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.

Have you tried walking round your local area & look for job adverts in windows ?

Local schools, hospitals, unis, prisons

Have you tried volunteering & this can lead to paid work ?

OP is in shared ownership, so they part rent and part buy. I said yesterday that it’s unlikely her housing association will allow OP to rent out their properties flat. This is one of the many problems with having a shared ownership property.

Rather than do nothing but job applications, could you instead carve out chunk of time to do some volunteering? Even a few hours a week. Look into things like being a trustee. Or online volunteering as well. I found this really helped keep my CV "alive" and also helped me develop new skills and a new network .

Have you considered taking a lodger? I have a lodger since my DC left home (6 years) and it has worked very well. The rent income is below the tax threshold, it is a help with bills. Obviously you have to choose carefully but it has been a good decision for me.

Set up as a self employed cleaner or childminder?

I haven't read the whole thread, but I recently got a job after being unemployed for 18 months after taking voluntary redundancy from a relatively senior role in a sector I'd been in for 15+ years. I retrained during that time, so had the added challenge of trying to get a job in a field I had no direct experience in. And I'm 50.

Rewriting my CV to make it AI friendly was probably the biggest thing I did that worked. Almost all recruiters/ employers use AI CV screening via whatever recruitment platform they use. I did an online session with ivee who used to be about women getting back into work, but now seem to be all about AI, which is a shame because their CV session was brilliant. But in any case, they had a template I used and then I started seeing a significant increase in positive responses and got two interviews quite quickly after that and then got offered the 2nd one. I also used AI to help me write my cover letters, to make sure I was absolutely hitting all the essential criteria.

What else helped was changing my mindset. That happend mostly through doing some group online career coaching sessions with https://www.bravestarts.com/ (who someone on MN recommended) - they're geared towards later in life career changers - and 3 solo coaching sessions with someone who specialises in people leaving the sector I used to work in. That helped me regain belief in my value. I did lots of networking too (shamelessly contacting people via LinkedIn that I was tenuously connected to or even not at all who were working in the area I was moving in to). I had some great conversations (mostly online) and met some lovely people. Folk are really generous with their time if you are honest and say you just want to find out more about what they do.

Good luck OP. It's pretty brutal out there. Keeping your morale up is hard, but you will find something eventually.

@FlappicusSmith i agree with your advice but equally It's kind of bonkers that we all now have to use AI to write an application that an AI filter will approve!

Agree with your last paragraph. I work with older people ( although losing my job next week) and so many are looking for trustworthy gardeners, home help or just companionship. The organisation i work for are always looking for home care workers, although the not driving aspect may severely limit op in this kind of work.

My council uses council employees - like a little bonus shift for them.

The tellers outside polling stations are political volunteers.

She has already been unemployed a year. And you have to factor in time to sell in a sluggish housing market.
OP is already building up debt.

It is always better to jump sooner rather than too late.

I think this is terrible advice actually. Hold on to your property op. Even if you have to quietly let it out - surely it must be possible to let a shared ownership flat in life changing situations

I saw something on LinkedIn about how to approach applications and interviews for what people consider ' lower' jobs like working in supermarkets, Cafe's, call centres etc.

The biggest concern as a recruiter is how long you are prepared to stay in that kind of job. Be honest, it would be as a little time as possible wouldn't it and until something better comes along?

Tesco's will not be ever so grateful and excited to receive an application from you. They are looking for people 30 years younger who are looking to work all shifts they ask with no questions.

In just this thread people are advising jobs that you can just walk into..no job is like that now.

I'm early 50's with a wealth of CX , strategy and delivery of enquiry functions..but I wouldn't hire me for some of the entry level roles we have. I don't want a know-it-all who's just killing time looking down on the role.

I would definitely stop spending all your time on applications. At this point they will seem very copy and paste and generic anyway. Seek out strategies to apply for all kinds of roles. I think volunteering and getting yourself on boards is a great idea. School Governor? community volunteer? think of areas where you can make new contacts . You will gain new skills and a develop a new 'network'.

Good luck.

@SunDragon Don't despair.
I was in that position, & agencies refused to put me forward for jobs they considered to be "beneath me".

I dumbed down my c.v., pretended I was only part-qualified & had less experience.
A new agency found me something "suitable" - it saved the day. And I enjoyed working there which was an added bonus.
Then that company advertised for a job I wanted, so I came clean, proved my qual & exp and got the job.

Register with several promotions agencies. There will be lots of work over summer, particularly in and around London. You'll get to go to some big events, have a laugh and earn money. Do not think it is all for 20 something models. It is not. Look for companies recruiting Brand Ambassadors.

ETA it's also really easy to drop when a proper job comes along, although I know some people who occasionally still do the odd big event even when otherwise fully employed (Wimbledon, F1 etc)

She’s already said multiple times it’s a one bed flat

Have a look on Jobs Indeed London. You gave marketing as an example:

Full Time Work, jobs in London (with Salaries) | Indeed United Kingdom

It really is not easy at the moment.
I see some have suggested selling anything you don't need. It may be worth doing this and then expanding to buying at car boots and auctions to resell as a side hustle.
Don't think anyone has suggested TEFL (teaching English as foreign language) as you are in London, you may find a role where they will pay for the short training.

If she lets it out, where will she live?
The rental income would have to cover both the mortgage and shared-ownership rental, and then she has to pay rent somewhere else on zero salary?

Please remember that exam invigilating is only for certain periods of the year and that schools/unis run teams of invigilators paying NMW. Exams are expensive for schools so you are paid for the exam time plus a little extra but you are not paid for waiting around between exams. So if exam finishes at 10.30 and the next one starts at 1.30 you will have 2 hours of hanging about on no pay.

The current main exam season has already started and finishes in June.

I earned about £1500 last financial year from exam invigilation. Schools run teams of invigilators on zero hour contracts. The bulk of invigilators where I am are former teachers but some are current parents of students.

If you were previously office based I would try registering at a few temp
agencies for admin/receptionist type roles e.g office angels, pertemps

Any large chain hotels near you? might be worth calling in and dropping a copy of your CV off - from what I recall they were always looking for housekeeping staff due to high turnover rates

Large chains have centralised shared services where they collate and manage their talent acquisition pool like every other business in the world, the days of being able to walk around and knock doors and be given jobs are long gone.
Even going through the right to work process needs to be documented in real time complying with GDP R and several other data collection laws.
Some of you really are still living in the 80s

I see people recommending charities too. the increase in employee NI contributions has decimated charities, they are all making staff redundant. I know of at least one charity in my area that is folding completely. I am being made redundant from the charity i work for this week as funding has dried up. Another of my colleagues going too. Even our local hospice has had to make staff redundant. The situation in the charity sector is dire right now. It's also very sad because the need doesn't go away and will need to be picked up elsewhere.

Agree totally with this! Last time I desperately needed to find a family friendly job, I applied for TA roles and didn't even get an interview despite being a qualified teacher and teaching full time for 15 years.

Now work for our local council and we've been in a recruitment freeze for what feels like forever. I work 4 days a week and really need to be full time but there's just no money for extra hours anywhere. Just seen all my promotion hopes go in 2 rounds of voluntary redundancy and its pretty grim at the moment!

What sector are you in?