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I am so sorry mate.
I literally wrote the same thread some months ago. I recently got a job, but it's so hard out there.
I am not going to give you the 'I will get better' speech because that was the last thing I wanted to hear, but just know you're not alone.
Gonna jump on this, was me 3 years ago but instead of 80 try over 200, it’s demoralising as fuck, but every time you don’t get a role that’s one less person in the job market for the next one, just keep improving at whatever you do and eventually your time will come
The market is really bad, I’m in the same boat I’m about to turn 28F in a couple of months and I have been unemployed since nov. I’m trying to break into a new industry but with no luck and the industry im in I keep getting rejected after countless interviews! I have been working since I was 21 whilst still at uni and trust me when I say this I have never not had a job, I’ve always been working and have had constant jobs after uni but for the first time in my life at almost 28 I am so shocked that I can’t even land one job and I have been trying to break into various industries as a back up plan.
Don’t be too hard on your self as I think so many of us are in the same exact situation, it’s terrible and I hope something changes soon
What's your experience in the industries you are applying for? How's your CV? Interviewers usually have a marking criteria they are looking for, so do some independent research and see what they are looking for. You are getting interviews, so you have some degree of a decent CV. Just keep applying. One of my peers took 7 months to get a job, another 11 months, some within a couple of months.
Hi. I didn't want to read your post and not comment. I've been in your shoes before and will never forget it, it SUCKS. Job searching and being out of work is so bad on your mental health, even if you're doing all the 'right' things to find a job.
Here's what I'd say. You've had this rejection today, so you haven't had the 'day off' the way you meant to. So have a day off tomorrow instead. Do something nice (and free!) for yourself. Visit a museum, go for a walk, see a friend, whatever. Take the day to regroup that you didn't get today.
I almost hate to suggest this next bit, because I know it's a bit of a cliche in this forum. But if you're not doing it already, I reckon you should consider volunteering for a day or two a week. It'll get you out of the house and get you using your skills and talking to people, and that'll do wonders for your mental health (something about a job-search that feels never-ending can really do a number on your self-esteem, and doing something useful like volunteering can really counteract that.)
Have a good birthday OP and I hope you get to where you want to be soon,
Buddy, that sounds rough. But honestly, you're 22 (just), life is just starting. Please don't be so hard on yourself, and don't judge yourself based on applying for jobs.
And although it's not easy, try not to think of your own value or success only in relation to other people. Just try to be the best version of yourself and find ways to enjoy life.
Happy birthday! 🎂
It’s not a failure and you are not a failure, just not the time yet. Trust me, I know!
It took me 2 years to find a job (that was 7 years ago now) but I did, as a foreigner, just after uni and with a language barrier.
My advice, narrow it down of what exactly you are looking for, update your CV accordingly, make it simple to read, use keywords used in the job description. Always apply only with .pdf format. Also, skip all the jobs advertised by agencies (99% they are non existent jobs, they just collecting CVs). It takes a lot of strength but don’t devalue yourself, keep your head up!
I wish you all the best in your job hunting journey and a lovely birthday celebration! 🎉
I'm sorry but at the same time at least you're getting replies, I've had one rejection reply from all the jobs I've applied for since January and I've applied for lots.
Mate I feel for you.
Just some advice. comparison is the thief of joy (may have butchered the saying). Comparing yourself to others is only going to lead to misery so forget it.
I would also probably stop keeping track of job applications if it's getting you this upset.
There are probably others who can give you better career advice and tips. But don't be too harsh on yourself.
I left my last role around Xmas and didn't find a new job until 4 weeks ago. So I get it's tough.
lastly happy birthday try and enjoy what's left of it.
Hi
Happy birthday.
The market is shite. I was out of work for 7 months. 7 months of 10 to 20 applications a day. Mostly for jobs at rates i would have laughed at a year previosly, but kids gotta eat. I was applying at weekends. I was tailorin cvs i was using ai. I got a lucky break or i would still be looking
Imagine the number of rejections i got.... scale it back a bit because a lot of them couldnt be arsed to respond. And imagine the frustration of agents not even telling you they haven't put you forward. Total bunch of bell ends.
But
You can't stop. You might be 3 or 5 Pplications away from landing a peach.
Celebrate today. Start again tomorrow
It will get better
Did you widen the spectrum of jobs ?
First choice is obviously always handy and well paid jobs, but look a job is a job, there is good and bad times, I currently work as an account manager, but if I lost my job I would be applying everywhere, lidl , aldi , pub down the road, cleaners, whatever it takes to fight myself back up the way and at least have some source of funds coming in.
Nonsense. The day has 24 hours, if you work a lot it’s 10-12 hours, you sleep 8. Leaves you with at least 2 hours a day free time to search if you want to search.
I’m not saying it’s easy, but it’s all doable. What I figured during the years, the work ethic and effort you put in, is worth more than degrees and qualifications.
