what would you do tomorrow if you had no responsibilitys?

explosifpete

I lost my job and split for my then girlfriend at the start of the year and have been bobing about even since, I'm now very bored and down as their are very few jobs about (I've not been on the doll before people start hating). I spend my days riding and looking for work but I feel I'm just wasting my life when I could be taking this as a chance to do something that I'll look back on as a good thing........ but what to do, ride across Europe? GEt a guiding job in the alps? What would you guys do?
OH and sorry for any crazy spelling my phone won't let me see what I'm typing!

Cleat Eastwood

First thing is get on the dole. It's your right. Job centres arent like they were from years ago and they can actually help you towards jobs abroad that you wouldnt have thought of (full and part time abroad). Years ago I was offered a job as a clown in Paris!!!

I'd love to do a few months camping and cycling and following the 3GT's. Keep your head up dude, and keep bikeling.

By the way have you got your ex girlfriends number

explosifpete

I have still got it on my old phone but although she has the looks its a whole world of crazy!
I'm not gonna go on the doll tho as I can't take the shame and I've saved enought to live on

batch78

Myself, I'd have done the same as you! Then I'd go and pull all the lovely young things I've known but been prohibited from seeing whilst being in a relationship, if none of them worked out I'd consolidate my assets and get out the country.

Not knowing your age or disposition its hard to say what you should specifically do, BUT, whatever you do go with your heart and enjoy it, these oppurtunities rarely happen.

Best of luck

batch78

GET RID OF HER NUMBER

BillyMansell

How about volunteering, in particular, with a local cycle training scheme? (I would always say volunteering is a good option as it allows you to try new ideas and develop new skills without fully committing yourself to a long-term position)

Most councils offer cycle training and look for volunteers to support people through 1-2-1 training and guided group rides in your area. Rather than just getting out on your own and just doing the miles on the bike, it'll get you out using your knowledge and experience to help others, which can be a great reward in itself and a fillip to your self-confidence.

If you find you enjoy it then it could be the first step towards pursuing your idea of guiding in the Alps (I'm assuming you meant as a cycle guide but the experience would also be beneficial for you as a walking guide - it's all about developing transferable skills).

Gazzaputt

Be straight off to bum around Southern Europe for the summer with the bike.

desweller

Get some panniers on the bike and head east.

rick_chasey

I struggled to find work for a year after I graduated in '09.

Only way you'll get out of that is to keep applying. Volume is key.

I set myself a target of 5 proper applications a day. After that I felt I'd at least tried to put some effort in, and then could try and enjoy myself.

Ultimately, if you don't have a job, you will never properly enjoy your free time. I never did. It was always tinged with guilt.

kieranb

volunteer and head abroad, combine the two! Especially if you have any trade skill, teaching qualifications etc. cehck out VSO. If that doesn't work out, either go touring for a while or think about looking for work in other countries while you have no ties to keep you here.

When my Dad became unemployed in his 50's he started to do voluntary work teaching kids maths after school hours. He didn't have any formal teaching qualifications, but years of running his own shop gave him the skills needed.

rubertoe

Rick Chasey wrote:

I struggled to find work for a year after graduated in '09.

Only way you'll get out of that is to keep applying. Volume is key.

I set myself a target of 5 proper applications a day. After that I felt I'd at least tried to put some effort in, and then could try and enjoy myself.

Ultimately, if you don't have a job, you will never properly enjoy your free time. I never did. It was always tinged with guilt.

What he said.

I always talk about this with my errrr.... GF....when we talk about holidays and she says she wish she was always on holiday... if you didnt work it wouldnt be a holiday it would just be the way you lived.

BTW - dont be proud - sign on - you will need to account for your periods of unemployment - you worked you paid tax - its your right to claim this money if you are not in work.


I'd also ride around Europe....

amun1000

I'd also ride around Europe....

