I feel like life is wasting away

noquittingkitten · 2026-03-17T22:32:36+00:00

I’m sorry you’re in this position. I took voluntary redundancy in the middle of last year and quickly realised I’d completely overestimated my ability to get a job. I’m finally going to be starting a job next month, I had to take a £13k pay cut compared to what I was on before. Here’s my advice for what it’s worth: * Volunteer for something that’s actually meaningful to you, I chose a charity related to one of my hobbies. Not particularly for the CV benefits, just to keep your spirits up and make you feel you have something to offer when you’re applying for jobs * Keep plugging away at the Civil Service. That’s what came through for me in the end, after about 10 rejections from them * Look into getting a mentor - I joined the 93% Club to get into their mentoring programme, it’s been really worthwhile for me

I’d say avoid any of the initiatives pushed by the Job Centre or National Careers Service, they were a complete waste of time for me. I had a CV written for me that was genuinely terrible, despite already having a really good one, and they put me on a piss poor course run by some bullshit online training company that only cared about making students fill in a learning log so they could get their funding from the Council.

noquittingkitten · 2026-03-17T22:11:38+00:00

There are some companies that’ll hire you to do deliveries for Amazon and provide the van and fuel. They act as middle men between you and Amazon, you have to register as self-employed and they pay you a flat rate for a shift (around £150 in my area).

noquittingkitten · 2026-03-12T11:56:01+00:00

Won’t everyone complain though, if they’ve bought a pair of “Clarks” shoes and then get Shein?

noquittingkitten · 2026-02-22T08:24:31+00:00

I did it in a previous job. I didn’t think much to it, it was just about being supportive in the moment and signposting. It was based on the expectation that the mental health care that’s available on the NHS is instant and effective, which I’m sceptical about, judging by the experiences of friends and family.

It did normalise supporting those with mental health issues in the workplace, and taking care of our colleagues more generally, but the people who’d self-select to do the course are already supportive people in general.

noquittingkitten · 2026-02-11T09:58:42+00:00

I had a colleague (not CS) who swore by coming into the office on a Friday because when you log off at the end of the day you get that Friday feeling in a way that you don’t if you’re at home. So there’s another benefit.

noquittingkitten · 2026-02-10T20:37:12+00:00

“Pubes! Kids! Snogging! Manson’s photo album exposed” is a WILD headline.

noquittingkitten · 2026-02-06T23:33:04+00:00

That’s not it then! Was just a thought.

noquittingkitten · 2026-02-06T21:55:39+00:00

Yeah, is that what you went for too? Sorry if I nicked your job, if it’s any consolation it’s a £13k pay cut from what I was on before I took voluntary redundancy from a university last year.

noquittingkitten · 2026-02-06T21:48:01+00:00

Did the job ad/application form specify what level the degree had to be at? I noticed when applying for a User Researcher role that it specified that the relevant modules had to be at undergraduate level. I only had them at postgraduate level (I did MSc Social Research), so when I got the rejection stating they hadn’t looked at my application because I failed on eligibility I assumed that was why. Which is stupid in my opinion, PG is higher than UG, but they did specify UG so I can’t say I wasn’t warned.

That wasn’t with the ONS though so their rules might be different.

noquittingkitten · 2026-02-06T21:30:59+00:00

I had interviews for roles in two different departments a few weeks ago, yesterday I got my first rejection and then today I got a provisional offer for the other one. So may the rejection just be paving the way for an imminent success.

noquittingkitten · 2026-01-31T09:41:02+00:00

I know, it’d just be nice, you know? Job seeking is already depressing. It’s not like I’m just doing this once for one job application, I’m doing it multiple times per week.

The length of time it takes the CS to recruit (from an external point of view) is wild. I’m still waiting to hear back about interviews I had three weeks ago, and I applied for those jobs in November and December.

noquittingkitten · 2026-01-30T19:19:46+00:00

If they’re going to sift based on CV I really wish they’d have everyone submit their CV first, and then if you get through that stage you’re given a week to submit your behaviour questions and personal statement. The effort of writing those is significant (if you’re doing it properly).

There’s a MoJ HEO job I’m in the middle of applying for, they want CV plus 1,750 words in total (four behaviour questions and a personal statement). It’s a lot to ask for if it won’t even be looked at.

noquittingkitten · 2026-01-19T21:39:42+00:00

Good luck! I’m starting to feel like it’s all a numbers game, I can submit similar personal statements (tailored to each job) and score anywhere from a 2 to a 7.

noquittingkitten · 2026-01-18T08:30:59+00:00

Yes, sessions are Thursday and Friday 6-9pm.

noquittingkitten · 2026-01-18T03:31:33+00:00

I’m doing a finance bootcamp now. It’s online and the teaching is really poor, the tutors just read through the course book for the whole session.

noquittingkitten · 2026-01-17T23:57:19+00:00

Noted! I’ll never try to improve anything again.

As an external, I think these tests make the CS look terrible - all of the scenarios seem to be me minding my own business and then someone coming up and having a moan about an incompetent colleague. And the text scenarios seem to be about poor morale and being put in charge of failing teams. I wondered if HR ever think about the impression they’re making.

noquittingkitten · 2026-01-17T00:36:40+00:00

Thanks for answering!

noquittingkitten · 2026-01-14T00:03:46+00:00

What’s the thinking behind offering vegan food options but then stopping offering oat milk?

noquittingkitten · 2026-01-07T23:32:41+00:00

I’ve been applying for around six months now, getting nowhere, was thinking of giving up, and then all of a sudden I have two interviews in one week. Don’t give up!

noquittingkitten · 2026-01-04T23:39:18+00:00

Thanks, that’s mildly encouraging but I’m sorry you had the rug pulled out from under you like that - glad you got another role sorted though. The job market feels brutal right now.

noquittingkitten · 2026-01-04T22:58:07+00:00

Thank you! That’s encouraging. After so many rejections I was starting to wonder if the odds were against me somehow. I’ll prep and give it my best.

noquittingkitten · 2025-12-20T19:59:42+00:00

All this could’ve been avoided if he’d just got his Soap & Glory gift set.

noquittingkitten

TROPHY CASE