the SE where their are jobs going if you are able to travel etc.

threeblondboys, cleaners earn great money! I'd do it if I was any good at cleaning, but I'm crap! Ave per hour here.... childminder £5, cleaner £10

have you a crim record? is that why you arent getting work?

while I agree the OP is being very defeatist - Eleanor it's not quite so simple as "go and work in a shop"

You've got to find a shop that's hiring first.........and if it's anything like round here when shops are hiring than are literally 100's of applicants for the post, and when you've had several large stores closing down that's an awful lot of experience shop workers applying for those jobs alongside the ones with no experience just looking for "anything"