Life was alright, not a lead guitarist in a band, but ok.  I liked it.

I had a job at a really cool pub, started behind the bar and then after six months became a bar manager along with a few others.  The pub owner had other bars so there were opportunities for development and promotion.  I got paid a bit more for the manager position, managed to get a car and moved out to live with some mates. Then the pandemic hit, to begin with I got furloughed, which wasn’t brilliant but just about doable, then a few months’ later, when everyone realised it was going to be long term, I got let go.  I hadn’t been there for 2 years so no redundancy, just a month’s notice and that was it.  I had a look around to see what else I could do, but my only work experience was in a bar and no one was hiring obviously.

I sold my car, moved back in with my parents and started looking outside hospitality.  I applied for anything and everything but then, so did everyone else. 

Eventually, I got a delivery job, I borrowed some money from my parents, got a bike and rode around town delivering meals. I literally rode around all day just to stand still financially.

Here we are 2021, with the pubs about to reopen their doors for inside trade, but still I can’t get a job.  I guess those who were lucky enough to be furloughed, will get first dibs.  Even if I do get a job, I’ll have to start at the bottom again.

I’ve sort of lost my confidence too, I can’t really see the way forward now.  It seemed quite clear before but now I’m not sure.  Some friends seemed to have managed, others are in the same boat and I haven’t seen any of them anyway, so I feel like I’m living in my own parallel universe, separate to everyone else and who I used to be.  I don’t know how to get across the hole that the pandemic has left.  If I could just get a job that would pay for me to resume my life.  I don’t mind working hard, I don’t mind working unsociable hours.  I just want the chance to get my life back.  Why does it feel like an impossible task?

Setyourworth:  Had enough of sending gazillions of CVs and applications into the abyss?  Let employers come to you…

Create your profile today, get your attributes and experience out there, try something new, it might just turn your situation around….