okay,

I feel as though I've completely run out of options.

I'm at college full time and have a dog - I'm 17. I need a job that I can just work a few hours at weekends.

I'm disabled - it doesn't cause me a problem getting places as I'm not in a wheelchair but it means I can't stand for very long or walk very far and need someone who understands that some days I may just be too unwell (though I am generally hard working and push to work through it). I can't get the normal bar jobs/fast food jobs.

However, I'm hard working, sensitive, persevering, and an enthusiastic happy worker.

The only thing I can think of is a call centre job. I've worked at Ant before which was perfect, good pay, few hours, understanding boss and very flexible for me, sitting down, but i hated it and ended up leaving because every day I was there I was miserable and the break downs in the toilets were getting more and more regular.

So I can't go back there. I wanted to do customer service but they all do training for about 6 weeks full time - i can't do that with college.

I'm going to phone freemans as they do 2 weeks full time paid training, which i could do for the next two weeks, but it's what the hours would be like after that that matters.

Please, if anyone has any ideas, or better still, knows of any cashier jobs at supermakets/shops going - that is what I need. I've tried before but never a vacancy.

I will work anywhere as long as I can do it.

thanks

Hiya Lotti,

According to the Waitrose website there are jobs available in the Sheffield store, but it doesn't specify what these jobs are! Anyways, here's their number 0114 272 2027. Hope it helps, good luck!

PS- loving the Takara pics (fingers crossed, of course)

Hey thanks very much!

I will give them a ring!

Spoke to someone the other day who said, by the looks of her eyes, they should turn brown and if she were to buy a puppy to show (this is a breeder who shows aswell who said this) that she would buy this one!

So - I'm pretty sure this is Takara!

I've just hit a cashflow problem so can't afford to travel down there again unless my dad takes me or I break into life savings so I'm devastated!

This is why I need a job!

Lottie

Perhaps some sort of self-employment would suit you.

I do some work from time to time fixing computer problems and get about £50 a job.

A friend of mine trades on Ebay and makes plenty of money too.

Depends what skills you have but I know what kind of jobs you're looking at if you don't have any proper qualifications or experience :\

Voluntary work opens new doors as well. For the past year now, I've been giving up 2 evenings a week (alongside college) working as a kids' football coach.
This has been a major boost for my CV as I've got involved in so much at the football club.

If you could gain some more 'experience' of different types of work then your scope may widen to more than just cashier / call centre work.


Just a couple of thoughts. Sorry I can't actually answer your question and suggest some jobs for you! Seems you're looking in the right kinda places. Sounds like it's not really possible for you to go walking around town all day asking around for part time work.

Good luck finding something.

i guess working from home options would suit...BUT...most working from home things are either a con or a waste of time.

there is ALWAYS call centre work if you can bare it.

I did a stint at Ant Marketing while I was at uni and it was mind numbing!

A cashier job would be better because then you get to interact with customers face to face.

What about pet and house-sitting? You basically advertise your services in a few places (perfect time of year too cause it's holiday season), and then go round to people's houses to feed their hamster/check they haven't been burgled, ect.

Sorry, I forgot to ask whether you drive Lottie? If not you might need a willing parent/driving mate to help out with this one.

Originally posted by MTheo

there is ALWAYS call centre work if you can bare it.

Really? I've just phoned Freemans about the vacancy I spoke to them about before because now I can do that two weeks full time training. But now, they have no vacancies!

JBee, that's a great idea thanks!

If it wasn't for my lovely puss cats I could even house people's animals for them while they go away I have a friend who does that but I don't think the cats would be very impressed with other people's dogs here!

But thanks - that's a good idea - I'll do that.

I've worked at Ant Marketing too - I know what you mean - it was awful!

Lottie

Is there any small independant shops in your area that might like a few extra hours help a week, and these type of shops may be more understanding if you are having an off day.

A few of my friends got office temping jobs at Hallamshire Hospital during college - something to do with prescriptions I think. There might be other clerical positions in the NHS that are worth looking into?

Call centre/telesales are generally a bit cut-throat, so I'm surprised you'd ever find an understanding boss in that field.

I think pdc303's careers advice is excellent for anyone starting out or relaunching their career because it is far more likely to open doors in to fields that you might not otherwise be able to access.

You may also like to try and find work that is relevant to your college course and post on Jobs Wanted.

From having read some of your other threads it seems quite obvious you love dogs and I wonder whether it might be worth considering work in those areas always assuming it's viable. Not being a dog-lover I dont know much about them or the prospects of work in that area which I'm sure you're far better qualified than me to know about.

I am suggesting this because as a career counsellor with published research on managerial success, I have found people are far more likely to succeed at what they do if they love what they are doing.

I think this is all the more important particularly where people have long-term medical conditions as in your case.

Hope this is of some help.

Originally posted by wendygs
I am suggesting this because as a career counsellor with published research on managerial success, I have found people are far more likely to succeed at what they do if they love what they are doing.

