# Are You UnEmployed?



## Cool Ice Dude55 (Jan 7, 2014)

I just wanted to ask some questions for my fellow unemployed people. Just to see how other people like me live.

How long have you been unemployed?

How much luck have you had? E.g Getting job interviews/call backs?

Honestly, how hard have you *really* been looking for a job?

What is the main thing stopping you from getting a job? E.g lack of experience, confidence etc.

How much has your SA affected you getting a job?

Would you lie on your CV/Resume?

Have you turned down a job, or job interview because of your SA or it wasn't right?

*How long have you been unemployed?
*
2 months.

*How much luck have you had? E.g Getting job interviews/call backs?
*
I signed on to a few agencies but like most agencies they are useless. I had a job interview but fluffed it up due to nerves.
Some agencies have called me up about a job starting the day or tomorrow. But it turns my anxiety into a frenzy. I cant do anything spontaneous. :serious:

*Honestly, how hard have you really been looking for a job?
*
I look everyday and if I see something I can do I will apply to it. I dont think I put my everything into looking for a job because it's so hard to remain enthusiastic when unemloyed because there's so much rejection. I think I could try harder but I'm so disillusioned and I'm really picky when it comes to jobs. 
In the past my job is the reason why I'm so depressed so I have to find one that's bearable. It isn't easy.
Some people might describe it as laziness but I'm just being picky due to my happiness. 
If it was a matter of life & death and I was forced to be homeless I would apply to more and do much more. Maybe I am being lazy. I'm just disillusioned right now :frown2:

*What is the main thing stopping you from getting a job? E.g lack of experience, confidence etc.*
The gap in my resume. I haven't had a paid job in 6 months. And all I've ever done is low-skilled jobs.
I dont have confidence in job interviews.

*How much has your SA affected you getting a job?
*.
It's affected me alot as I'm too scared to follow up job applications and also to ring my agencies up. I think I sound stupid in my CV and cover letter. I dont want to give people my references details because I hate people talking about me.

*Would you lie on your CV/Resume?
*
I've already lied about how long I've been at my previous jobs (extending them by a few months) just to make my CV look less gappy. I'm tempted to put in a fake job for my most recent gap but I'm scared about people finding out.

*Have you turned down a job, or job interview because of your SA or it wasn't right?*
Ive turned down interviews in the past because I didnt have the right skill for the job. I knew they wouldnt pick me. No point getting stressed about an interview I wouldnt get.
I turned down a job because it involved dealing with the public. And I can't deal with the public. No way jose.


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## NoDak81 (Oct 26, 2015)

Cool Ice Dude55 said:


> I just wanted to ask some questions for my fellow unemployed people. Just to see how other people like me live.
> 
> How long have you been unemployed?
> 
> ...


I've had no choice but to get a job. I know my family wouldn't support me. As for lying on a resume, I wouldn't as people will likely find out. As for how much SA has affected my job, most of the time it hasn't been too bad.


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## SillySuzan (Dec 5, 2015)

How long have you been unemployed?
A few months 
How much luck have you had? E.g Getting job interviews/call backs?
I get call backs but no one ever wants to hire me for some reason

Honestly, how hard have you really been looking for a job?
Haven't looked in a while don't see a point I applied to every job that I could get with no education in my area and no one will hire me

What is the main thing stopping you from getting a job? E.g lack of experience, confidence etc
People won't hire me, I don't think I have a confidence issue I try to fake being happy and kiss their *** so I can get my damn paycheck but it doesnt seem to work. "Why do I want to work here?" Oh I don't know maybe so I can eat and put a god damn house over my head...that reminds me of that youtube video I watched the other day

Funny guy he is





How much has your SA affected you getting a job?
I have SA, Aspergers and diccsoation problems so a lot..I forget where I am half the time
Would you lie on your CV/Resume?
Of course don't feel bad about it either
Have you turned down a job, or job interview because of your SA or it wasn't right?
Nope I never had the oppertunity


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## Cool Ice Dude55 (Jan 7, 2014)

SillySuzan said:


> Would you lie on your CV/Resume?
> Of course don't feel bad about it either


What did you lie about?


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## SillySuzan (Dec 5, 2015)

Cool Ice Dude55 said:


> What did you lie about?


How long I've been working

lol I also said I have excellent social skills and am a "team player."

:grin2:

When I can't really stand to be around people longer than 30 minutes

Online is okay though I can think about what I want to say and take my time:nerd:


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## jonjagger (Dec 26, 2015)

This is a very private matter that no one has the right to know.


