“Get a job, students!” Yeah, it’s not that easy
As someone who has been in education for the entirety of their adult life, you’d think I’d be qualified enough to get at least a part-time job in retail, right? I mean, my GCSE grades are more than sufficient, and my college grades are just fine. I have a great work ethic, hardly ever late, quick learning and I get on with it. But alas, apparently the cards have different plans for me.
After finishing college I managed to get a temporary gig at CEX, and I had a whale of a time. Well, aside from misogynistic customers who couldn’t believe a 4 foot 11" 18 year old could possibly know anything about games consoles or the latest tech. And God forbid she know anything about company policy. But aside from that, I got a good, all-round experience there and my social anxiety improved after having to talk to strangers all day. As soon as my term was over, I updated my CV, applied to Universal Credit to make ends meet and attended interview/job training at the job centre. I was eager to get another job before I left for uni. Unfortunately, despite the 30 hour a week I spent job searching, applying, and updating my work coach on the UC website, I never landed even an interview. Weird, right? Even she was flabbergasted that no one was responding, and that tells me I was doing everything right.
So then bright-eyed 19 year old me popped off to Plymouth University for a foundation course in English with Creative Writing. Money was tight; due to it being an access course my maintenance loan was lower than if I was on a full course. My parents had to give me a little extra money for groceries each month just so I could eat. That year ended, and I entered the full course in the middle of Covid. Money was a little easier to save since nothing was open and there was no temptation to go wild with spending, and I was living with my ex-partner so rent was no issue. Then when he had to go back to Canada, I had to get a cheaper place by myself. Covid restrictions by this time were easing up a little, and I didn’t really have any friends so again, no crazy spending. Just me alone in my tiny £500 per month studio, using my student loan as savings.
I got the notification of jobs being added again on Indeed and it was perfect! Lots of part-time work near where I lived. I was excited to get applying.
23 applications later, gone ignored. Restaurants, fast food places, shops, cleaners… nothing.
I figured maybe there was a high demand for jobs so they were probably just hiring people with more experience. Couldn’t be mad at that. I waited a little while over the summer, left my flat early to save money by living at my parents’ again. I relaxed and gathered myself, securing another studio flat at a student accommodation. I was told it would be £120 per week and since it was the same letting company as my last flat, I figured it would be pay per month and slightly cheaper for the long run. That was until I signed my lease, and saw it was £138 per week and the rent was to be payed every three months, which meant ALL my student loan went to my rent. Every single penny. No worries, I thought, student loan will come in before rent is due.
Nope. Rent was due nearly three weeks before my loan game in. True, I could have sent off a couple hundred per month but money was so tight I would have gone insane with anxiety trying to budget instead of focusing on my studies. I knew it was time to start the job search again and I applied to every retail I could in a 10 mile radius. I got maybe one or two call backs asking when I was free but when I told them my student schedule they told me they needed someone more flexible.
Why advertise part-time in a student city and not hire students? I never really understood that. And to make matters worse, I’d see the same positions remaining on Indeed with the label “urgent”. If it’s so bloody urgent, then hire me!
Like most people, I don’t want to be in customer service my whole life. I want to write, and make money from my writing. That’s why I’m here. But it’s so demeaning how retail doesn’t want me, and if I don’t have a safety net whilst I try to achieve my goals I’m kind of stuffed.
It’s the depressing reality we live in. Millennials and boomers constantly telling my generation we don’t work hard enough, or that we should suck up our circumstances just because “they did just fine”. Harold, you bought a house in 1970 for £65,000. You retired at 60. You’ve never had a grown adult screaming in your face because they didn’t read their receipt about the return policy for £7 per hour.
To sum this up: I’m jobless, I’m broke, I’m tired, and I’m stressed. I feel somewhat a form of hopeless rejection heartbreak every time I see that my applications were viewed two weeks ago. I would say I just need a break, but according to society I haven’t worked hard enough to earn one yet.