+1

keef66

+3. Sign on and take all the help the job centre offers you. Do not for an instant feel guilty / ashamed / embarrassed. It's there for people in your situation; when you worked you were contributing to the benefits paid to the scum who've just been trashing our city centres.

(I'd spend the summer cycling round Italy if I was suddenly without commitments and allowed off the financial treadmill)

amaferanga

Why Europe? I'd head to Africa or South America for a REAL adventure. I'm sure Europe would be very nice, but there's a much more interesting world beyond. You'd also be able to tour for a year or more on just a few grand.

ddraver

A Ski season personally......

Tom Butcher

DesWeller wrote:

Get some panniers on the bike and head east.

Yes a weekend in Great Yarmouth will do the power of good.

Apart from that I'd probably do what you are doing - ride my bike and look for a job. Ideally though it's a chance to think about what you really want to do with the rest of your life - so what about it - irrespective of how realistic it is (within reason of course - but not too much within reason) what would you like to be doing in 10 or 15 years ?

Tom Butcher

Rick Chasey wrote:

I struggled to find work for a year after I graduated in '09.

Only way you'll get out of that is to keep applying. Volume is key.

I set myself a target of 5 proper applications a day. After that I felt I'd at least tried to put some effort in, and then could try and enjoy myself.

Ultimately, if you don't have a job, you will never properly enjoy your free time. I never did. It was always tinged with guilt.

I'm going to agree and disagree with Rick on that. Agree on the bit about never really enjoying free time - what is the Shakespeare quote - something about "if all the year was playing holidays then sport would be as tedious as to work " or something along those lines.

I'm going to disagree on the quantity approach to job applications. Unless you have identified a field you want to work in and are working through all the employers then this can become a scatter gun approach and you end up applying for jobs you don't really want to do. I don't think that's always the best way to find work and when you do find work you sometimes wish you hadn't. Don't do nothing but being unemployed is a chance to reevaluate your career - you can do voluntary work as a means to an end or retrain more easily from this position than if you are already doing a 9-5.

Pross

Not quite tomorrow but I would at least start the ball rolling to emigrate to NZ, Canada or possibly Oz. I'd certainly quit my current job and if I stayed in this country would like to do something like working for the Forestry Commission or being a countryside warden, much lower paid but out in the fresh air.

rick_chasey

Tom Butcher wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

I struggled to find work for a year after I graduated in '09.

Only way you'll get out of that is to keep applying. Volume is key.

I set myself a target of 5 proper applications a day. After that I felt I'd at least tried to put some effort in, and then could try and enjoy myself.

Ultimately, if you don't have a job, you will never properly enjoy your free time. I never did. It was always tinged with guilt.

I'm going to agree and disagree with Rick on that. Agree on the bit about never really enjoying free time - what is the Shakespeare quote - something about "if all the year was playing holidays then sport would be as tedious as to work " or something along those lines.

I'm going to disagree on the quantity approach to job applications. Unless you have identified a field you want to work in and are working through all the employers then this can become a scatter gun approach and you end up applying for jobs you don't really want to do. I don't think that's always the best way to find work and when you do find work you sometimes wish you hadn't. Don't do nothing but being unemployed is a chance to reevaluate your career - you can do voluntary work as a means to an end or retrain more easily from this position than if you are already doing a 9-5.

Everyone starts with a narrow field.

A ton of rejections ultimately widens that field.

A ton more rejections continue to widen the field etc.

Without wanting to sound trite or belittling, beggars can't be choosers.

guinea

I've had nothing to do for the past couple of months as I'm heading off to uni in september.

I got married, toured Italy, followed the TdF, went to Albania and am just about to tour the Highlands and then revisit Italy before knuckling down to do my masters.

On the days I'm at home I cycle and indulge in my other hobbies.

Living the dream baby.

kieranb

when I finished uni in Ireland, it was the 80's depression there, no jobs in my chosen field. I ened up doing part time restaurant work and filled my spare time doing cheap things, I learned to juggle (impresses my children now) and started using self-learning language courses at the local library to start learning German.

