
Hi. This is going to be a long post but need somewhere to vent. My name is Carrie and I am 57. I am just dismayed at how hard it is to get a decent job, let alone a decent interview. I am working right now as a caregiver for $10.65 an hour. I am lucky if I get 18 hours a week with the company I am with. I've been with them six months and took the job as I desperately needed some income after being unemployed for 5 months and not finding a job. I formerly worked for a company for only 4 months and 150 of us were given a little box of our possessions after showing up for work on a Monday.
It took me 3.5 months to find that job! Anyway, my job now is awful. I can hardly afford to pay rent or even put gas in my car. The stress of worrying about lack of money and looking for a better job is now over the top and has affected my physical health which I am getting medical help with. I am single and have no backup funds left.
Background is 15 years in legal field as a secretary and paralegal. Then my son was diagnosed with autism and I quit working. Stayed home and started an at-home business and ran that for 15 years. Economy tanked and so did it. During that time I got engaged and fiancee was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. I was his caregiver for 2.5 years until he died.
I have had my resume done 4 times in the last 1.5 years by professional resume writers. Everyone counseled me differently - "remove this, add that, try to hide your age, don't tell anyone about your son or that you were a caregiver for your fiancee, don't put your schooling re legal field as it dates you". Age was discussed with a placement agency guy and he actually told me that yes, there is alot of age discrimination.
I am at the point where i am wandering around in confusion here. I wake up at night having panic attacks with dreams of being homeless. I feel I have so much to offer an employer but I cannot do telemarketing/phone sales. I hate looking for work on the job sites as everything dumps into a black hole it seems.
BTW I wanted to go back into the legal field, but it's been 23 years since I worked in that field and I don't see that happening. I also don't have a real network of people so I feel like I am on my own. I am at a loss as to what direction I should go in. Need money to live in this world.
I am tightly holding on to my faith but some days are pretty tough to keep that faith. Sorry for the long rant. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Hello, everyone , im havving a delema ive been unemployed on and off for almost. A year now . Everytime i find a job my anexity overcomes me and i quit and i feel so ashamed that i quit but i cant help it but mist but understand what im going thought .. i need dome help or and advise please no negative comments thanks

I have been getting interviews but not the job. Psychotherapy takes forever. If someone can answer how to get rid of this fear or a belief system that is holding me back how do you accomplish this? I feel this could be the issue in my case. I have been going to church and asked God for help and I feel like a dog chasing it''s tail. I did not have this problem a decade ago. Stuck in a loop of time. If anyone has an insight of what can help, I would greatly welcome any feedback.

