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.

Could you work in the asylum system? Given there’s such a backlog in claims, wouldn’t they be looking for employees?
Or prisons? They’d train you.

But like another poster said, JC will offer funded training.

Also speak to your MP.
This Government has made it so expensive and problematic to employ staff, they’re stifling the economy. make your MP take ownership.

I would suggest FE lecturing in whatever your specialism is. Or tutoring English perhaps online. Care work is quite varied, so could be in the clients home or in a care home itself. You probably need some experience which could come from volunteering.

Do you tailor each cv/cover letter for every role or just send off one of these 3 cvs?

If you have stables by you you could do mucking out, turning out/bringing in, etc. Not brilliant money but money nevertheless.

Hi OP. Sorry to hear you are going though this, it’s tough and even more so when you don’t have anyone to financially depend on and very little support in way of benefits. I went through the same in 2008 and can empathise. It sounds like other people have given good advice, so I can’t really add to that. I hope you find something soon.

I’d head straight to a paid PhD. There are 4year programmes paid tax free at £17k a year. I did an MSc at 52 and will be paying student loans until I’m 82, the income threshold for repayment is so low. They definitely don’t get written off!

Nanny?

Could you put in somewhere for babysitting?
Get letters of recommendation from your friends?
Or maybe work as a receptionist in one of a hundred different places like real estate or doctors offices or other public-facing places?

Here in the US they used to have employment agencies - where they help you find a job and then you pay them a percentage of your salary for two or three months. Do they have those in London?
I had to resort to that once - it was horrible and humiliating, but I got a really crummy, low-paying job out of it.
Newspapers hire all the time like for fact checkers and proof readers. I’d love to do that.
Honestly you’d think London would be the one place where jobs would just fall into your lap.
Oh - this is humiliating, but stock person in a big box store? Do you have big box stores in England?
I hope you find something.
I’m sending you good luck and love ❤️

OP, I hope that you will find something soon. You seem like a reasonable and logical person. I can’t imagine there isn’t a role out there for you. In the meantime I was thinking I could very well in a few years, be in the same scenario especially with AI.

Some PPs made suggestions I would try if I were in a similar scenario however, I also wonder if you have thought about tutoring and/or giving advice on government application process. This is a specific industry that a lot of people are keen to get into. Maybe within hours you could post availability to help out with selection criteria and resumes online and build from that.

Tutoring is a brilliant idea!!

You can put an ad on Facebook and tutor 5 to 18 year olds in any subject you feel comfortable.

Here in California, private tutors charge a fortune!
So do piano teachers.
And other private music teachers.

So can you.

I would try for council admin jobs or agency work, freelance roles, virtual PA roles, go to networking events. Build up your linkedin profile. I'm abroad but spent over a year unemployed getting rejected for every job (mainly because where I moved to didn't have my industry) - in the end I created my own website with my portfolio and was able to find work quite easily after that in my field and then set up my own consultancy company. Don't be afraid to approach people either - don't ask don't get. Go through your network see if there's anyone who can help to get you a foot in the door.

Are you using AI?
If you’ve been out of the workplace a year, you might not have seen how it’s exploded in a lot of companies. There’s Claude which is my favourite at the moment, and Gemini is good too. Go into Claude and ask it to act as an expert in recruitment for (marketing) roles, to review your CV and build you a strategy to achieve the role and pay point you’re looking for. Also run your CV through Gemini. Upload the JD of your chosen role and ask it to act as the recruiter to assess your suitability for the role and identify any experience gaps. You may have simply understated something that’s important to them.

But more than that, there are so many ghost ads on LI atm. I’ve seen some of the same roles come up and disappear again every few months. It’s particularly harder the more senior you become.

I do still occasionally see ‘apply within’ notices in shops etc - not chains, obviously.

But I think the suggestion above about looking for PA roles individually recruited by disabled people is a really good option.

Try for extra work in the film industry if in london

Op, if you’re 50, have you tried de-aging your CV?
Remove the year you graduated uni and reduce your number of years of employment, make the data available by request.
There are a large number of free AI certification courses out there:
https://skillsbuild.org/adult-learners/explore-learning/artificial-intelligence
https://openai.com/index/openai-certificate-courses/
https://pll.harvard.edu/catalog/free
Take them, AI ify your CV. Find a niche that is you, your skills ‘with AI’.
Don’t pay for any AI training, it won’t be any better than what’s online for free.

It would be worth speaking to a local college about funding, if you are on a low income many courses are fully funded so wouldn’t cost you anything and if you are on benefits you may also get allowances for travel costs, food on the course etc

That sounds really tough OP!

In your shoes I would probably advertise myself as a cleaner. Whether you want to do it long term or to keep the wolf from the door is up to you, but I think it's a pretty well paid role that you could walk into quickly with no real time or cost to retrain.

It is really hard to get a cleaner in my area, especially one who is any good. We pay ours about double the national minimum wage.

Fellow Civil Servant here. Have you tried the AO/EO entry positions? There are still a few external campaigns for areas where it’s all office based and shift work. The less popular ones! If you were SO/G7+ before you’d only need to do probation before being able to apply for internal jobs again.

What salary do you need to cover the basics? Will help with replies.

AMCIS website is for independent schools admissions & marketing positions. You’d have lots of transferable skills to offer there are loads of jobs in London. It’s a really interesting field.

The prison service. It’s hard work and good pay. They need mature people who can say ‘no’ to a prisoner.

Have you applied to local schools for a TA position? Sending you lots of luck.

I was also made redundant a year ago. I have also applied for numerous vacancies, I'm in London, I've also run out of money and am a similar age, I'm also panicking.

No suggestions OP, and likely to be in a similar position soon.

I also don't drive due to epilepsy and it really does limit your job roles, I've never needed to so never looked into it but have you checked you're not eligible for extra help there? Free travel pass and so on?

Really hope you get something soon.

My suggestion if you are happy to retrain us to retrain to teach if you have a degree? Several ways in to it - PGCE which you can get a loan for which will give you a small income whilst training or teach as you train which gives a small salary. Some secondary school roles also give bonuses if you train in those subjects. Then you could tutor privately as you train which brings in money too!

Hrft but remember agencies only work with certain companies. So registet with multiple agencies with a range of business types.

My late DP was made redundant at 50, he did have driving skills and user that via agencies and eventually got a permanent full time job as a recovery driver. The agency times were painful though, no reliable shifts, late notice changes, always driving the uck vehicles. But you gotta do what you gotta do.

Getting any job right now will prove you are flexible, have a good work ethic so take whatever you can.

DH (also agency) just did a stint with 3hr round trip commute bc he hadn't worked for 18m due to illness. He got a great reference and he's been offered closer, still temp, work since so it was worth the travelling..

I'd also recommend trying NHS jobs as they have a wide range of roles including paid apprenticeships which coukd lead to a new career