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Work Experience and Financing Yourself

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Hiya,

so after two months at home, broke, no job, no hope, no life. I have decided to try and kick-start some work experience again.

It's been a LONG time since I wrote anything (I got really bad creative block after the death of my mum) and even attempting to apply for a journalismy kind of of job without any recent work is unthinkable.

So I've been applying for lots and lots of internships, some unpaid, some paid and almost all of them in London.

However, as I have mentioned I am broke. I have family in London and friends and would probably be able to crash with them whilst I undertook a placement but the thing is. How will I finance myself?

The difficulty for me is that if I'm undertaking a placement I cannot work and if I cannot work, I cannot earn money and thus have no way of living.

I know I should probably save some money before I do this but at the moment I can't even get a part-time job in a pub. Believe me I've tried.

I've considered benefits but I don't have a P45 and my last employer has said they've sent it out but I've never seen it. Add to that they expect you to spend all your time looking for work which I'd be unable to do if I'm slaving away at a work exp placement.

Does anybody know if there are any grants or loans available to help with this sort of thing? Or should I just ask my dad (he's been giving me pocket money but seems against me doing this. Says I should "just get a fucking job" (Easier said than done)).

I want to do this for my long-term career prospects rather than just getting money in as I know me and if I did that... I'd end up stuck in this backwater forever.

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I agree with your feeling that getting a work placement / experience is a really good, positive step. Are you on jobseekers allowance and other benefits? If not, I'd try and get it, and justify the work experience as giving you an avenue into your career. I don't know 100% how it works though so it might be worth speaking to someone about it.

    I think if you're in employment even if just for experience they have to pay you minimum wage... don't they?
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