Unemployment taking a toll

Mara

Hi all, I'm new and this is my first post. I'm 23 and I have been looking for a job for 2 months. I am starting feeling very bad. I haven't found anything although I have a higher education and I speak many languages, and I have some experience (although not much). COVID makes job hunting hard but I am in a big city and I feel like I should have found something by now... I had a burnout this summer and I had to suspend uni. Now depression and a bunch of stuff is coming back to me slowly and I hardly find the strength to send any job application. I feel like it's my mental health's fault, and I really have a hard time believing in myself at this point. 

Is anyone going through a similar situation?

Laine

Sending all the virtual hugs it sounds like you're having a rough time! 

I can empathise with unemployment taking its toll.

You shouldn't beat yourself up though sounds like you have some good qualifications but covid will make job searching hard for anyone. It's admirable you keep trying that's the best you can do. Only advice I can give is get someone to look at your CV if you want a double check.

You're doing your best ❤️ do you have anyone to talk about about your depression that is coming back? 

independent_

Hiya @Mara, welcome to the community  

I can really understand where you’re coming from here I am also unemployed and mostly this is because of my mental health. I also have minimal qualifications, so my options are limited. You are not alone. 

As @Laine said, all we can ever do is try our best, and I think mental health has to come first. 

I think there’s a stigma around being unemployed and people can be quite unkind but you’re doing your best which is all anyone can ask. 

Maisy

Hey @Mara

 

Unemployment can definitely take its toll on your mental health. I’m in a similar situation myself as I first graduated in 2014, but was very burnt out for 1-2 years after, then had some stressful life events, and now finishing off my Masters this year but am also seeking a career change while also dealing with mental health. Whew.

 

It is easy to blame our mental health and think that things would be easier if we felt better. But sometimes I wonder if blame is helpful at all since we are thinking of what we could do if things were different. I’m wondering if it would help a bit to be gentler on yourself and understand that you are struggling with mental health, without judging yourself for it.

 

It’s great that you have some qualifications and some experience. Even though you may live in a big city, it can help to challenge the ‘should’ thoughts. We are in a pandemic, which does make job hunting more difficult. And even though it may seem like big cities appear to offer more opportunities than smaller ones, it doesn’t mean that it’s any easier to get a job or that you should’ve got a job by now.

 

I’m wondering what kind of jobs are you looking for- is it just a job in general or something more specific? For me, I felt worse when I felt like I ‘should’ apply to certain jobs just because it was in my degree qualification. However, I’ve since realised that, for me, it’s best to think about jobs that I am actually interested in, even if I don’t have the right qualifications/experience so that I can try to get into jobs I am interested in rather than what I feel I ‘should’ be doing.

 

Going through a pandemic, job searching and with depression and anxiety, is difficult and I understand why this may then have a negative impact on your self-believe. Try and be a bit gentle on yourself and you may find that your confidence comes back a bit when you give yourself a break. You are good enough and you are trying despite the tough circumstances