Unemployed and panicking - what do I do?

[SunDragon]

I was made redundant around a year ago. I started applying for other jobs the day I was made redundant and for the past year I’ve spent every day writing job applications. No holiday, no break, just job applications.

I’ve not managed to get any work since. For context, I was at a fairly senior level, think for example, Head of Marketing (not that, but that sort of level). Jobs at my level are not overly common and often go to someone in the team ready for promotion, so it’s hard to get as an external candidate. I looked into senior-level consulting in the relevant field but didn’t get any interest. Jobs at a more junior level are turning me down for being over-experienced and likely to move on quickly to something else (real feedback received multiple times), even though I make it clear I’m willing to commit.

I’ve also tried to get “just any job” that everyone suggests would be easy. Cleaning, supermarket, etc. I’m not managing to get anything at all! No one will give me any work.

I’m running out of money and I’m in a state of panic about what to do. I applied for benefits, I get some money each month but it doesn’t cover all my outgoings so I’ve used up all of my savings and I’m starting to build debt.

Panic panic panic! What do I do? How can I get some work - any work at all? I’m desperate to earn some money. Any suggestions really welcome.

I have awful memories of esrly 90s. In the North there were no jobs at all and the housing market was dead. Banks repossessing and people on the streets in some cases and little social support. Even in late 90s in my very depressed town i couldnt get a saturday job - so little seems to have changed. However always assumed you could get work in London.

My mum tells me stories of the 1960s where you could quit your job in the morning and find another by the afternoon. Ai hasn’t even properly kicked in yet and this thread makes me feel nervous about the future.

If you’re doing waitressing, bar work etc. At the age of 50 you need to sit down and have a serious look at your life and find out where you went wrong 🙄

@Apprentice26 or you could stop navel gazing, get up and go to work?

I think of my 50s as a decade where finally, I am not attempting to live life according to some novel. I am lucky to have the job I have but I’m not defined by it. If the economy is difficult, I’ll do my best to still put food on the table. My mum was made redundant at 60, still needed to work and did so. That’s admirable, not ‘going wrong’.

Perhaps you need to sit down and take a look at why you’re so horrible.

What you fear will visit you. Be careful.

Only that will be visiting me when I’m in a bar or a restaurant is a large margarita

What at 8 am on a Saturday? Don’t be silly dear.

I do feel that the tone of this thread is very slightly that ‘at 50 the op is so terribly old she should give up now and noone will want to ever employ her again’
Sure, it’s mature and there is a lot of ageism out there but - it’s hardly ancient. I think the predominant problem is that the economy is cooked and being ten or 15 years younger probably wouldn’t help.
If you cut a few years off your CV, get some rest, work out and don’t add dates at 50 - noone would probably really know you weren’t early 40s. So i am not sure being a bit older is the real issue beyond very age focused
roles in social media management, entertainment PR etc - where even 35 is seen as a bit too old.
Is perhaps the issue lots of time in public sector or public sector adjacent? Have you ever worked in the private sector? Some employers are a bit snobbish and wrongly don’t value public sector employment in the same way. Or think you’ve done something terrible to have been let go etc.
Or were you doing a bit if a niche policy focused role? I am sure you will have loads of transferable skills, so second volunteering/board member stuff as a path to better job/ filling in gaps and support/care work in the interim.

@SunDragonsorry if this has been mentioned before. Could you do house/ pet sitting for a bit . So you could rent out your flat while doing that and move from place to place for a while. I had a a family member did that for about a year. Something like Trustedhousesitters.

Yeah I can imagine.

This thread makes me so sad, sending hugs to you OP. I hope things improve for you soon, and that you can access food via your local food bank. In a world where we are all expected to work until we’re 67 or older, I’m shocked at the number of people saying 50 is old. It’s really not, and none of us can assume our professional careers will see us through to a comfortable retirement, our luck can turn on a dime.

It sounds like building a community around us is key for all of us. Could you volunteer with your local food bank or blood donation centre or a charity or your local hospital to give yourself a break from endless applications and give yourself a chance to build new connections?

If you’re in southeast London there is a careers advisory, coaching and training service called Successful Mums which may be able to help.

Despite the name, you don’t have to be a mum nor indeed female. They look at your skills and try to find you a fit and they specialise in people who have been out of work for a while. I think some of their courses are online, so you could access them via local library.

I hope things improve for you soon OP, and all the others out there struggling x

Those companies shouldn't be taking on just anyone as care workers. It's not fair on the care recipients - some people are not temperamentally suited to caring for vulnerable people and potentially can't be trusted to do the job properly.

And what do you mean, better into a permanent job?

Some posts are just tone deaf on here. Op is starving and posters saying work on your hair and teeth, and buy a new suit.

Whether they should or shouldn’t is irrelevant. I was stating a fact about the industry.

That was an auto correct typo - I meant to say get instead of better.

@SunDragon you might find Reddit useful too. I saw a thread yesterday that was very helpful for my specific industry💐

A PP mentioned The National Careers Service so I phoned them up and they were so shit it was laughable.

Who is saying that? I suggested that if you don’t obviously choose to date yourself - at 50 ageism should’t be a huge thing - that is if you get to interview of course. There are loads of energetic and youthful 50 year olds out there and in good jobs! 60 might be a bit different of course.
The economy being a mess is the fundamental issue.
Obviously food and any employment should be op’s priority to get her some breathing space - but my point is that she shouldn’t write her career prospects off long term and believe she won’t work again in a good job.

Agree forget about the NCS they are a joke.

Their advice was so poor and completely "out of touch". I'm miffed that the government funds it. Shame!

I’ve always gone for call centre work when I’ve been struggling, it’s quicker to apply through an agency. Have to admit there’s not as much around as there used to be due to AI but you should still get some work fairly easily . Some are full time remote now too which is a bonus. It’s not an enjoyable job but will pay the bills for now

Customer Service Advisor
https://uk.indeed.com/viewjob?from=appshareios&jk=3ea29021ebd60773

like this one!

@Apprentice26 life has a way of teaching you the lessons you need. You sound very young.

Agree 100%.

Have you added the ‘open to work’ tag on your LinkedIn profile? It’s also perfectly ok to post that you’re actively looking for work. I’ve seen several people post that they’ve been made redundant and are struggling to find work. They’ve received multiple replies of encouragement, suggestions and invitations to talk about contract work or other opportunities. This isn’t the time to be proud!

I got made redundant at 54. I never let my age hold me back. You don’t need to put your age on a CV now anyway. Age is a protected characteristic.

Cover letters went out of fashion for a while but you do need to write a cover letter for every application. You also need to tailor your CV for every single job.

The job market is tough at the moment so you need to do everything to promote yourself.

Could you rent out your property? Move out of London?