Work is tied to a person's sense of identity, dignity and worth in our society. Having a job means having a comfortable life. Most of us want a successful career, but often due to any number of reasons people find themselves unemployed. Everyone in the business world will tell you that, today, money speaks louder than any words or actions. People without money are very helpless and dissatisfied.
Unemployment affects various people in various ways and is something which can really affect a person’s mental frame of mind. Here are some of the main ways in which unemployment can affect your mental health and how to approach them.
It Makes A Person Very Sad
Sadness is the most common of all the mental health issues which a person who is employed goes through. Unemployment is something which is not easy to deal with. If you are starting to feel that nothing brings you joy, you ought to go out and meet with new people. Interacting with others, especially the less fortunate is sure to make you count your blessings and understand that all is not lost in life. No matter how bad things seem for you, think about those who have nothing to look forward to at all. Interacting with such people will surely give you a new take on life. What you want to avoid doing is sit at home all day in isolation.
You Are Irritable For No Apparent Reason
As long as you are unemployed you have plenty of things to deal with, however the moment you find yourself without anything to do, your mind is bound to become rather irritable with even the smallest of things. You are unable to deal with even small sources of irritation and you might even lose your temper with those close to you like family members and friends. It might be tough to be around you but the people who know your unsettled condition are sure to understand your point of view and trouble.
You Feel Anger
After irritation there comes a feeling of anger. You might not merely be angry at yourself for making wrong decisions in life, but you are sure to feel angry with the world at large. You might constantly be wondering why is the universe against you? Yet as much as you might feel that the odds are always against you, you must try your level best to understand that if you are patient, things will fall into place. In addition to that, rather than trying to make fate put things right for you, you should stand on your own feet and really start the job hunt in full force.
Depression Often Occurs
Depression may come as a result of unemployment, and is often referred to as the silent killer. It is very tough to deal with and sadly, it even leads people to harm themselves physically. So if you can tell, that you are slowly becoming more depressed, and you can't turn it around, then you should seek medical help as soon as possible so that the issue does not become too severe. Speaking to a psychiatrist will really help you to feel better about yourself and deal better with your situation. There is no need to try and solve the problem on your own as it might prove to be overwhelming. It can help you in innumerable ways, to speak to a professional.
You Tend To Become Unsure Of Yourself
Many people take their jobs very seriously. It is their dream to be successful professionally. When they find themselves to be unemployed they are not sure how to deal with it. It makes you unsure of yourself. In the business world people have to make quick decisions on the go, but once the person is unemployed he simply cannot take any decision quickly because he is unsure of himself. Remind yourself of the fact that unemployment is tough to deal with, but it is an unavoidable part of life. It doesn't have to be a permanent thing. You can overcome it. Many have experienced it, and have gone on to be more successful and happier.
You Start Second Guessing Yourself
Self doubt in the course of being unemployed is something which is natural. No matter how mentally strong you are as a person, you are bound to feel this feeling of inferiority as opposed to others. You might constantly wonder, what do others have that you are lacking in terms of skill and ability. At such a time there are many people who might turn against you, but you need to keep it together. There are many unemployed people who come together and make support groups so if you are very confused about what to do, you can join a support group and learn to deal with the mental issues which you are going through.
You Feel That You've Let Others Down
When you manage to get a job, not only are you proud of yourself but along with you there are several other family members who are equally pleased that you have managed to get a job. So at such a time it is quite likely that in your mind you might feel that you are letting your loved ones down. To some extent you might be, yet you must keep the faith and hope that something better will come along. You must continue to try your best to get a job. If you give up hope and let go of yourself, you will never be able to get back on the horse and pick up from where you left off.
You Feel Alone And Issolated
Feeling alone and isolated is a part and parcel of being unemployed. Mentally you are bound to feel like there is no one on your side and the world is against you. Rather than letting such things affect you, try your level best to surround yourself with positive people so that at no point in time are you feeling like there is no one to stand by you and support you in your time of need. All you need to do is try and be as informed as you can. The moment you see a job opening you should apply immediately. Stay active in your job search. Keep applying, and don't forget to follow up. Be busy at job seeking.
Your Mental Activity Declines
While working in a company you are bound to be involved in a great deal of mental activity. Yet the moment you are unemployed you will find that you have less and less mental activity to deal with. This might cause you to become a little less mentally attentive and active. So at such a time it is mandatory that you do not become too lazy and keep your mind busy by doing things like puzzles, cross world games or even mental mathematics. This might sound funny, yet it is something that is bound to help you in the long run, especially if you are unable to find a job for a considerable period of time.
You Feel Utterly Useless And Worthless
At the time of unemployment you are bound to feel a little useless and worthless. You might think that all the plans and dreams that you had for yourself are accounting to nothing. Irrespective of how you are feeling or how your mental anxiety is taking a toll on, you should try your best to be positive and use this time of unemployment as a period of relaxation so that your mind can relax and unwind. When you are busy with your job it is unlikely that you will get the time to go on vacation or on a trip, this is the time for you to unwind and find yourself. Getting to know yourself better is bound to make you very happy.
You Experience Metal Restlessness
Unemployment is accompanied by the problem of feeling restless. This restlessness is not merely physical but it is also rather psychological. You might be restless owing to the fact that you know you aren’t getting any younger or that you are remaining unemployed for longer than you anticipated. To avoid feeling like this, you should try your best to be calm and cool. If possible do join some yoga classes or some kind of meditation on a daily basis so that your mental health does not deteriorate at a rapid rate. There are plenty of videos available online which are sure to help you. Once your mind is unsettled, it is very hard to recover.
You're Driven To A Feeling Of Desperation
As mentioned above, sadness and depression is most often a part and parcel of being unemployed. But along with that there often creeps in a feeling of desperation. Desperation is a mental state that comes when you are feeling that you have no way out. Your mind simply cannot come to terms with the fact that things have turned out this way for you. Many people become desperate when they find that their anxieties and problems are increasing on a daily basis owing to the fact that they are unemployed and their finances are becoming less and less. Tell yourself that when you finally get a job, and you will if you don't quit, these feelings of desperation will vanish.
You Might Turn Cynical
Different people have different ways of dealing with stressful situations. Some people are mentally rather strong however on the other end of the spectrum there are those who are not very strong mentally. Cynicism is a frame of mind which especially affects those who think that life has played a cruel joke on them. Unemployment for a prolong period of time is likely to make your approach to life rather cynical as well. Becoming cynical is a very dangerous thing indeed, because there is no turning back from it. Don't give in to it by staying active with finding a job. Keep your mind busy with your job seeking tasks. Perseverance will pay off.
You're Feeling Pessimistic And Negative
As a result of being unemployed, there are many people who turn to drinking or smoking in order to make themselves feel better and temporarily forget their worries. One of the worst downsides of being unemployed is that, on addition to making the person feel tense and anxious it also makes a person feel rather pessimistic and negative. His entire outlook on life becomes pessimistic. Force yourself to keep an optimistic outlook. Exercise will help keep not only your body, but your mind to stay strong and positively optimistic. Having a regular routine of exercise will help with just about any of these points mentioned in this post.