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## Kevin001 (Jan 2, 2015)

I've been unemployed for a year now. I quit my last 2 part time jobs because of anxiety and depression. I have no motivation and my worrying about everything is killing me. I haven't even thought about working this whole year. I have no idea what I'm going to do about work. I don't think I'm messed up enough for disability.


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## visualkeirockstar (Aug 5, 2012)

I'm not but I did have a two year unemployed period. It was like the most depressing years of my life.


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## Dark Jewel (Jul 18, 2014)

Yeah, i'm incapable of working.


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## anomnomnom (May 28, 2013)

It's not called lying on your CV

It's called bending the truth a little

Like my self employed stint which lasted 18 months (in reality it only lasted 6) I've spent about 3-4 years of my life as a NEET however on my CV its barely a year just from extending a few dates..


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## Cool Ice Dude55 (Jan 7, 2014)

That's great. Do you mind taking my survey?

I'm also thinking about going down the "I'm self employed" route too, by saying I'm freelance. In reality i get about one random job a month


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## gumballhead (Jun 8, 2011)

No, I've had the same job for over 4 years now. (Well, 3 ,as I did get promoted about a year after I started). Problem is, I'm a bit underemployed. I work less than 7 hours a day once you factor out my lunch break.(Except for once a month when I get to work about 13 hours straight.) I got 6:48 on the time card today. I'm not looking to quit, but I'd like to get some skills for a better job soon. Anyway, when I graduated from High School, I had no plan, and was perfectly content to not have to repeat any courses. I spent a year and a half doing nothing, and only began to really search for a job a year into my "doing nothing" era. It was very hard. I couldn't fill out any applications because I had no contacts except for my parents, so even Walmart ignored my application. I got a couple of interviews, like Target and some restaurant which no longer exists, but no one was interested enough to hire me. I ended up doing volunteer work for over 3 months before getting the job I have now. Thank God the employee I was often covering for was a druggie, and quickly lost his job. 
I'll answer the other questions anyway.
I must say I didn't look for a job as hard as I could have. I sat around in the house a lot, even more than today. The main reason was I was terrified of driving and finding places. This is a phobia I'm only now working on, in the form of self enforced exposure therapy.
I never had much of a problem with SA when it came to interviews. I didn't mind some one sitting down with me and asking me questions. Sort of reminds me of my High School guidance counselor. I do have a bit of a phobia of talking on phones, so I hated having to sit around just waiting for it to ring. 
I never lied on any resume.
I quit one part time job I had 2 years ago working as a stocker in a liquor store. I took the job because I wanted to see some extra cash, and it was convenient, but it interfered with my down time. I would literally have to get home from work, throw on my other clothes, and go to my other job. Then I spent 5 hours lugging boxes of booze around and putting them on shelves. I never got to see my Mom, and I would get home around 9:00. I got to work out, and I lost some weight, but it just wasn't worth it. The main reason I quit though, was because they were moving us to a different location that was way out of the way. I knew my nerves wouldn't be able to take driving on the highway , and driving home at night while exhausted. I quit after 3 days, and cried on the way home. I don't think I was ever even paid, and I was too ashamed to go over and confront them about it. I wouldn't let that happen now, but I was 21, and still very timid. I probably should have stuck it out, but I probably would have died of a heart attack by now. Oh, and I quit my first job, (which was almost over anyway as it was a Summer thing) because there were some people giving my orders with some weird accent that I couldn't understand half of the time.
Crap, I didn't know this would be such a long post. Sorry...


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## Boby89 (Nov 28, 2015)

*How long have you been unemployed?

*3 months.

*How much luck have you had? E.g Getting job interviews/call backs?

*None, it will make sense in my next answer.

*Honestly, how hard have you really been looking for a job?

*To be honest I barely looked for a new job. I have my CV on some of those job related websites but that's about it, in fact I just delete their spam mail with totally unrelated jobs.
I'm not really searching because my plans were to finish my university studies, but that's not going well, I'm too depressed to do anything.

*What is the main thing stopping you from getting a job? E.g lack of experience, confidence etc.
*
I usually excel in everything if given the chance and motivation, but no employer will believe that obviously. So basically I have no experience, no finished studies and on top of that I have to deal with crap like depression and SA.

*How much has your SA affected you getting a job?

*It affected me a lot as well. The interviews are incredible scary for me.
Also from my last work place I learned that job related skills alone wont take you anywhere unless you have social skills as well. Everyone in the company will favor their friends or the people they know, if you are quiet dude that doesn't talk you will be last for everything.

