Am I Screwed?

[Street Preacher]

I'm 29, still live at home with the parents, have had my hours in work halfed this year and I'm struggling to even get interviews for jobs, nevermind an actual job.

 

Worked in retail since leaving school with 10 GCSEs ( 4 at grade c the rest lower ) and now really want to get out of it but don't have much in the way of skills or experience.

 

Only positives I really have is that I have zero debt which is something i suppose.

 

Just not sure where i'm heading next and pretty depressed about it to be honest so i thought the only logical thing to do was to ask the esteemed members of my favourite forum to sort this shit out for me.

 

So what do i do next and are any of you in similar situations where you feel like you're in a low place in your working life?

[Skidfingers McGonical]

I'm 29, still live at home with the parents, have had my hours in work halfed this year and I'm struggling to even get interviews for jobs, nevermind an actual job.

 

Worked in retail since leaving school with 10 GCSEs ( 4 at grade c the rest lower ) and now really want to get out of it but don't have much in the way of skills or experience.

 

Only positives I really have is that I have zero debt which is something i suppose.

 

Just not sure where i'm heading next and pretty depressed about it to be honest so i thought the only logical thing to do was to ask the esteemed members of my favourite forum to sort this shit out for me.

 

So what do i do next and are any of you in similar situations where you feel like you're in a low place in your working life?

 

If it makes you feel any better, I've moved from a flat in town with my Missus, to living with her Mum.

[melons]

Would you consider retraining even though it means less of an income for a few years?

[1892-LFCWasBorn]

Problem with that is employers want a full working history in whatever the area is. They can afford to be fussy because there aren't enough jobs out there.

 

So in answer to your question, probably yes you are screwed.

[DJLJ]

Go and work somewhere else for a while? Move country and try it there for a while. Even if you do come back later on, you will have gained lots of invaluable experience.

[Lee909]

Cheer up, your not the only one.

I'm 29 in fen and have similar qualifications and live at home with my Mum.

Fuck what anyone else thinks about you living at home if you are happy. Personaly I am not bothered about it and just split all the bills down the middle.

 

Don't really know what else to say but your not the only one.

Best of luck.

[The Flâneur]

I would advise you to take up Buddhism; release yourself from all that desire for a 'better' life and just om it all away.

 

Om.

[POOOS]

I'm 29, still live at home with the parents, have had my hours in work halfed this year and I'm struggling to even get interviews for jobs, nevermind an actual job.

 

Worked in retail since leaving school with 10 GCSEs ( 4 at grade c the rest lower ) and now really want to get out of it but don't have much in the way of skills or experience.

 

Only positives I really have is that I have zero debt which is something i suppose.

 

Just not sure where i'm heading next and pretty depressed about it to be honest so i thought the only logical thing to do was to ask the esteemed members of my favourite forum to sort this shit out for me.

 

So what do i do next and are any of you in similar situations where you feel like you're in a low place in your working life?

 

Don't give up hope. I was the same at 28/29. However, in the space of about 12 months I got a job and met a girl. 5 years later, we moved into our own house and then had a baby.

 

I know things are different now - I am 10 years older and was made redundant 6 months ago and am struggling to find employment myself at the mo so we're struggling to pay our household debts, mortgage etc - but for over 10 years I was proof that things can get better and more often than not do.

 

Keep your chin up, mate, and good luck.

[Section_31]

I'd say yours is a fairly typical situation mate, that's why half the western world is demonstrating as we speak.

 

It's pretty much impossible to get a mortgage now if you're on your own unless you've got 15-20k for a deposit, so the only alternative is renting - which is dead money at the best of times - and which, in true free market fashion, has seen the average rental price go through the roof since mortgages became harder to get.

 

This country fucks you in the ass, and doesn't even have the decency to give you a reach around.

 

On a lighter note, you sound like you're in a good position to go back to college, something you couldn't do if you had a mortgage and kids to feed. Pick something you like and study it, plumbing, engineering, teaching, whatever you want, the world's your oyster and the things which are getting you down - i.e living at home - is actually something many people looking to change the direction of their life would kill for.

[Street Preacher]

I'll definitely have a go at the oming.

 

The main thing is to get out of retaila do something different. Whether than be office based, something more manual, whatever really.

 

The only other qualifications i have are NVQ's in customer service, retail and the ECDL computer qualification.