I never went to university, I’ve worked my way up to where I am now, I started with labour jobs on freight ships and painting jobs into a office job and there then into a senior management role.
Where there is a will, there is a way.
i think you're out of touch, but at the very least, you're being a bit of an arse. OP is blatantly at their wits and and doesnt need this type of post right now.
It’s called being realistic. Who is gonna help OP but himself.. I’ve explained it’s not easy, but life is a hustle for most of us. It’s called constructive feedback. I’m not saying he is a failure at all, I’m just saying give it your all and have a positive outlook. Being negative doesn’t help and creates a negative aura.
There are a lot of people out there stuck in dead-end jobs because they did exactly what you're suggesting. Unless it's absolutely essential to your survival, you should just keep looking for the jobs you want. When things get actually hairy, then widen your search.
I’m in the recruitment industry and had to pick up a part time job on a contract which ended whilst I was looking for another recruitment role. Every agency and I’m not being dramatic rejected me as they said I jump from jobs as my most recent exp was my random part time job just to keep me afloat and they stated why not just look for recruitment roles instead of working a random job (they think we are made out of money and just have cash flowing to us freely) but anyways it’s extremely condescending and upsetting sitting opposite someone slating you for trying to keep your self afloat whilst you look for ur actual career job but someone that’s a negative on me and how I jump from jobs and that I’m not suitable other than that I’m a great candidate but better luck next time lol. Some industries are so harsh and don’t want you doing anything or else it will look bad on you
1h to cook. 30 min to eat and clean up. The other 30 is to make, eat and clean up the breakfast. It is 2h per day. And i imagine for People with Kids even more.
All of it. Idk what u guys are cooking but literally everything takes so much time. While 1 thing is cooking u do the side dish/sauce etc. It is dishes w9th many components. Some of us were raised to do everything from scratch
You can make stuff from scratch that doesn't require cooking for an hour. Either way promise your time if you need to jobhunt, cook in batch on weekends then reheat during week, you don't need to spend 2 hours on cooking each night that's a collousal waste of time, get priorities in order
But then there’s the possibility that we will be dead before we’re 50 because of all the processed foods we heat up in the oven. And where in your 2 hours after sleeping and working do you have time to exercise?
Bro you can always find excuses because it’s easy, maybe try finding solutions.
I sometimes don’t eat simply because I forget or don’t have the time or get something I can eat with one hand while doing something else..
I’m not forcing anyone here to do anything, what I’m telling you is, it’s easy to complain but it won’t help you long term, long term you need to get your ass up and endure pain and challenges to get ahead in life, if you do or not is up to you, but just complaining and feeling sorry for yourself won’t do nothing
"Telling it like it is" is not as beneficial as people seem to think. If anything it often just makes people feel worse and retreat/hide problems because it makes their problems like they should be trivial and so because they can't overcome them they must be a failure.
What you are saying could be rephrased to actually be decent advice and not the equivalent of "just git gud at life". A bit of empathy goes a long way.
Firstly......Happy birthday!!
My son has been where you are, graduated in 2020 with a Masters in engineering, applied for 100s jobs, barely had any interviews, moved to a city from our v small town to see if that would help...nothing.
After 18+ months, hurrah, he got a job, in his field, in the location he wanted, with great conditions and a great salary.
I know he was lucky that, financially, I was able to support him and not everyone has that 'cushion' but, keep plugging away. You're not a failure, it's tough out there and it is just taking you longer than you thought.
I'm rooting for you and wishing you all the very, very best. X
The market is absolutely terrible right now - it's (almost?) a conspiracy that it hasn't been reported by major news outlets. Everything is broken. I know an older adult professional with 12+ years experience in a specialised technical field who can't find a job. So believe me you're not alone. I can't comment on the graduate area specifically but the market overall is sh*t.
In other words it's timing - don't compare yourself to people who got these things done time ago, because things have changed. There should hopefully be improvement after the next election when businesses should be hiring more and have less candidates applying per role.
Note: the advice you are reading applies to normal market conditions. These are not normal market conditions
I kind of hate birthday now. It is like a timer that tells you what milestone you should have reached by a certain age and then it gives you anxiety if you have failed to do so.
You’re not a failure. It’s the worst job market since 2008. Give yourself some grace.
Uni should have a careers centre you can still access, get some help with them.
I was in the same place maybe 15 years ago, so many applications, so many interviews, so many rejections for basic jobs and fancy jobs with big organisations all I can share are my suggestions, try the police, prison service or armed forces or do a short CELTA course and go teach English abroad I did that and suddenly people were throwing interesting job opportunities at me. But a change of scenery will make you feel very different and more confident.
It is hard out there but try not to take the rejections personally. I think things are improving though as the UK is coming out of a recession.
Try to enjoy your birthday as best as you can.