*Would you lie on your CV/Resume?
*
Nope.

*Have you turned down a job, or job interview because of your SA or it wasn't right?

*Nope.


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## Skeletra (Aug 30, 2012)

I'm no longer unemployed, but I hope it's ok I reply considering how much it in paced me and how I'm still applying..

Q: How long have you been unemployed?
A: I was unemployed for 3 years. I have had a job for 1 year now.

Q: How much luck have you had? E.g Getting job interviews/call backs?
A: I did get a few interviews.. Maybe like 10-ish? The rest were rejections.

Q: Honestly, how hard have you *really* been looking for a job?
A: Year one, I did one application per month, minimum and only spendt like 4 hours a day looking for jobs. Year two I up it to 15 hours a day, spend some nights up even and applied for anything I could possibly get. I also joined 4 employment agencies. 3 of which specified for my highest education. The last year I looked for jobs every 10 minutes, I stayed up many nights perfectioning my applications thinking they weren't good enough. I rewrote my entire cv once a week thinking I'd get it right next time. I applied for everything that didn't require drivers licenses or higher education, I also sendt open applications when I felt like I hadn't applied for enough jobs.
Now I check the job sites twice a day, but there hasn't been that many jobs to apply for. From next year, I'll send open applications once a month.

Q: What is the main thing stopping you from getting a job? E.g lack of experience, confidence etc.
A: lack of experience seems to be the most popular reason.

Q: How much has your SA affected you getting a job?
A: Not that much acctually. Though it did sort of spiral out of control there for a while.

Q: Would you lie on your CV/Resume?
A: Maybe bend the truth a little, yeah. That's how I got my current job. I try not to though, since they run background checks now.

Q: Have you turned down a job, or job interview because of your SA or it wasn't right?
A: Nope. Not for SA. I turned down a cleaning lady job during my first year, but only because the councelor told me not to apply for something I wouldn't enjoy.. And he saw it on my face that I wasn't thrilled enough.


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## inane (Oct 21, 2013)

*How long have you been unemployed?

*Three months.
*
How much luck have you had? E.g Getting job interviews/call backs?*

Good, I've had 12 interviews in two months of searching, all within my field and desired salary.

*Honestly, how hard have you really been looking for a job?

*Not that hard. I just tweak my resume and cover letter a bit, and apply to positions that seem suitable for me.

*What is the main thing stopping you from getting a job? E.g lack of experience, confidence etc.

*Language and lack of experience. The area I'm job-searching in has a primary language of French, and most jobs require bilingualism. I've been slowly learning but it'll probably take another half-year of immersion before I have working proficiency of the language.

*How much has your SA affected you getting a job?
*
Nothing more than normal interview jitters.

*Would you lie on your CV/Resume?

*No.
*
Have you turned down a job, or job interview because of your SA or it wasn't right?*

Yes. It was just a temp position and during my exams, so I decided it wasn't worth it.


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## Fangirl96 (Apr 13, 2015)

Since june this year. Went to the job centre once. Signed up, had a small information meeting with other newly graduated teens. Learned absolutely nothing and left the room feeling 10 times more confused than before. 
Then i just never got around to writing a resume or apply for any jobs. I thought hey, i only need a minimum of one per month for a start. But then the weeks went by...and months...and i never got around to it. I was too anxious. I couldn't even handle the thought of it. Actually applying for jobs. There were never any jobs that suited me anyway. I would've had to search out of county to find something that i would've been even slightly qualified for. That wouldn't have worked. I don't have a car and public transport is so flawed out here on the countryside. There's no way for that to work.
The job centre didnt contact me again until like...october. They sent a letter asking if i was still a member. I didnt reply, and bam, i wasnt registered anymore. Ngl, that was a weight lifted off my shoulders.

And here i am. An anxious mess with no income. But it's better than being thrown around like a ragdoll at jobs that you only keep for like a week, cant say no to, and will only give me insane anxiety. Idk what im gonna do. I think i'd rather go back to studying next autumn. My grades are awful. Maybe this will work out better. But first, imma have to drag my arse to a doctor and get meds...like thats gonna happen...


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## Anti depressant (Jan 29, 2011)

I am not unemployed any longer but I was for about one year. Before that I was a student and didn't have time to work during college etc. The biggest block to my employment was getting experience and showing my skills. I got the experience by doing part time with my step-dad's business with data entry and I have gotten other opportunities with it. I currently am a transcriptionist and I am very happy and I hope to keep the job for a while.

