Confidence crisis from unemployment

I have struggled with work for some years and since corona it has been impossible. I don't hold down jobs for very long due to the lack of responsibility or challenge and tend to drift. This does not make me a prime candidate on paper exactly yet I still have experience and used to find work fairly easily. 

Since the lockdown I have lost my perspective. I have nothing to do all day except endlessly apply for jobs. I have been looking on and off for over 18 months and the lack of opportunity is outrageous. I've never felt so worthless. 

How can I build my confidence? The lockdown and its effects are going to be around for many, many months to come. I have nothing here, no future, nothing to do except age in isolation. My self esteem is practically nonexistent and when I try to cheer myself up I want to cry. I desperately want to move away and start over but without a job I have no ability to change anything. What do I do now?

Hmmm. You're kind of stuck. Grocery stores were hiring like crazy for awhile where I'm at. How about getting on the Coronavirus Tracking Squad. How about using a head shark to find you a job. Or, maybe you can just always wear a mask because that seems to solve everything now.

Finished said:

Hmmm. You're kind of stuck. Grocery stores were hiring like crazy for awhile where I'm at. How about getting on the Coronavirus Tracking Squad. How about using a head shark to find you a job. Or, maybe you can just always wear a mask because that seems to solve everything now.

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Ha. This mask wearing is a load of nonsense too. But there aren't many retail outlets where I'm at. Headhunters aren't even having much luck with me. I wish I could build my confidence up to support some sort of technical skill development. Living alone makes you stagnant.

Finding true confidence can be difficult. IMO many people have false confidence. So, learn to fake it. If you fake it enough you'll start to believe it yourself. There are many ways to do so if you are willing to try. Now is a good time since you seem to have plenty of time on your hands.

It's also a great time to pad your resume by getting degrees and / or certifications. I have several degrees and tons of certifications. I used to get jobs fairly easily even ones that I couldn't actually do. Many job interviews are a complete joke. Many times the interviewer will say what they want to hear. Then you say it back to them in a slightly different way.

I would find out ahead of time what the company / organization did. Then I would call their HR department to find out what the position actually did not the BS on the job posting. Then I would call and speak to someone in the department and find out what they were actually working on. Then I would search about information on that.

My BS credentials got me an interview. Then at the interview I would regurgitate the stuff I read on the Internet even though I barely knew what the hell I was saying. The interviewers who usually weren't working on the projects themselves were very impressed. I went on job interviews for about eight months while working and not looking for a different job in order to gain practice and to see what I could get away with. It shocked me. I got a fairly high percentage of offers. Doing this gave me confidence when going for jobs I really wanted.

Oh yeah, and always wear a thin loose fitting face mask in order to save the planet from certain destruction!!!!

The unemployment thing really is a confidence killer sometimes, it's natural to feel a bit wayward in your circumstances and especially with covid restrictions etc.

My view is that what happens around you doesn't detract from your value and keeping a sense of self worth is the most thing. The world we live in is a kind of compromise, nothing is perfect, especially ourselves. We are still all people, with hopes, dreams and values. Not losing sight of ourselves is the key and it helps us hold steady until we land back on the island of more secure circumstance.

I hope what I'm saying makes sense to you. Love yourself, look after yourself and don't feel too awful about the shoulda/woulda/coulda scenarios. The future is the key, just keep positive. Sending you all the best.

You just continue on the road..Life is like a train ride with bumps along the way as you go up and down the track keep plugging and remember one thing----When you get a job all your sadness and thinking anxiety will go away as you figure out if you want to keep the job but when you hear the words--We want you to start tomorrow--this will put a smile to your life--keep plugging Talk 2 and best wishes..priscella..

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My BS credentials got me an interview. Then at the interview I would regurgitate the stuff I read on the Internet even though I barely knew what the hell I was saying. The interviewers who usually weren't working on the projects themselves were very impressed. I went on job interviews for about eight months while working and not looking for a different job in order to gain practice and to see what I could get away with. It shocked me. I got a fairly high percentage of offers. Doing this gave me confidence when going for jobs I really wanted.

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It doesn't surprise me that you could pull that off. There's a lot of stories out there of people taking liberties with the truth or lying outright and pulling interviews easily. Honesty is hard to come by. I don't know if that kind of strategy is for me though. Seems very risky.

Yeti1980 said:

My view is that what happens around you doesn't detract from your value and keeping a sense of self worth is the most thing. The world we live in is a kind of compromise, nothing is perfect, especially ourselves. We are still all people, with hopes, dreams and values. Not losing sight of ourselves is the key and it helps us hold steady until we land back on the island of more secure circumstance.

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That's a healthy perspective. It's so incredibly hard to keep your head together like this though. Your environment does have a massive impact on your mental health. It isn't much of a compromise if the rest of the world always gets what it wants.

priscella said:

You just continue on the road..Life is like a train ride with bumps along the way as you go up and down the track keep plugging and remember one thing----When you get a job all your sadness and thinking anxiety will go away as you figure out if you want to keep the job

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Thanks I appreciate the kind words