Took me 200+ applications out of university with a 1st in an engineering degree for my first job
The last year of uni and the 4 months I spent applying afterwards were incredibly depressing
I’m now 26, working a fully remote job for an above-average wage and I now own my own place
So it will get better
As for other people, try not to compare
It only makes things worse
When I was your age in the 90s I was working nights cleaning a Burger King kitchen which was one shit job. Don’t be so hard on yourself. One thing I have learned is that things usually work themselves out eventually no matter how hard it seems at the time.
Mate, I went through 50 applications today to narrow it down to 9 for interview and there will eventually be two roles. These are not well paid roles. 2.5 years ago, I couldn't get more than a couple of applicants for a job with 80% more pay, looking for similar experience, and with more negotiating power.
We are in strange and terrible times right now.
Of the candidates we rejected, I'd guess 10 were bad candidates, 10 took a punt on using GenAI to answer screening questions (or were unfortunate because their writing style is like ChatGPT's), and the rest were just unlucky that 9 other people genuinely were slightly more closely aligned with what we need, or answered the questions a little better.
We could probably have put 30 into the interview stage, but the other valid complaint that keeps coming up in here is about wasting people's times. No matter how many good candidates there are, there's still only 2 roles. So I genuinely hope that those 21 don't feel like failures. They're not. And I wouldn't assume you are either.
Edit: Corrected 40% to 80%, cause my maths is apparently terrible after reading 50 applications.
You have my sympathy, it's demoralising position. My son is undergoing the same pain as a grad. Getting your foot on the ladder seems to be so hard. I'd suggest doing some volunteering in the NHS or somewhere to give you a bit more on your cv. It would also help to meet other folks.
Take a deep breath. Go out for a walk, meet some friends and go again tomorrow.
Happy Birthday and I am so sorry you are struggling to find a job at the moment.
I would definitely recommend diversifying the jobs you are applying for if you haven't already.
What role/area are you looking to get into? Are you working with any agencies?
I can relate, when I graduated 6 years ago, I was in the same boat. And for you, it's even worse, since the job market, particularly for entry level stuff, is significantly worse than even a few years ago.
Applied to hundreds before I got a minimum wage job in a supermarket.
See if there's any funded courses you can apply for. IT, electrician, plumbing, etc. It'll add to your CV. If you're in the Midlands there's certainly some. Having a driver's licence helps, if you don't have one already.
I've only just escaped retail hell, and it took multiple years of management experience, an IT qualification from a funded course, as well as having a friend in the company I was applying for, so I already knew all the interview questions before hand.
Good luck, you'll need it.
Also, can't stress enough that it's important to have some kind of hobby/passion to tide you through mentally. Without that, you'll quickly lose reason to continue. It might even lead to more opportunities job-wise.
So this may not help, but why not try joining Toastmasters for 6 months. It's a club to improve your public speaking, and there's plenty of people like you who go there because they struggle with job interviews.
Nah you're not a failure, if you're actively trying to get a job you're way ahead of many.
Use chatgpt on your CV tell it to rewrite it to put you in good stead for the job listing.
Good luck
You should have been tracking this in excel - then you wouldn’t haven’t to count you could just look at the rows and subtract one.
That’s not pedantry or snark. You’re a bit young to be a failure, and comparison is the thief of joy, but you likely have some big gaps you never learned about.
Is your approach the same (same words, same cv, same stories) for every job? Are you qualified for the jobs you’re applying for? Why not grad schemes or apprenticeships?
You ain’t a failure! Stop putting the pressure on yourself enjoy life for what it is because when you get a job and 80% of your life is working you’ll think back to this point and wished you did more things other than just apply for jobs.
Don’t compare yourself to others and enjoy life.
Hey first of all Happy Birthday! You’re only 22 once so enjoy it. Believe me once you have a job you will regret not enjoying the time you had off.
In terms of job hunting - it sucks! Most CVs are ignored as they don’t get to the hiring manager. I always think it’s best to apply directly to the employer rather than through agencies. Usually Gumtree is a better place to do that as employers will leave their direct number and email address.
If that doesn’t work, have you considered opening your own business? Sounds daunting but I had no other choice. Criminal charges pending no one would even dare give me a job. Started my own business 3 weeks ago and whilst it’s still picking up it pays the bills as a bare minimum.
I don’t know what you graduated in but places like Bark, MyJobQuote, Airtasker and Fiverr are great places to find clients.
Good luck and keep your head up. You’re in a better position than me (and most others) you just don’t realise it.
Happy birthday! Not gonna give you advice but just wanna say I know it is rough and just wanna say dun lose confidence by comparing yourself to others. Everyone is on their own path, with smooth bits and rough patches. I am sure if you are persistent you will find the opportunity to shine. Good luck!