I have had some bad experience losing jobs in the past so I think that's been my biggest obstacle. I had some negative situations there. My sa sometimes affects communication with supervisors but my current one is great about communicating so I don't need to worry.



visualkeirockstar said:


> I'm not but I did have a two year unemployed period. It was like the most depressing years of my life.


I hear you. Being unemployed stinks and it put strains on all of my friendships. It was one thing to be unemployed while in school.



anomnomnom said:


> It's not called lying on your CV
> 
> It's called bending the truth a little
> 
> Like my self employed stint which lasted 18 months (in reality it only lasted 6) I've spent about 3-4 years of my life as a NEET however on my CV its barely a year just from extending a few dates..


That's pretty much a lie. A lie is when you bend the truth. I know how desperate you can get when you're unemployed. I have been for most of my life until now but lying is not the answer. You could get in trouble for purgery.


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## Cool Ice Dude55 (Jan 7, 2014)

Thanks for the replies people. It's been really interesting reading them all. 

I forgot to add another thing is I'm very picky about my hours + when i work. I want to be able to have a life. I really value having a life and I dont want to work 40+ hours a week. Some jobs require early morning/late nights. it doesn't fly well with me.


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## nylon (Jan 2, 2016)

Cool Ice Dude55 said:


> I just wanted to ask some questions for my fellow unemployed people. Just to see how other people like me live.
> 
> How long have you been unemployed?
> 
> ...


I'm unemployed as well, I live in the Essex too. The worst thing is I graduated last summer, so I full under pressure with this growing gap on my cv. I brought my cv in urban outfitters and one of the girls said there may be something available in January, but im slightly terrified of working in retail (plus it has nothing to do with my degree).


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## WanderingSoul (Apr 22, 2012)

*How long have you been unemployed?

*3 years.
*
How much luck have you had? E.g Getting job interviews/call backs?*

I actually got two jobs, but left them. They were too much like my old job in which I suffered a lot of anxiety and stress. The minute I started working for them I was instantly remind of why I left that job in the first place.

*Honestly, how hard have you really been looking for a job?

*When I first left my old job and got state disability, I really believed I deserved a vacation, so I didn't seek work at all. Eventually that ran out, so I tried to seek various ways of making money without having to leave the house or work for an employer. However, self employment doesn't pull in a lot of money from the start. It almost takes years of experimenting and trial and error to figure out how you're going to get enough money to live. So again, I went back to my old industry but left because of the unbearable stress I immediately felt.

I've sought different types of jobs but have gotten rejected from those as well. It's basically a cycle of finding the motivation, getting shot down, being discouraged and not doing anything, then finding the motivation again, getting shot down or discouraged... and so on...

*What is the main thing stopping you from getting a job? E.g lack of experience, confidence etc.

*I'm somewhat agoraphobic. I could pull off working from home but like I said there's a learning curve to figuring out what does and doesn't work. I'm kinda stubborn and don't want to work for an employer.

*How much has your SA affected you getting a job?
*

*Would you lie on your CV/Resume?

*I didn't lie but I sort of had to exagerate.
*
Have you turned down a job, or job interview because of your SA or it wasn't right?*

Yes, the jobs that ended up being to similiar to my old one.


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## eukz (Nov 3, 2013)

Yeah, I still live with my parents, and in summary SA, no degree, little experience, and mild depression have kept me from looking for a job.


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## AlishaDawn (Jul 20, 2014)

*How long have you been unemployed?*
A month.

*
How much luck have you had? E.g Getting job interviews/call backs?*
I'm really good at job interviews. It's something I can rehearse for since a lot of interviews have similar questions, which tends to get rid of a lot of my anxieties in that area. In the few jobs I've applied to, I've gotten a call or interview for all of them.

*Honestly, how hard have you really been looking for a job?*
I haven't been looking since I lost my last job. I thought I could do it, but I can't right now. I don't know when I'll look again. It would have to be the most perfect job so I knew my anxiety wouldn't get in the way. I'm not trying hard at all.

*What is the main thing stopping you from getting a job? E.g lack of experience, confidence etc.
*
My anxieties of going out of my comfort zone (aka my bedroom) and into the world, which is full of things that I can't control. My lack of experience does make me a bit anxious as well, since they always ask about my gaps and lack of experience.

*How much has your SA affected you getting a job?*
It's the driving force to me not being able to hold a job once I get one.
I'm extremely good at the interviews and landing a job, but once I get the job, my anxiety kicks in after about a week because I think my mangers think I'm a bad worker or that I don't measure up to my coworkers. Even if nothing bad has actually happened and it's going fine and I've had no negative feedback, I still think I don't add up and then I can't work anymore.