Good morning everyone couldn't sleep I was sleeping good until I thought about I still don't have a job that's what woke me up so it's 4 in the morning and I'm on online trying to find a job ran across you guys what's reading some comments and it got me back on I know it's a job out there for me I've been down since 2013 back problems helping someone which I love to do but that's what got me where I am now my wife been pulling the load we have three kids and it seems like I can't find a job to help her even though I still have a little problem with my back I'm still willing to work disability says there's nothing wrong with me but some days I barely can walk so I figure if I can get a job with not too much heavy lifting or if it is I learn how to lift correctly now not looking for a pity party just a job thank you for reading if you are and needed someone to vent to can't vent to my wife I feel she's already stressed by us being behind and bills hope I can find me a job soon thank you guys

My job of 7 years is under a review for termination that should take less than a week but it’s been 4 weeks , in the meantime I’m to go to work as if it’s not happening or not get paid. For the first weeks I did just that but soon My anxiety could not handle it lots of insomnia and stress headaches. I’m not fired but not working. This process has been executed in less than 2 days I’ve never heard of beyond 1 week.

Well im 19. ive worked about 2 jobs before. I suffer from anxiety/ depression. I cant keep a job for too long. Im scared of letting anyone down. My family gets really frustrated with me because im not hard working like them. I want ot be the best I can be believe me, But its difficult. I just cant seem to function like everyone else. People say im just dramatic and im hopeless, but I want to find a job where I can be comfortable with. I hope anyone understands me. I want to do something really good for myself and succeed but everythings just crashing... im barely 20.

So I start a new job and first and foremost wanna thank God for the blessing and then this site for opening that door for me. It's at a local retail company in town. Kinda nervous tho because I've never for several reasons mainly starting over in a job that I never worked in before in a brand new environment. Any suggestions?

I really hate when people tell me what type of job they think I need to be doing rather than accepting the fact that what they believe I should be doing doesn't line up with what I really need. I'm going after what I really need. Not what anybody thinks I need to be doing. The needs of a few is not the needs of all. Instead of throwing your opinions around, learn to listen. God gave those that are able to hear the ability to do so for the purpose of listening and those the ability to speak ability to do so and the ability and knowledge to know when to stay silent.

Being a contract worker and seeing a lot of people around me whose assignments are 'ended', it makes me stressed to know how disposable I am. I don't feel secure in my position, and I'm constantly scrutinizing my performance to try to not be fired, basically. Sometimes the anxiety is overwhelming and it makes it even harder to get as much done as I want to. It's bled into my personal life and i keep doubting how i am as a person and as a partner. How do you deal with this/have you found a way to deal with this and to keep it separate from your personal life? Thanks for listening to me, it's been weighing on me for a couple months.