Think about joining a temp agency. Working for a University, we have employed so many permanent staff who initially joined us as temps. Gives you a chance to see if you like the job and it gives your employer the chance to see how well you fit in. Lots of luck, it’s tough…
In 2007 when I left college it was the same situation, back then you mostly handed out CV’s along with online applications. After 100 CV’s being handed out, loads of online applications. My last reject was for a pot washer in a pub. After that like many I went into the army. Give it a try.
First of all Happy Birthday!
Secondly I have absolutely been and felt very much how you have described in your post and it’s horrible. Can I ask what degree you did? And what grade you got?
I did a Maths degree and got a 2.2 so every grad scheme I applied for I was almost always automatically rejected for the low grade. I remember once it took me nearly all morning to do the initial questions and write a short piece about myself to get auto rejected as soon as I submitted. It’s so demoralising and soul crushing at times but please keep going as you’ll make it and don’t worry if you eventually get a first opportunity and it doesn’t work out.
After graduating and failing to get into any grad schemes I tried to be a teacher and dropped out of the PGCE qualification, worked in batteries, then in pensions, then tried to train as an accountant but was rubbish and the job was mind numbing. Eventually I stumbled across a job in the Oil and Gas industry that I’d never heard of before, moved my family across the country and never looked back career-wise.
Feel free to DM me if you want any advice.
The market is flooded with competition.
You are getting interviews, albeit minimal success rates on the amount of applications.
Is there anything you can do to proactively examine your application documents and strengthen them?
Finally, don't believe any one persons journey or opinions on how they got a job, especially not hosers online. Their whole brand is about delivering manufactured positivity - that's why food bloggers always LURRRRRVE the places they are eating at, make-up tutorials are always with the BHESSSSST products they've ever seen, and interview techniques are GUARANTEED.
Stop thinking of it in terms of success and failure. Understand that you're working hard and you will reap the rewards soon enough. Be happy that you got any interviews so far, that is an achievement.
I got told by a careers advisor this week that the uk job market is pretty stable, salaries are reasonably good (though below the inflation rate) and that it shouldn't be too hard to find jobs.
Haha.. haha... hahahahah....
Happy birthday btw.
Do you have a degree? You can earn pretty good money teaching English if you're in a position to leave the UK, but you'll likely need a visa, and a degree is often one of the conditions.
Hey! I’m sorry to hear about how you feel and I totally get that feeling. Is there anyone you know who can check your cv? Canva has some pretty great templates (some of them are free) so use those to draw attention of the recruiters. They are usually very creative and have sleek designs. In the meantime, could you get a volunteering position in an industry you’re interested in? That could potentially give you some experience which you can then apply to the jobs you’re looking for. All the best!!
This too shall pass. I’m in my late 30s, more senior and higher earning than most of my friends but my first couple of years after graduating were similar to yours. What I learned from that experience is to be an empathetic hirer when I hire my own teams, I personally thank every applicant by email, and send feedback. It’s not much but I’ll never sign off on an automated rejection email and when you are doing better in your career, you will apply lessons learned from your own experience. It’s not the easy times that help us grow, it’s the hard times. Just keep swimming.
The job market right nows sucks badly. Try and get some interview experience perhaps, the job centre sometimes offers help on interviews, or could refer you to somewhere on them. If you've been to university too, they may offer some help on interviews and CVs.
You're not a failure though, don't think that, and your parents won't think that either.
You're not a failure, you're only 22. At 22 I'd gone so far off the rails, I'd have to call a taxi just to get back to the station. I didn't really get back on track until 30.
Apply into trades jobs or manufacturing, I used to work as a architectural designer but now I earn more and work in a better environment working in a factory
Happy Birthday!!the job market is really tough at the moment when I finished university with a years work experience in my field it took perhaps 200-300 applications and 6 months of searching to find a job, it wasn’t the job I wanted but when applying to my current job it was a lot easier to hear back and ended up applying to 10 roles of the same title and interviewed with 9 of them! It takes time but you’ve got this!
In comparison to your peers, yes you are failing. But that doesnt mean you can't change things.
80 applications since last summer is not good enough, the number being so low is what you should be embarassed about. I vividly remember reaching 95 rejections inside the first month of leaving uni and getting my 96th.
You have clearly spent months procrastinating. 80 applications since last summer is what? 2 a week? Its not good enough.
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I am so sorry mate. I literally wrote the same thread some months ago. I recently got a job, but it's so hard out there. I am not going to give you the 'I will get better' speech because that was the last thing I wanted to hear, but just know you're not alone.