I worked at Tim Horton's two years ago, that job lasted two weeks then I quit because it was such a small space and the managers/supervisors were staring at me the whole time and I felt so judged. 
Then I worked at the movie theatre, and that one lasted 3 months, but then I quit that one because I kept having till issues and it would send me home in tears at the end of every shift. If it weren't for the till issues, I might've stayed actually. 
My last job was just last month after being unemployed for a year and a bit. It lasted a week, and I just didn't go back because I couldn't handle being around anyone. I spent 3 days crying before my shift and just didn't show up.

It all comes down to me hating being judged, and perceiving any judgement as negative, especially when it comes to those of managers/supervisors/or anyone higher up than me as well (such as teachers). The thought of them thinking negatively of me, especially after making any kind of mistake (even if it's something simple, like taking a little longer than another coworker, or spilling something, etc, which to most people is no big deal and they happen) is even worse. It drives me to a point of quitting.

*Would you lie on your CV/Resume?*
No. They would find out and that thought would make me anxious.

*Have you turned down a job, or job interview because of your SA or it wasn't right?*
No, because I'm too scared to say no to a job in fear they'd be mad at me.


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## whiet (Jan 15, 2015)

*How long have you been unemployed?

11 *months. Don't even know if someone will employ me now

*How much luck have you had? E.g Getting job interviews/call backs?

*A few interviews, but I must suck at them since no one has offered me a role.

*Honestly, how hard have you really been looking for a job?

*I didn't look too hard in my first few months of unemplyment since I left my last job due to high anxiety and I was making really stupid mistakes. Now I feel I shouldn't have left but way too late...

*What is the main thing stopping you from getting a job? E.g lack of experience, confidence etc.
*
My confidence and shyness/SA, also probably being unemplyed for ages....

*How much has your SA affected you getting a job?

*Greatly, I'm not confident in interviews and stutter when talking becausre of nervousness

*Would you lie on your CV/Resume?
*
No

*Have you turned down a job, or job interview because of your SA or it wasn't right?

*Yes one time, skipped an interview because I was thought I was going to be sick while actually travelling to the interview


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## anzzer (Jan 1, 2016)

Cool Ice Dude55 said:


> I just wanted to ask some questions for my fellow unemployed people. Just to see how other people like me live.
> 
> How long have you been unemployed?
> Man. I think I have broken all records in this. It's been like 7 years now.
> ...


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## james77A (Sep 25, 2016)

How long have you been unemployed?

3 years

How much luck have you had? E.g Getting job interviews/call backs?

When I was on the Job Centre I got quite a few call backs and opportunities but was going through some pretty rough stuff having just left counselling so I kinda said no to all roles back then. I was lucky as my advisor was the sweetest lady you'd ever meet. I only had 7 job goals for the first few months before this old bag lady put it up to like 40 steps... I spent two years on the governments Work Programme from 2014-2016 and it was useless. Felt even more depressed and unhappy. I was offered care roles but sadly had to turn them down due to fear of my issues flareing up. Was on ESA too for 8 months. From July 2016 I went sort of self employed and started selling my own collectables. It's been good thus far! And I'm happy to be off the system... hate being on JSA/ESA etc... My mental health has sky rocketed and in general I feel pretty good most days.

Honestly, how hard have you really been looking for a job?

For 2+ years I applied like crazy! I'm not someone who can just attend the JCP and bluff my way through an interrogation /interview. They really clamped down on people just shuffling in out of bed at any time, I was there on time everyday I had to sign on, dressed smartly and with a mountain of evidence. The Work Programme was dreadful and the firm I was with were lying muppets who just prayed on weak/vulnerable people to sanction there benefit... it was depressing as heck! Had to keep all the letters and stuff they send you cause they start playing mind games and silly tactics to get you thrown off benefits. 

What is the main thing stopping you from getting a job? E.g lack of experience, confidence etc.

Basically I'm kinda a shut in type now. Never really go out much and don't buy a lot of stuff. Pay my folks the dig money and thats about the it. 

How much has your SA affected you getting a job?

I've kinda acted my way into previous jobs. For ASDA you basically need to act all smiley and happy during all the interview stages or they drop you like a hot potato... I was described as bubbly and fun? ME!! I couldn't believe it! I was lucky though as I sat next to this talkative lady and it sounded like we'd gabbed for ages when we had to do this group thingy... The other job I got through a family member.

Would you lie on your CV/Resume?

NO... I'd be caught for sure!


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