 

At the moment i just want something full-time, even if it's minimum wage. Been in my current job too long and it's hard to motivate myself at all, even though it's only part time.

[Antynwa]

Go to college and volunteer to work for free at firms which interest you, with the potential for future employment.

 

Worst comes to the worst you can write on your CV that you actually went out to do something about it.

[Street Preacher]

Om om

[King Gheedorah]

Om om

 

That's the sound of the universe.

[Street Preacher]

Voulunteering is something I have just started to look at. Think I may want to get into something where i actually make a difference and help people rather than just sell walking boots.

[dennis tooth]

cant you register with an agency?

[Street Preacher]

Yeah i have actually registered with one so far and have a job as a merchandiser in Tesco coming up but the start date keeps getting put back and it's only short-term evening work which will hopefully give me some Christmas present buying money.

[Pony Princess]

Retrain - nightschool.

[dennis tooth]

I hear santander are recruiting if your in liverpool, customer services. They keep offering me an interview but am not interested.

[1892-LFCWasBorn]

I hear santander are recruiting if your in liverpool, customer services. They keep offering me an interview but am not interested.

 

Good move.

 

Their pay is disgraceful. Was chatting to a branch manager and told me how me she earnt. Fuck knows what everyone else is on.

 

Benefits aren't that great either.

[mgw100]

You are a long way from being screwed mate, you are still young and have loads of opportunity to change things in your life. The fact that you are living with you parents indicates you have a supportive environment, which may allow you a little license to find your way.

 

I earn a decent living these days in a job that I enjoy, but pretty much bummed around until my late 20s. A lot of my mates are the same. It's definitely not too late.

 

There are a number of directions to get to where you need to be so I won't give you any specific advice in that regard, other than it's likely to involve re-training in either a vocational or educational environment. In general, you will succeed quicker when you have a clearer idea of what it is that will you make you happy career wise, so focus on that initially.

 

Good luck mate.

[She Knows It]

Good move.

 

Their pay is disgraceful. Was chatting to a branch manager and told me how me she earnt. Fuck knows what everyone else is on.

 

Benefits aren't that great either.

 

Their call centre staff are on 13.5-15K which doesn't seem too bad for an unskilled job.

[Red Banjo]

College is the answer.

 

I left school under similar circumstances, went to work in an office and, although got a few promotions, became fiercely bored with the mundane shite the office environment brings. I decided to fuck it off and with my savings went back-packing round the world for 18 months. This was in 2006.

 

When i returned, i was full of optimism about my next move but this country was deep in recession by this time so work was extremely hard to come by. So basically i was 28 years old without a qualification to speak of, and going nowhere fast. Said to my mrs today that i think i was dangerously close to depression, very highly strung all the time and snappy with everyone around me.

 

I decided a direct plan of action was needed to get out of this ever increasing hole i found myself in. And college was the answer, as i needed to get something on paper.

I enroled on a part-time course to train as an electrician. Within a few months i managed to get a job installing digital TV equipment. And now 15 months on - i have various work based qualifications, as well as the college stuff. Last month i got seconded onto the elite contact within the company working on banks, pharmacies and commercial properties - and my college qualifications sealed my promotion as the job requires the engineers to have electrical qualifications.

 

Basically in the space of 2 years i've gone from being a -miserable, angry, going nowhere fast 29 year old, to having a very good job, earning really good money and enjoying life again. And i'll say that taking the plunge and going back to college was the key part of where it all started. I was dreading the thought of going back into education and having to sit amongst snotty nosed kids, but the reality was much different. I think in my class of 14 - only 4 lads were younger than me, with the oldest fella being in his late 40's. The initial cost of the course (£1k) was tough to scrape together and the work load meant i was doing really long days sometimes but it was worth it in the end.

 

College is the answer. Although you have missed the start of this term now, i couldn't recommend it more. Go learn.

[silverlining]

Fuck, you've actually made me feel a bit depressed.

 

You are totally screwed.

[mlwilliams]

I was out of work for a year and a bit before registering with an Agency and getting the job I currently have. There's no harm at all in registering for one, the one I'm with phoned me up out of the blue on a Thursday and said I had an interview on the Friday and then phoned Friday afternoon to say I was starting on Monday.

 

I would go to college as well however I went to college for four years in a row and did three different courses and still couldn't find a job. If I'm going to go to college again it would be to do IT and to get a Cisco certificate.

[Cardie]

 

"We're all in this together"