Jobs. Jobs eh? They’re funny things. I’ve found that a good number of people I know don’t like their jobs and a good number don’t have one and struggle to get one. It’s especially sad to see post-graduate students just out of university with nowhere to go.
Well I don’t have any answers I’m afraid, but I can tell you my story (which may or may not help) through the medium of comics!
Now, let me elaborate on this a bit. Basically as you can see I was unemployed for a good while after coming out of college and generally was a bit sick of working in shops etc. I knew I wanted to do something creative, either art or music or anything in between. As people get when they’re unemployed I got a bit figity and felt like I should be doing something. On a whim I called my local community centre and asked if I could come in and help out, not long later I came in and gutted the art room and got started.
After a while I got to teaching kids and old folks arts and crafts and bits and bobs and when the funding came I got some paid work from it, doing I enjoyed doing, fab!
Now in the arts, funding comes and goes so after a year or so that was me back to square one, but with that experience I was now a lot better off to get a job more suited to me.
For the past year or so I’ve been working for a charity, basically I work part-time (doing my own art the rest of the time) with people with dementia and alzheimer’s finding ways to communicate through arts, crafts and music. Although it has its challenges, overall it’s very rewarding and I’m super happy there.
I guess my point here is that I’d never have got that job if it wasn’t for volunteering so if you’re in the position I was in 2 years ago it’s definitely worth a try even for a few hours a week. Even if you don’t feel you need the experience it does make a difference to other people’s lives which is why I still pop into my community centre to this day.
And that’s my wee story.
Take care!
Neil
Tags: art, comic, comics, drawing, Illustration, jobs, unemployed, volunteering
Neil Slorance 
October 8, 2012 at 12:01 am |
Cool cartoon, and a nice story too!
October 8, 2012 at 1:16 am |
Been out of College for about a year and still trying to find a job. Been volunteering too but I would love to do it more. Your comic is wonderful btw.
October 8, 2012 at 3:43 am |
Love your story via comic! I am currently job-hunting and getting as much volunteering in as I possibly can. While I have plenty of experience for the roles I want, I don’t have the network I need in the town I’m focusing on… So I’m hoping that, in addition to volunteering being a rewarding experience in and of itself, that I will also get to show off my talents to folks who have the potential to offer me a job I will love!
October 8, 2012 at 4:41 am |
Thank you Neil ~ I do four volunteering jobs and I’m going to stick your delightful cartoon up at each of them…
October 8, 2012 at 8:58 am |
Brilliant, this is a great message for folk right now when getting a job seems harder than ever.
I had a similar experience, when I was unemployed I started volunteering at an Oxfam bookshop and when my manager announced she was going to be taking maternity leave I applied for the job and got it. I’m just at the end of my first week of full time paid employment in many years and it’s all because I started volunteering.
Even if I hadn’t got the job working in the shop has been a great experience, I’ve had the chance to use lots of skills and meet some amazing people. I would recommend volunteering to everyone (especially coming to volunteer at my shop!)
October 8, 2012 at 10:59 am |
Thanks for all the comments guys! Glad to hear that there’s more success stories out there :) nx