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Next Steps in My Job Search
TheNightmare
Posts: 2,750 Boards Guru
in Work & Study
I've been feeling a lot of pressure and uncertainty about my job search, which is why I decided to create a separate thread to talk about it. I was hesitant to post at first because it's such a sensitive issue for me. Recently, I spoke with someone about my job search progress, and we came to the conclusion that volunteering might be a good way for me to gain some experience and improve my chances of finding work. Although I've been hesitant about volunteering in the past, I'm willing to consider it seriously if it will help me get something faster.
My biggest concern is getting stuck in a voluntary role and becoming demotivated since I won't be paid for my work. One of the things that’s been really bothering me is my self-esteem. I still don’t have a job, and I feel like I’m really behind compared to others. I’m often harsh on myself for not being where I think I should be, and this lack of progress is making me feel worse about myself. Even though volunteering could help me feel more fulfilled, I know I’ll still feel the pressure of having to continue my job search. What I really want is to be earning and getting an income, and it’s something that has been on my mind a lot. Not being able to earn is really affecting how I feel about myself. Additionally, I’m currently working on my functional skills, trying to get my GCSEs as an adult. I feel embarrassed about this because everyone else my age has these qualifications, and it makes me feel like I’m falling behind.
I’ve been thinking that maybe volunteering could be a quicker path to something, but it’s a tough decision. It’s either continue with my functional skills or volunteer, and I’m still unsure which option would be best. The process feels like it’s taking way too long, and I even felt like crying in the car on the way home earlier. Overall, I just feel completely overwhelmed by everything that’s going on. Right now, this is pretty much all I feel like I have to talk about, and it’s frustrating because it feels like this situation has been dragging on for far too long.
My biggest concern is getting stuck in a voluntary role and becoming demotivated since I won't be paid for my work. One of the things that’s been really bothering me is my self-esteem. I still don’t have a job, and I feel like I’m really behind compared to others. I’m often harsh on myself for not being where I think I should be, and this lack of progress is making me feel worse about myself. Even though volunteering could help me feel more fulfilled, I know I’ll still feel the pressure of having to continue my job search. What I really want is to be earning and getting an income, and it’s something that has been on my mind a lot. Not being able to earn is really affecting how I feel about myself. Additionally, I’m currently working on my functional skills, trying to get my GCSEs as an adult. I feel embarrassed about this because everyone else my age has these qualifications, and it makes me feel like I’m falling behind.
I’ve been thinking that maybe volunteering could be a quicker path to something, but it’s a tough decision. It’s either continue with my functional skills or volunteer, and I’m still unsure which option would be best. The process feels like it’s taking way too long, and I even felt like crying in the car on the way home earlier. Overall, I just feel completely overwhelmed by everything that’s going on. Right now, this is pretty much all I feel like I have to talk about, and it’s frustrating because it feels like this situation has been dragging on for far too long.
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Comments
Not being where you'd like to be and seeing others around you succeeding can havr a knock on self esteem but it's hard getting a job. You will get there though...
Personally volunteering has helped, 1 experience wise 2 self esteem wise. You'll find motivation in enjoyment. Start by committing a minimum then uf you can do more if you enjoy it. I started off 1 day a week even though I couldve done 2.
Volunteering you have flexibility as well
Good luck 👍
Developing skills sounds like a good way to improve your employability, while volunteering gives you a good opportunity to improve skills, work with others and get some real experience. It sounds like a key concern here is time. I guess my question here is, do you need to pick between them? Volunteering doesn't need to be full-time - even an hour or two per week can be a big help to a charity. How would you feel about that?
From my experience, I can also say that volunteering was helpful for me getting a job. It gave me a great opportunity to work with others and develop skills, as well as being something I could add on an application. The one thing it doesn't give you is money - but for employers, they'll care about what you're currently up to, what skills you have, whether you work well with others. In essence, they won't be asking you (at this stage) about the money you're currently making. Volunteering is also not something that you'll be stuck in - it's voluntary, so if you need to stop for a while or even leave, that's accepted due to the nature of the role.