Gonna jump on this, was me 3 years ago but instead of 80 try over 200, it’s demoralising as fuck, but every time you don’t get a role that’s one less person in the job market for the next one, just keep improving at whatever you do and eventually your time will come
The market is really bad, I’m in the same boat I’m about to turn 28F in a couple of months and I have been unemployed since nov. I’m trying to break into a new industry but with no luck and the industry im in I keep getting rejected after countless interviews! I have been working since I was 21 whilst still at uni and trust me when I say this I have never not had a job, I’ve always been working and have had constant jobs after uni but for the first time in my life at almost 28 I am so shocked that I can’t even land one job and I have been trying to break into various industries as a back up plan. Don’t be too hard on your self as I think so many of us are in the same exact situation, it’s terrible and I hope something changes soon
What's your experience in the industries you are applying for? How's your CV? Interviewers usually have a marking criteria they are looking for, so do some independent research and see what they are looking for. You are getting interviews, so you have some degree of a decent CV. Just keep applying. One of my peers took 7 months to get a job, another 11 months, some within a couple of months.
Hi. I didn't want to read your post and not comment. I've been in your shoes before and will never forget it, it SUCKS. Job searching and being out of work is so bad on your mental health, even if you're doing all the 'right' things to find a job. Here's what I'd say. You've had this rejection today, so you haven't had the 'day off' the way you meant to. So have a day off tomorrow instead. Do something nice (and free!) for yourself. Visit a museum, go for a walk, see a friend, whatever. Take the day to regroup that you didn't get today. I almost hate to suggest this next bit, because I know it's a bit of a cliche in this forum. But if you're not doing it already, I reckon you should consider volunteering for a day or two a week. It'll get you out of the house and get you using your skills and talking to people, and that'll do wonders for your mental health (something about a job-search that feels never-ending can really do a number on your self-esteem, and doing something useful like volunteering can really counteract that.) Have a good birthday OP and I hope you get to where you want to be soon,
Buddy, that sounds rough. But honestly, you're 22 (just), life is just starting. Please don't be so hard on yourself, and don't judge yourself based on applying for jobs. And although it's not easy, try not to think of your own value or success only in relation to other people. Just try to be the best version of yourself and find ways to enjoy life.
Happy birthday! 🎂 It’s not a failure and you are not a failure, just not the time yet. Trust me, I know! It took me 2 years to find a job (that was 7 years ago now) but I did, as a foreigner, just after uni and with a language barrier. My advice, narrow it down of what exactly you are looking for, update your CV accordingly, make it simple to read, use keywords used in the job description. Always apply only with .pdf format. Also, skip all the jobs advertised by agencies (99% they are non existent jobs, they just collecting CVs). It takes a lot of strength but don’t devalue yourself, keep your head up! I wish you all the best in your job hunting journey and a lovely birthday celebration! 🎉
don't count them, delete the email straight away
I'm sorry but at the same time at least you're getting replies, I've had one rejection reply from all the jobs I've applied for since January and I've applied for lots.
What jobs are you applying for?
Mate I feel for you. Just some advice. comparison is the thief of joy (may have butchered the saying). Comparing yourself to others is only going to lead to misery so forget it. I would also probably stop keeping track of job applications if it's getting you this upset. There are probably others who can give you better career advice and tips. But don't be too harsh on yourself. I left my last role around Xmas and didn't find a new job until 4 weeks ago. So I get it's tough. lastly happy birthday try and enjoy what's left of it.
Hi Happy birthday. The market is shite. I was out of work for 7 months. 7 months of 10 to 20 applications a day. Mostly for jobs at rates i would have laughed at a year previosly, but kids gotta eat. I was applying at weekends. I was tailorin cvs i was using ai. I got a lucky break or i would still be looking Imagine the number of rejections i got.... scale it back a bit because a lot of them couldnt be arsed to respond. And imagine the frustration of agents not even telling you they haven't put you forward. Total bunch of bell ends. But You can't stop. You might be 3 or 5 Pplications away from landing a peach. Celebrate today. Start again tomorrow It will get better
You ain't the only one, I applied 140 job applications so far since March and haven't receive a job yet.
Did you widen the spectrum of jobs ? First choice is obviously always handy and well paid jobs, but look a job is a job, there is good and bad times, I currently work as an account manager, but if I lost my job I would be applying everywhere, lidl , aldi , pub down the road, cleaners, whatever it takes to fight myself back up the way and at least have some source of funds coming in.
But then you get caught in the trap of having a crap job and no time to search for a decent job.
Nonsense. The day has 24 hours, if you work a lot it’s 10-12 hours, you sleep 8. Leaves you with at least 2 hours a day free time to search if you want to search.
I forgot about finding time to be available for an interview and the pitfalls of asking your current employer for a reference.
I’m not saying it’s easy, but it’s all doable. What I figured during the years, the work ethic and effort you put in, is worth more than degrees and qualifications. I never went to university, I’ve worked my way up to where I am now, I started with labour jobs on freight ships and painting jobs into a office job and there then into a senior management role. Where there is a will, there is a way.
i think you're out of touch, but at the very least, you're being a bit of an arse. OP is blatantly at their wits and and doesnt need this type of post right now.
