Let's Get IRH a JOB!

First off, Jar said I should do this. I wouldn't otherwise, or I might feel a whole lot weirder about it.Two weeks ago, I left my part-time job because I wasn't earning enough to support myself, and the grant for my Masters degree ran out. I thought, funnily enough, with my extensive retail and management experience as well as a degree and higher qualifications, I wouldn't have any trouble finding a new job, hopefully one with full-time work so I could pay the bills.How wrong I was.I can't find a job. I've even been turned down for seasonal Christmas work "because they found someone with more experience". I've been looking for a month, online and around where I live, and I've come up with nothing. Despite my degree in geology, I can't get an industry job because I've no experience in industry - and I can't get that experience unless I get a job!Not being able to get a job, and being turned down everywhere you go, is just about the most soul-destroying thing that can happen to anyone - especially when you've spent the last six years of your life studying and training in what you thought was a useful, practical field. On top of that I found out last week that I don't qualify for unemployment benefits because I haven't paid enough tax - which officially leaves me skint and up shit creek.So, this is a shout out to the wide world of EvCForum - GIVE ME A JOB! I'm a programmer, a writer, a geologist, a computer tech; I know how to talk to customers and staff; I can do web design, graphic design, drawing, painting; I even know the secret to making the best damn hot chocolate on Earth. I also make a mean cappucino, but I like hot chocolate more.Alternatively, offer advice, condolences, or talk about your own experiences of being unemployed.The Rock Hound (currently being driven mad by inactivity)

I was out of work once, and I ended up at one of those temporary employment agencies. It sounds bad, but after you go on an assignment, often the employer will want to hire you full time. Some of them do that so that they can view potential employees at work.

Mmmm. The Permian Basin and Fort Worth Basin are a long way from the Emerald Isle, aren't they? There are almost certainly jobs out here for a lad of your qualifications, though they might tend toward the 100-hour-per-week minding a drilling rig sort at the starter level. And our surface geology has to be less attractive than yours....I've been in that unemployed boat, with a fresh PhD, even, and it was not fun. Keep pluggin' at it, and keep posting informative geological stuff here when you have the chance.

Problem there being that I can't move because of my fiancee - otherwise I'd be walking into a job in France tomorrow. I gotta get a job in Ireland or nothing.

Yeah, that's an important consideration!

I'm afraid that rather limits the options - most of us won't be able to help much.From my own experiences in the computer field on the other side of the Irish Sea, I'd suggest trying the recruitment consultants - and I mean the plural, don't stick with just one.t

I'm trying them all... so far no luck.It really, really sucks to be me.

Hopefully not while the riots are in progress.Seriously there are a couple things to consider:(1) What is worse - being unemployed and engaged or unemployed and married? Seems you need to solve the employed issue first, but this may also involve more flexibility from the other partner in the equation. France is a heck of a lot closer to Ireland than Victoria BC is to Massachussetts yet we lived there happily and had our child out there, even though it was far from family: you should still be able to visit often enough to ameliorate the families eh?(2) These questions may help you find your answer: (a) what do you want? (b) what are you willing to do to achieve that? (c) is it working? (d) do you want to try something else?(3) Keep looking and asking and putting yourself out in the market: your job, Mr. Phelps, is to sell yourself, don't count on others to do this for you. Speaking from personal experience, as a {recently employed after being on the market as a 50+ job outsourced ex-employee}, it took over a year of knocking on doors to find the job I got and I got it because of the determination and perseverence to the task.(4) If all else fails, sell hot chocolate and make a movie
Chocolat (2000) - IMDb

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we are limited in our ability to understand
by our ability to understand

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RebelAAmerican.Zen[Deist
... to learn ... to think ... to live ... to laugh ...
to share.

Well, moving to France is a bigger deal than moving across the States, not only because I can't speak much French.I'd be moving into a whole new culture - away from my friends, my family, my entire life - just to get a job. My fiancee would have to get a new job too, and also doesn't speak much French or know anything about French culture.To be honest, I think my parents would think I'd gone crazy if I told them I was moving to Paris to get a job.So in short, I'm not willing to leave everything I've built for myself here for the last 6 years just to get a job. I'm willing to stick it out and really exhaust all opportunities here first.As for the hot chocolate thing... I hate having nothing to do, so I abandoned all semblence of sanity and signed up to http://www.nanowrimo.org. So I may become what I've always wanted - a writer.

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"Those who fear the darkness have never seen what the light can do."

Why not closer to home, say Scotland, Wales or England? Or have you tried there?As one who stayed too long in a futile job market for biologists(Europe) my advice would be not to overstay because of an investment you already made somewhere (as I have in Germany). You could miss the hiring wave somewhere else and then be really stuck. I avoided this..but am leaving Europe to go back to the US. I put it off as long as I could but in the end, it was the best option for me and my family. If you have a secure job, you can always keep looking for another when where you actually want to live...but your chances are way better if you do it in such a way that you are not long term unemployed.

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To be honest, I think my parents would think I'd gone crazy if I told them I was moving to Paris to get a job.

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That is so different from the US. If your parents were American, they would think you were crazy for being unemployed (or taking a less than appropriate job) just to stay close to home.

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"Intellectually, scientifically, even artistically, fundamentalism -- biblical literalism -- is a road to nowhere, because it insists on fidelity to revealed truths that are not true." -- Katha Pollitt

IRHYou could always move to paradise and I am sure you would enjoy your time here. You speak our language too.After a 3 minute search I found this little gem. Are you qulified for it? This message has been edited by sidelined, Tue, 2005-11-08 12:34 PM

HehI have a picture of the paradise lodge at the "lake of clouds"You can also find it in Northern Michigan

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we are limited in our ability to understand
by our ability to understand

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RebelAAmerican.Zen[Deist
... to learn ... to think ... to live ... to laugh ...
to share.

My fear would be {putting\keeping} myself in a box for a {temporary\transient} reason that would have long term (negative) effects on my life - just to stay in one place. What an opportunity to expand your horizons! Think of the positives eh? I spent 6 weeks in france after learning US high school french (ie -- not much) and at the end of that time I was dreaming in french.Learning another language can also enhance a career. Even a writing one.

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we are limited in our ability to understand
by our ability to understand

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RebelAAmerican.Zen[Deist
... to learn ... to think ... to live ... to laugh ...
to share.

Appple just call me back about an interview for tech support O_O*starts praying**realises this doesn't make sense, starts hoping instead*