It's easy to feel disheartened when we compare ourselves to others around us, or to an aspiration version of ourselves, and that's because we (knowingly or unknowingly) pay attention to the best things about those comparatives, and the worst things about ourselves. I know it's difficult, but remember that you're taking the right steps towards the role you want to get. Keep focusing on your journey and you'll get that role in time. We're here to support you through this journey too!
@Azziman Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts and encouragement it means a lot to me, especially during a time when it's hard to stay motivated. I really appreciate your kindness and the effort you've put into giving me advice.
For your first question, I think focusing on developing skills could definitely help me. I know it’s important for employability, but honestly, I feel a bit confused about how to balance everything. There’s a lot to think about, and I’m not quite sure how to prioritize it all right now.
As for your second question, volunteering for an hour or two could be a start, but I’d want to get the full benefit out of it if I committed to it. Maybe I’d do more hours so I could get used to a proper work routine it seems like that would help me prepare better for a job.
Thanks again for your support it really does make a difference.
@Invisible_me Sorry for the late reply, and thanks for sharing your experience. It really helps to know I’m not the only one feeling this way. It sounds like you’ve been through a lot too, and I admire how you’ve kept going with zero hour contract jobs while staying positive.
I appreciate your advice about volunteering. It’s encouraging to hear how it helped you both experience wise and for your self esteem. I like the idea of starting small, like one day a week, and then increasing if it feels right. The flexibility sounds great too, especially while I’m trying to figure things out.
Thanks for the support and good luck to you as well. I hope things get better for both of us.
0 hrs can help with easing in and giving flexibility.
i know that it can be a little iffy i guess in terms of you’re not being paid for your time but i think it all depends on the role and how much you enjoy it if that makes sense?
i’ve volunteered with oxfam, an autism charity and shout in the last 4 years!
oxfam:
it was in one of their little shops and i was kinda like “why am i here unpaid” sometimes? i did really enjoy it and there was an amazing team too and i found that having the experience actually helped a lot once i then got my first job which was a customer facing role! although it was a bit annoying sometimes thinking about how i wasn’t being paid for it, the management of the shop were amazing and travel / lunch was reimbursed each time you done a shift - we always had a little christmas night out too - we were really well looked after for sure!
autism charity:
i currently still volunteer here and i never ever think about how my time is unpaid because i love it so much! i’m only there for 2 hours a week so it’s not a lot of time from my week, but it’s so enjoyable and i do feel like it has really boosted my confidence a lot too! i had never worked with children before, i don’t even have much personal experience of children eg younger family member, so it was completely new to me but the charity and the primary school im based in are so supportive which helps a lot - volunteering here has also helped me to actually reach a goal in terms of career too in a way? i seen a paid role with this charity that was around respite care and i loved the idea of it, however you have to be over 25 for their insurance purposes so i can’t do it yet, i was on the search for a similar job and i then found one recently but they required 6 months experience of working with children so if it wasn’t for the volunteering, i wouldn’t have been able to get the job (which i then did get!) so in this case, although ive gave up my time for free, i have really enjoyed every single moment of it so far and it is also the reason i had any chance of getting offered the other job!
shout:
i currently still volunteer at shout too and similarity to the autism charity, although my time is unpaid i love it so much so i don’t even care about it being unpaid? i love every single moment of it, even though sometimes it can really challenging with the context of conversations. i think what also helps with this role is that i do it from home so i don’t have to travel anywhere, and it’s 24/7 therefore it can so easily fit into my life and there’s no proper commitment as such, as in it’s not every tuesday from 2-4pm for example, i just log on when i want to each week (if that makes sense i feel like i explained it badly?) i think that this has also helped a bit too in relation to the job i got offered and also gives me SO much experience of dealing with people at crisis point etc too, as my long term goal is youth work so that will always be helpful then!
i totally get how sometimes it can feel a bit deflating i suppose that you’re not being paid for your time however i think (and know from my own experience) that when you find a role you really love, that doesn’t even matter much?
i hope this is of some help!