So I’ve been unemployed now for just over 2 weeks after becoming a victim of company downsizing, working in Marketing with a construction company during a recession may do that to you. Losing my last position definitely was not the worst thing ever (so you can stop feeling so bad for me), I’ve no massive life commitments and it was never going to be my career anyway. Continuing to further my education and an enjoyable (hopefully well paid) job is definitely firmly in my future. I was guilty of becoming a little comfortable so perhaps it was the kick up the butt I needed. Therefore, I can’t say I was absolutely devastated then when my boss told me he could only keep me on until the start of September, it surely didn’t help that my car had broken down in a dramatic fashion that morning, but hey, it was never that stable of a position, kind of like my car, ironic!
The thing that devastated me the most was the immediate, the thoughts of visiting the social welfare office and driving to a post office once a week. Not saying there is anything wrong with this but my god it has to be the most dispiriting experience, there is nothing worse than feeling like you don’t have control over money and the whole system is just so confusing to someone who has never experienced it. Of course, with the high volume of people being forced to do it nowadays, I didn’t feel alone, however I do wonder if sometimes I am the only one who feels the overwhelming urge to shout ‘I REALLY WANT A JOB!’ to the woman in the post office methodically scanning my social welfare card and handing me a white slip to sign. It’s hard to shake that social stigma that I’m sure is just all in my head.
I definitely am not a person who is comfortable with unemployment. I like the routine a job gives me, it itself can be hectic but I like the routine of getting up and going to work, coming home and relaxing. I’ve worked since I was 16, through school and college. I truly believe that encouraging your child to work is the biggest advantage you can give them. My dad said to me lately that all those evenings he drove me to work the late shifts in KFC (oh those glamorous first jobs!) and collected me he thought he could have just as easily given me the money and saved on petrol costs, but I am so grateful he didn’t because its given me the strong work ethic I have today.
After giving myself a week to regroup after finishing my job I hit the job search hard, I’m learning to self promote like crazy, to take full advantage of social media like Twitter, LinkedIn and Jobbio. Job searching now is definitely a far cry away from my KFC days but its exciting and different and as the responses start to slowly trickle back I’m starting to enjoy my late night scrolling through Jobs.ie, but hoping it doesn’t last too long! There is definitely opportunities out there its just about getting noticed in a big pool of very talented graduates. Employment schemes like Job Bridge, I feel, are not doing anything to help the Irish job market at the moment. A Job Bridge ‘success story’ as Minister Joan Burton would call me, I recently wrote an opinion piece on my experience which I will post it here soon.
I’m liking the venting feeling I’m getting from writing about my job search so will probably share some blog updates along the way on this. Now, time to update my LinkedIn!
Thanks for reading.
Adeline x
Don't Minchin It! 