As importantly, if you love what you do you will be more knowledgeable than Miss/Mrs/Mr Average Layperson which is a far more attractive proposition for prospective employers because there is less training involved AND you are more likely to show initiative and need less supervision from the outset.

Call centre Lotti is a good option for you. Just be careful you go for a big company that promotes equal rights for people who are disabled.

I use to work for Halifax down at Victoria Quays and they are a company whom promotes diversity so even though you are registered as disabled, if you are willing to put the work in and are a good performer, i.e call stats are good and not having a fag break every 5 minutes they will look after you. Only people who had a problem while i was there were lazy! Simple as that! Hours when i was there anything between 8-8 Monday to Friday and 9-4 Saturday. Part time workers though would be required to work 12 hours a week, but i dont know if thats still the case

If you speak to SteelCityBabe (think that's her name!!) she is always raving about William Hill and she does/use to work part time.

BTW, i left because i worked full time in a call centre for two years and had enough. Two years is the average life time in a call centre! Should see you through college though.

Originally posted by Lotti
okay,

I feel as though I've completely run out of options.

I'm at college full time and have a dog - I'm 17. I need a job that I can just work a few hours at weekends.

I'm disabled - it doesn't cause me a problem getting places as I'm not in a wheelchair but it means I can't stand for very long or walk very far and need someone who understands that some days I may just be too unwell (though I am generally hard working and push to work through it). I can't get the normal bar jobs/fast food jobs.

However, I'm hard working, sensitive, persevering, and an enthusiastic happy worker.

The only thing I can think of is a call centre job. I've worked at Ant before which was perfect, good pay, few hours, understanding boss and very flexible for me, sitting down, but i hated it and ended up leaving because every day I was there I was miserable and the break downs in the toilets were getting more and more regular.

So I can't go back there. I wanted to do customer service but they all do training for about 6 weeks full time - i can't do that with college.

I'm going to phone freemans as they do 2 weeks full time paid training, which i could do for the next two weeks, but it's what the hours would be like after that that matters.

Please, if anyone has any ideas, or better still, knows of any cashier jobs at supermakets/shops going - that is what I need. I've tried before but never a vacancy.

I will work anywhere as long as I can do it.

thanks


I think Freemans are pretty flexiable and have appeared to have a good reputation there call centre is a nice environment

Ever considered Avon? You can just do it amongst friends and family or a local neighbourhood set up which you can restrict and/ or do it on the days/nights you choose. Plus your college mates might order from you - just get the money before you part with the goods, no favours for mates, not worth it.
I did a stint years ago and I did ok out of it and if you're under 18 you can ask Mum or Dad to sign for you on the agreement with Avon.
One of the bonuses is you choose when to work, another is the freebies!
Best of luck :)

As you are disabled you may be entitled to financial help under DWPs Access to Work Scheme for disabled people. It would be a case of your deciding the aid you need and they decide if they can assist. From what I can make out of this scheme they make an assessment of your work place needs and decide what is appropriate to pay for you to work. As I understand this scheme I think that means they would be prepared to pay the costs needed for you to work which an employer would not normally be expected to provide for their workforce. I dont know how your disabilities affect you, so just for example, if you needed a special chair to sit on which the employer would not buy because it cost too much this may be something you might be able to get DWP to consider. DWPs Access to Work scheme will help with ***essential disability aids*** for people who want to work for an organisation, whether at home or their premises and people who want to start their own business. What they will not do is pay for equipment which they consider the employer would be required to provide as a matter of course for their business needs.

Sorry I cant think of anything and dont know of any work that would be suitable for you and just wondered whether you'd found anything yet or if anyone else might have something in mind. Have you tried clerical work if that isnt too mind-numbing?

Hi Wendy

Sorry haven't been checking very well have I!

Thanks for the info on DLA. I did actually receive DLA at the higher rate but traded it in for a car on the motability. I go to college across the other side of the city and we decided that the car would be more useful as buses were proving very difficult.

Zebra - thanks for the info on Avon, I had considered things like that before but my mum warned me away from it. Said she'd done it before and found it hard work. She says it's a lot of walking delivering things and I don't think anybody at college would order from me!
I believe you have to pay for the catalogues before you do it and I think I would probably end up losing out!

Wattsy and RobT - thanks for the info on call centres. I have heard SteelCityBabe (or whatever her name is!) talking about it and asked but I believe you have to over 18. I may ask though.
I rang Freeman's recently but they have no training courses at the moment and you have to do 2 weeks full time training before you start so I could only start in the holidays when I had at least two weeks. The next course will be in September and I'll be back at college.

Thanks for the ideas though! It appears I've tried them all. ]

Finally Wendy - I have had a bit of a boom in the babysitting area recently and am hoping it continues that way - also, my mum's friend has just had a baby and goes to toddler group, or baby group I suppose so she said she would pass my name and number on to all the mum's there - keep your fingers crossed for me!

Lottie

Hey Lotti,
keep the faith! You will find something you want to do eventually.

In the meantime you should console yourself with the fact that at least you want to work; full or part time. There's plenty of people out there who would rather skip it altogether.

Now what you have is a positive attitude... that's worth quite a bit!