Finding A Job You'll Love

“Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell ‘em, ‘Certainly I can!’ Then get busy and find out how to do it.” –Theodore Roosevelt

Generation Volunteer

I recently wrote a guest blog for The I am Group called "Generation Volunteer". It focused on the fact that for many people of my generation, volunteering is the only way to gain worthwhile work experience. I genuinely believe that volunteering can reveal your talents, explore your employment opportunities and help you grow as a person. People who have made volunteering part of their lives make excellent employees and often possess an unrivaled passion for the work they do. 

Graduate of 2012

I graduated in 2012 with a BA in History and Politics. I loved the subjects but I missed out on a 2:1. This was a huge blow for me, I was a high achiever at school but struggled with the unsupported teaching that university offered. I thought my "career" was over before it began, because I couldn't apply for the majority of the "Graduate" positions that demanded a 2:1 from all applicants. I soon came to the conclusion that if that company believes that my 2:2 means that I am not capable of doing the job then they aren't worth my time anyway. 

Opportunities Everywhere

One day I was reviewing my CV and was struggling to find things to put under "Employment History". I had a few paid jobs but most of my professional life had been dedicated to volunteering. When I took a good look at the work I had done as a volunteer with Livity and a local mental health charity, it was clear that I had experience in event organisation, communications, journalism and fundraising, to name a few. It was at that point that I knew I was searching for the wrong jobs in the wrong place. 

I live in Northern Ireland but had previously studied and worked in England, the difference in availability of jobs is staggering. Adding insult to injury is the appalling public transport system consisting of one railway line and huge areas of countryside and small towns that no Translink bus dare breach. Many people happily make a living and a life in NI but unfortunately I will not be one of them. The type of job I want in the businesses I wish to work for do not thrive as well in NI. 

Where to find the job you'll love

I am an experienced job hunter, not because I can't hold down a job but because I like to take a good opportunity when I see it. My positions with International and National Citizen Service were temporary and I quit my job at Regenersis so I could go to Sierra Leone (a little disclaimer if any potential employers are reading!). Therefore, I have learned of a few job websites that cater for people like me. 

Charity Job

A wonderful website that claims to be the "number one website for charity jobs", and rightly so. I have used this website for several years and I even obtained an 3 month internship with Brake as a result. My favourite feature of this website is the "Voluntary" section; as there are fantastic opportunities to volunteer professionally across the UK and internationally. 

Even if you do not wish to pursue a career in the third sector (charity sector) there are a wide range of jobs available; from fundraising to administrative roles. They are often less stringent when it comes to degree classification than jobs you would find on the likes of Graduate Talent Pool. They are still competitive though and you need to show that you have at least an interest in the Charity's goals and focus. 

Work In Startups

A friend of mine was telling me about startup businesses and organisations and how they are always looking for talented new people to help get the work done. He introduced me to this fantastic website that posts available jobs and internships with startups. Most are based in London, a location with a particular proclivity for churning out new and innovative businesses. 

The website is in a beta testing stage but is nonetheless a gold mine for opportunities. Especially jobs involving social media marketing and PR, which is exactly the type of job I am working towards. 

Inspiring Interns

This website is a particular favourite of mine for 2 reasons. Firstly, they are not just a job website but a recruitment agency as well. A friend of mine manages a big marketing company in England and said that they are fantastic to work with and have provided them with an excellent entry level work force. 

Secondly, Inspiring Interns are moving with the times. CV's will soon be a thing of the past. Online profiles like Linkedin and Google+ will take it's place. This company asks that you submit a short video of yourself, summarizing your key qualities and what you could bring to a job. They then use this video as another way of selling you to potential employers. I am in the process of creating my own video and will be sending it to them this week.

Some Advice...

I am reading an e book written by Smit Patel called Learn to Hustle, in it he says that to really stand out as the perfect person for the job, show that you can do the job already. For example, I wish to work in social media marketing and PR and I am currently the voluntary social media manager for Radio Coalisland. In order to increase  Radio Coalisland's listeners and their engagement with social media I  am  researching and compiling a report about the best social media platform to use (Hoot Suit, Parllay etc.). 

Monitoring and evaluating your businesses social media strategies is a vital part of it's success. This demonstrates that it may not be a paid job or full time but I am still doing the same work as an intern or assistant at a startup business. 


Helpful?

I hope this has been of some help for those of you struggling to find a job that you want to get up for in the morning. I am in the same boat, however it means I can share really cool websites and resources like the ones above. 

Come and find me!

Twitter
Google+
Linkedin

Have you ever heard of the Anti-Santa?

"You are not your illness. You have an individual story to tell. You have a name, a history, a personality. Staying yourself is part of the battle" - Julian Seifte

The Anti-Santa

You have it, your friend has it, a family member has it, your teacher, husband, wife and partner have it. Even if mental illness has not knocked on your front door, you can be damn sure that it has broken into a person's life that you know and taken everything that is warm, happy and stable.

It's like the Anti-Santa, it comes hooded and cloaked, carrying a big empty bag and makes off with all that was good and happy in your life. Sometimes on it's way out it'll dig a little hole just for you, just deep enough for you to fall into before you even realise that it was there in the first place, before you can scream or call for help.

Some people fall into their specially dug hole and don't even realise they are there until it's too late, by that time they are used to it. It's all they know and even if someone puts a rope down for them to climb out they can't or won't grab it. It's hard because they know that person is trying to help and they know they might be pushing that person away but staying in the hole with your pain feels like your only option.

You feel as though you have no control and being in this hole will be your life forever, and even if you did grab the rope it would break when you were climbing out and you would just get hurt again, am I right?


The Three Certainties of Life

My Dad says that there are only two certainties in life, death and taxes. I think there are three certainties, death, taxes and pain. I am speaking specifically of mental pain and anguish, everyone must go through some form of distress at least once. None of us are strangers to it and many are good friends with it, someone in your family, friends or work mates are struggling every single day.

Almost everyone is aware of mental illness but people are still blind to the fact that it isn't something that happens to "other people", it is happening to your people and my people. This time of year dictates that you should be happy and full of joy, when actually for most people it just reminds them that the Anti-Santa robbed them of that ability.

What have Dementors got to do with it?

J K Rowling experienced severe depression and this experience manifested in her Harry Potter series in the form of Dementors; hooded, spectral beings that fed off any joy or happiness you had ever experienced, leaving you with only the bad until you are unconscious or dead. A fairly accurate description of deep pain and anguish if you ask me. 

If you are reading this and are in pain, I would like to say "yes things will change and you will feel better soon", but I can't. That would be irresponsible of me and wrong, as many people will live their entire life with mental illness, it will play up like bad back or a dodgy knee. However, one thing you need to remember is that you do not need cured or fixing, you are not broken and there is nothing wrong with you!

You are not alone

I want you to read this and realise that you are not alone, that pain is universal and a fact of life. Remember when Frodo despaired and wished The Ring had never come to home him, Gandalf replies "So do all who see such times, but it is not for them to decide, all that we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us." I have said it before and I will say it again, every experience whether positive or negative is still an experience and you have the power to act on that experience if you wish to. You see that hole you are in right now? Well there is a rope hanging there and when you're ready there is so much sun light waiting just for you.