First Job Application In 2 Years

Hi @Silenus

This is a huge step!

Just by the way you express yourself and what you share here, I think you would be an excellent Peer Support Worker, just quietly 🙂 Not sure if I can convince you to change professions though!

By the way, I'm not sure if you've noticed that every Friday from 10am AEST, we run Career Chat - you can find past sessions in the Special Event Discussion Topic.

Keep us updated on how it goes!

Hi Silenus, I suffer with Bipolar and I am a married man. It is interesting to read about your description of Centerlink and your experiences with this system. I tend to agree that the unfortunate people who end up on Newstart are treated poorely and this should definitely not be so. There is a kind of stigma and prejudice towards those who are unemployed, and this can be particularly harmful to young people.

Add to this the fact that Centerlink has experienced a massive cut in numbers of staff and resources and funds and we have a recipe for disaster. The current Liberal Government seems to be cutting funds blindly without contemplating on the possibility that the cuts that they introduce may cost more in the long run.

Being a brand new member I am not sure if it is OK to speak about suicide here or not. Could someone please let me know?

And while all of this is happening, budget cuts and insensitivities towards the disabled and disadvantaged, we hear about how corporations and companies avoid paying taxes and how the current government is unable to do anything about it? I must say, it appears to me as if the whole world has gone "NUTS" and that we may perhaps be the sane ones? For at the very least we admit that there is something not quite right with us so that we are in a way aware.

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@Silenus wrote:
Thank you so much for your kind, supportive and wise words @Former-Member @Appleblossom @Former-Member

I will formulate a response soon. This is a complex issue that lies at the core of my world view and values. Consequently, it requires decoupling from my emotions in order to analyse, challenge, comprehend. Then it needs to be reintegrated with my emotions, for a head without a heart or vice versa is only half a person...

Hugs and happy vibes beaming to you all... 🙂

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Goodluck Si.

A lot of what you have written resoantes with me and you are able to express yourself really well too. My major depression kicked in after finishing my public health degree and I have struggled every since but I am slowly getting some traction in my life and that is my focus.

I think also Si, I think you are way too hard on yourself. You are such a great guy and able to relate to people on various levels through the way you write and communicate and your openess and honestly in which you express yourself and articulate your thoughts. I don't think you are different to others at all, I think you have more similarties then differences and I didn't think you give yourself enough credit for what you do.

Look forward to hearing how you go with your application.

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@Silenus wrote:
Thank you so much for your kind, supportive and wise words @Former-Member @Appleblossom @Former-Member

I will formulate a response soon. This is a complex issue that lies at the core of my world view and values. Consequently, it requires decoupling from my emotions in order to analyse, challenge, comprehend. Then it needs to be reintegrated with my emotions, for a head without a heart or vice versa is only half a person...

Hugs and happy vibes beaming to you all... 🙂

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Good luck Si

I did write a message a few mins ago but somehow I have lost it argh

A lot of what you have written has resonated with me, because bascially I just burnt out, and also had quite severe/major depression after finishing my degree. I think leading up to finishing my degree I was quite stressed and that was one of the major factors underlying my MI.

I think you are way too hard on yourself and I think you relate to people better then you think. I think people think a lot of you and you have more similarties then differences and you are not alone. You have such an amzing personality and compassion for others, and I really love those qualties you have and I think you need focus on your strengths and what you are good at, and you have many talents

You seem to express yourself really well in your writings and takes a lot of courage and strength to do this, and I take my hat off to this. I am looking forward to seeing how you go and think you mite surprise yourself and how well you get on with others. I think you would asset to any organization.

Thank you @NikNik - it may well be that I could find success as a peer support worker. Time will tell if my jaded view of study and qualifications eases.

I wasted 4 years of my life at university, learning nothing of value whatsoever to my real world job as an electrical engineer. The piece of paper - a bachelor's degree - was an expensive waste of time... but that silly piece of paper was needed.

It did not prepare me for a job, and it wasn't until I started working that I began to learn what was needed. The 4 years were wasted time - I would have been better off working those 4 years instead of studying for a degree qualification...

Just my anti-establishment feelings coming to the fore...

I would like to do peer support work, but the needed qualifications? Meh... you can't teach experience... you can only live it...

Just my opinion, of course...

Thank you, Silenus, for you reply.

Yes, what I was going to say about suicide, after speaking to someone that volunteer for lifeline, is that they get a lot of calls from younger people that have problems with Centerlink and there is a kind of fear that the system could drive some to suicide. Something does need to be done to protect and help our younger people. As you know, suicide has increased drammatically in Australia. This is unacceptable for many reasons.

It seems sensless that with so many companies and corporations dodging taxes we have such terrible social problems that have to do with a little money compare to the billions that go untaxed. Governments need to wake up and smarten up because things cannot go on this way.

Hi Si,

You have taken a huge step forward, good luck 🙂

I think you will be an asset to any organization because of the way you interact and get along well with others. Thats pretty huge and I think you don't give yourself enough credit for what you actually do.

At times I think you are way too hard on yourself, and I think you have many postive attributes, we all have some negative ones too. But I believe you have more in common in with others then what you see, I think a lot of people could relate to you and where you are coming from.