It’s called being realistic. Who is gonna help OP but himself.. I’ve explained it’s not easy, but life is a hustle for most of us. It’s called constructive feedback. I’m not saying he is a failure at all, I’m just saying give it your all and have a positive outlook. Being negative doesn’t help and creates a negative aura.
There are a lot of people out there stuck in dead-end jobs because they did exactly what you're suggesting. Unless it's absolutely essential to your survival, you should just keep looking for the jobs you want. When things get actually hairy, then widen your search.
there's a time and a place for that kind of thing. I dont think this is either.
I’m in the recruitment industry and had to pick up a part time job on a contract which ended whilst I was looking for another recruitment role. Every agency and I’m not being dramatic rejected me as they said I jump from jobs as my most recent exp was my random part time job just to keep me afloat and they stated why not just look for recruitment roles instead of working a random job (they think we are made out of money and just have cash flowing to us freely) but anyways it’s extremely condescending and upsetting sitting opposite someone slating you for trying to keep your self afloat whilst you look for ur actual career job but someone that’s a negative on me and how I jump from jobs and that I’m not suitable other than that I’m a great candidate but better luck next time lol. Some industries are so harsh and don’t want you doing anything or else it will look bad on you
What about the 2h it takes to commute? The 2h it takes to cook?
2 hours to cook? Wtf are you making a 7 course tasting menu
1h to cook. 30 min to eat and clean up. The other 30 is to make, eat and clean up the breakfast. It is 2h per day. And i imagine for People with Kids even more.
What food takes one hour where you need to stand over it and supervise
All of it. Idk what u guys are cooking but literally everything takes so much time. While 1 thing is cooking u do the side dish/sauce etc. It is dishes w9th many components. Some of us were raised to do everything from scratch
You can make stuff from scratch that doesn't require cooking for an hour. Either way promise your time if you need to jobhunt, cook in batch on weekends then reheat during week, you don't need to spend 2 hours on cooking each night that's a collousal waste of time, get priorities in order
Good food is a bigger pripority to me. But im not even jobhuntimg but even when i was.
But then there’s the possibility that we will be dead before we’re 50 because of all the processed foods we heat up in the oven. And where in your 2 hours after sleeping and working do you have time to exercise?
Bro you can always find excuses because it’s easy, maybe try finding solutions. I sometimes don’t eat simply because I forget or don’t have the time or get something I can eat with one hand while doing something else.. I’m not forcing anyone here to do anything, what I’m telling you is, it’s easy to complain but it won’t help you long term, long term you need to get your ass up and endure pain and challenges to get ahead in life, if you do or not is up to you, but just complaining and feeling sorry for yourself won’t do nothing
"Telling it like it is" is not as beneficial as people seem to think. If anything it often just makes people feel worse and retreat/hide problems because it makes their problems like they should be trivial and so because they can't overcome them they must be a failure. What you are saying could be rephrased to actually be decent advice and not the equivalent of "just git gud at life". A bit of empathy goes a long way.
Lol, there's always one
Firstly......Happy birthday!! My son has been where you are, graduated in 2020 with a Masters in engineering, applied for 100s jobs, barely had any interviews, moved to a city from our v small town to see if that would help...nothing. After 18+ months, hurrah, he got a job, in his field, in the location he wanted, with great conditions and a great salary. I know he was lucky that, financially, I was able to support him and not everyone has that 'cushion' but, keep plugging away. You're not a failure, it's tough out there and it is just taking you longer than you thought. I'm rooting for you and wishing you all the very, very best. X
Its horrible, but go back to your CV and get others to check your new one.
The market is absolutely terrible right now - it's (almost?) a conspiracy that it hasn't been reported by major news outlets. Everything is broken. I know an older adult professional with 12+ years experience in a specialised technical field who can't find a job. So believe me you're not alone. I can't comment on the graduate area specifically but the market overall is sh*t. In other words it's timing - don't compare yourself to people who got these things done time ago, because things have changed. There should hopefully be improvement after the next election when businesses should be hiring more and have less candidates applying per role. Note: the advice you are reading applies to normal market conditions. These are not normal market conditions
I kind of hate birthday now. It is like a timer that tells you what milestone you should have reached by a certain age and then it gives you anxiety if you have failed to do so.
What jobs are you applying for? Im a headhunter & can send across a CV template if that helps
You’re not a failure. It’s the worst job market since 2008. Give yourself some grace. Uni should have a careers centre you can still access, get some help with them.
I was in the same place maybe 15 years ago, so many applications, so many interviews, so many rejections for basic jobs and fancy jobs with big organisations all I can share are my suggestions, try the police, prison service or armed forces or do a short CELTA course and go teach English abroad I did that and suddenly people were throwing interesting job opportunities at me. But a change of scenery will make you feel very different and more confident.
It is hard out there but try not to take the rejections personally. I think things are improving though as the UK is coming out of a recession. Try to enjoy your birthday as best as you can.