Stewie Griffin

Cleat Eastwood wrote:

First thing is get on the dole. It's your right.:

Sign on, you are entitled to it. If you dont you arent contributing to your pension and will get less when you need it most.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAnd ... /DG_190077

unixnerd

You might think about using some of your time by doing an Open University course. As you're unemployed I suspect you'll get a hefty discount on the fees or even a freebie.

If you want something seasonal that'll give you good biking / climbing / skiing potential for a break then try one of the hotels in Aviemore. There are always jobs on the go in them, Macdonald's Resort and the Hilton at Coylumbridge are the big two. Some of the local outdoor adventure companies such as G2 may be looking for folk too.

Tom Butcher

Rick Chasey wrote:

Everyone starts with a narrow field.

A ton of rejections ultimately widens that field.

A ton more rejections continue to widen the field etc.

Without wanting to sound trite or belittling, beggars can't be choosers.

Beggars may not be able to be choosers but the aim should be to make yourself into someone who is not a beggar but rather someone who has the skills/experience/contacts to land a job they actually want.

You've got to have a dream, if you don't have a dream then how are you going to make a dream come true ?

Redhog14

Life is not a marathon but a series of sprints...

I lost my job shortly after losing my wife (careless I know, she didn't die or anything) but given that I have kids I was not quite in your situation but I believe that setting a series of short to medium term goals might suit you best and perhaps given the tone of your posts you should be aiming for something worthwhile and altruistic, try a local charity shop first, then a community scheme perhaps. Plan to have a travelling goal arranged for the medium term but keep planning, goal setting and organising is the key, I have also found the mantra of "earning my reward" works from doing the housework to taking my mum out for tea before giving something to myself. Best thing I did was join my local bike club and met a new bird who is really great.

Hope you get sorted mate, only you can do it!

thegreatdivide

Go and do a CyTech course. Get yourself a trailer. Become a traveling bike mechanic.

Ron Stuart

guinea wrote:

I've had nothing to do for the past couple of months as I'm heading off to uni in september.

I got married, toured Italy, followed the TdF, went to Albania and am just about to tour the Highlands and then revisit Italy before knuckling down to do my masters.

On the days I'm at home I cycle and indulge in my other hobbies.

Living the dream baby.

God where would we be without parents eh :?:

rick_chasey

Tom Butcher wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

Everyone starts with a narrow field.

A ton of rejections ultimately widens that field.

A ton more rejections continue to widen the field etc.

Without wanting to sound trite or belittling, beggars can't be choosers.

Beggars may not be able to be choosers but the aim should be to make yourself into someone who is not a beggar but rather someone who has the skills/experience/contacts to land a job they actually want.

You've got to have a dream, if you don't have a dream then how are you going to make a dream come true ?

Gotta pay the bills right?

Don't think a job, whatever it is can count against you for another job surely? Not when you're straight outa uni.

I don't want a career in the job I have now, but at least I've been earning for a year. Turns out it's opened a few new opportunities that I wouldn't have had as a grad.

Now I can be more picky about the jobs I apply to, and live the (city) life while I do it.

explosifpete

Love you guys! AS for the ski season I've done 7 so kinda over that and I can't snowboard till I have shoulder surgery. THink I'll be on ebay tomorrow looking for a tent and a rack

ademort

explosifpete wrote:

I lost my job and split for my then girlfriend at the start of the year and have been bobing about even since, I'm now very bored and down as their are very few jobs about (I've not been on the doll before people start hating). I spend my days riding and looking for work but I feel I'm just wasting my life when I could be taking this as a chance to do something that I'll look back on as a good thing........ but what to do, ride across Europe? GEt a guiding job in the alps? What would you guys do?
OH and sorry for any crazy spelling my phone won't let me see what I'm typing!

I just wondered what do you do for a living, seems nobody else has asked.
Ademort

explosifpete

I was running a bike shop and before that I was a snowboard instructor/chalet worker