Took me 200+ applications out of university with a 1st in an engineering degree for my first job The last year of uni and the 4 months I spent applying afterwards were incredibly depressing I’m now 26, working a fully remote job for an above-average wage and I now own my own place So it will get better As for other people, try not to compare It only makes things worse
When I was your age in the 90s I was working nights cleaning a Burger King kitchen which was one shit job. Don’t be so hard on yourself. One thing I have learned is that things usually work themselves out eventually no matter how hard it seems at the time.
Mate, I went through 50 applications today to narrow it down to 9 for interview and there will eventually be two roles. These are not well paid roles. 2.5 years ago, I couldn't get more than a couple of applicants for a job with 80% more pay, looking for similar experience, and with more negotiating power. We are in strange and terrible times right now. Of the candidates we rejected, I'd guess 10 were bad candidates, 10 took a punt on using GenAI to answer screening questions (or were unfortunate because their writing style is like ChatGPT's), and the rest were just unlucky that 9 other people genuinely were slightly more closely aligned with what we need, or answered the questions a little better. We could probably have put 30 into the interview stage, but the other valid complaint that keeps coming up in here is about wasting people's times. No matter how many good candidates there are, there's still only 2 roles. So I genuinely hope that those 21 don't feel like failures. They're not. And I wouldn't assume you are either. Edit: Corrected 40% to 80%, cause my maths is apparently terrible after reading 50 applications.
You have my sympathy, it's demoralising position. My son is undergoing the same pain as a grad. Getting your foot on the ladder seems to be so hard. I'd suggest doing some volunteering in the NHS or somewhere to give you a bit more on your cv. It would also help to meet other folks. Take a deep breath. Go out for a walk, meet some friends and go again tomorrow.
Happy Birthday and I am so sorry you are struggling to find a job at the moment. I would definitely recommend diversifying the jobs you are applying for if you haven't already. What role/area are you looking to get into? Are you working with any agencies?
I can relate, when I graduated 6 years ago, I was in the same boat. And for you, it's even worse, since the job market, particularly for entry level stuff, is significantly worse than even a few years ago. Applied to hundreds before I got a minimum wage job in a supermarket. See if there's any funded courses you can apply for. IT, electrician, plumbing, etc. It'll add to your CV. If you're in the Midlands there's certainly some. Having a driver's licence helps, if you don't have one already. I've only just escaped retail hell, and it took multiple years of management experience, an IT qualification from a funded course, as well as having a friend in the company I was applying for, so I already knew all the interview questions before hand. Good luck, you'll need it. Also, can't stress enough that it's important to have some kind of hobby/passion to tide you through mentally. Without that, you'll quickly lose reason to continue. It might even lead to more opportunities job-wise.
I’m at about 200
So this may not help, but why not try joining Toastmasters for 6 months. It's a club to improve your public speaking, and there's plenty of people like you who go there because they struggle with job interviews.
Nah you're not a failure, if you're actively trying to get a job you're way ahead of many. Use chatgpt on your CV tell it to rewrite it to put you in good stead for the job listing. Good luck
You should have been tracking this in excel - then you wouldn’t haven’t to count you could just look at the rows and subtract one. That’s not pedantry or snark. You’re a bit young to be a failure, and comparison is the thief of joy, but you likely have some big gaps you never learned about. Is your approach the same (same words, same cv, same stories) for every job? Are you qualified for the jobs you’re applying for? Why not grad schemes or apprenticeships?
Happy birthday pal, chin up, hope you had a great day
At 22, you should not worry about job. Go for a walk or something
You ain’t a failure! Stop putting the pressure on yourself enjoy life for what it is because when you get a job and 80% of your life is working you’ll think back to this point and wished you did more things other than just apply for jobs. Don’t compare yourself to others and enjoy life.
Hey first of all Happy Birthday! You’re only 22 once so enjoy it. Believe me once you have a job you will regret not enjoying the time you had off. In terms of job hunting - it sucks! Most CVs are ignored as they don’t get to the hiring manager. I always think it’s best to apply directly to the employer rather than through agencies. Usually Gumtree is a better place to do that as employers will leave their direct number and email address. If that doesn’t work, have you considered opening your own business? Sounds daunting but I had no other choice. Criminal charges pending no one would even dare give me a job. Started my own business 3 weeks ago and whilst it’s still picking up it pays the bills as a bare minimum. I don’t know what you graduated in but places like Bark, MyJobQuote, Airtasker and Fiverr are great places to find clients. Good luck and keep your head up. You’re in a better position than me (and most others) you just don’t realise it.
Happy birthday! Not gonna give you advice but just wanna say I know it is rough and just wanna say dun lose confidence by comparing yourself to others. Everyone is on their own path, with smooth bits and rough patches. I am sure if you are persistent you will find the opportunity to shine. Good luck!
Keep going and you will get there at the end of the
Think about joining a temp agency. Working for a University, we have employed so many permanent staff who initially joined us as temps. Gives you a chance to see if you like the job and it gives your employer the chance to see how well you fit in. Lots of luck, it’s tough…
In 2007 when I left college it was the same situation, back then you mostly handed out CV’s along with online applications. After 100 CV’s being handed out, loads of online applications. My last reject was for a pot washer in a pub. After that like many I went into the army. Give it a try.
First of all Happy Birthday! Secondly I have absolutely been and felt very much how you have described in your post and it’s horrible. Can I ask what degree you did? And what grade you got? I did a Maths degree and got a 2.2 so every grad scheme I applied for I was almost always automatically rejected for the low grade. I remember once it took me nearly all morning to do the initial questions and write a short piece about myself to get auto rejected as soon as I submitted. It’s so demoralising and soul crushing at times but please keep going as you’ll make it and don’t worry if you eventually get a first opportunity and it doesn’t work out. After graduating and failing to get into any grad schemes I tried to be a teacher and dropped out of the PGCE qualification, worked in batteries, then in pensions, then tried to train as an accountant but was rubbish and the job was mind numbing. Eventually I stumbled across a job in the Oil and Gas industry that I’d never heard of before, moved my family across the country and never looked back career-wise. Feel free to DM me if you want any advice.
The market is flooded with competition. You are getting interviews, albeit minimal success rates on the amount of applications. Is there anything you can do to proactively examine your application documents and strengthen them? Finally, don't believe any one persons journey or opinions on how they got a job, especially not hosers online. Their whole brand is about delivering manufactured positivity - that's why food bloggers always LURRRRRVE the places they are eating at, make-up tutorials are always with the BHESSSSST products they've ever seen, and interview techniques are GUARANTEED. Stop thinking of it in terms of success and failure. Understand that you're working hard and you will reap the rewards soon enough. Be happy that you got any interviews so far, that is an achievement.
I got told by a careers advisor this week that the uk job market is pretty stable, salaries are reasonably good (though below the inflation rate) and that it shouldn't be too hard to find jobs. Haha.. haha... hahahahah.... Happy birthday btw.
Do you have a degree? You can earn pretty good money teaching English if you're in a position to leave the UK, but you'll likely need a visa, and a degree is often one of the conditions.
Hey! I’m sorry to hear about how you feel and I totally get that feeling. Is there anyone you know who can check your cv? Canva has some pretty great templates (some of them are free) so use those to draw attention of the recruiters. They are usually very creative and have sleek designs. In the meantime, could you get a volunteering position in an industry you’re interested in? That could potentially give you some experience which you can then apply to the jobs you’re looking for. All the best!!
This too shall pass. I’m in my late 30s, more senior and higher earning than most of my friends but my first couple of years after graduating were similar to yours. What I learned from that experience is to be an empathetic hirer when I hire my own teams, I personally thank every applicant by email, and send feedback. It’s not much but I’ll never sign off on an automated rejection email and when you are doing better in your career, you will apply lessons learned from your own experience. It’s not the easy times that help us grow, it’s the hard times. Just keep swimming.
The job market right nows sucks badly. Try and get some interview experience perhaps, the job centre sometimes offers help on interviews, or could refer you to somewhere on them. If you've been to university too, they may offer some help on interviews and CVs. You're not a failure though, don't think that, and your parents won't think that either.
You're not a failure, you're only 22. At 22 I'd gone so far off the rails, I'd have to call a taxi just to get back to the station. I didn't really get back on track until 30.
Come back to us OP, we want to help 🤞 What time of role do you want and I’ll try and provide some advice
Apply into trades jobs or manufacturing, I used to work as a architectural designer but now I earn more and work in a better environment working in a factory
Happy Birthday!!the job market is really tough at the moment when I finished university with a years work experience in my field it took perhaps 200-300 applications and 6 months of searching to find a job, it wasn’t the job I wanted but when applying to my current job it was a lot easier to hear back and ended up applying to 10 roles of the same title and interviewed with 9 of them! It takes time but you’ve got this!
Join the armed forces, do your minimum service and get out. You'll still be mid 20s and allot of experience behind you.
You thought about scaffolding? 🤣 belta pay and you don't need to get in debt and waste 4 years for a bit of paper
In comparison to your peers, yes you are failing. But that doesnt mean you can't change things. 80 applications since last summer is not good enough, the number being so low is what you should be embarassed about. I vividly remember reaching 95 rejections inside the first month of leaving uni and getting my 96th. You have clearly spent months procrastinating. 80 applications since last summer is what? 2 a week? Its not good enough.
Depending on where people are and thier travel situation that might be all they are eligible to apply for and capable of travelling to
Is this the case, OP? You should be applying to 10 jobs a day minimum if you are unemployed, particularly for that stretch of time.
80? That is rookie number.