How to find employment when I don't fit any patterns employers are looking for?

[Melancholic]

Hello. I'm currently on the disability pension and like many others, my wallet is feeling a bit stretched. I would like to find some part-time employment for both the sake of earning some money and having something meaningful to do. My health problems make it impossible to fit any pattern employers are looking for.

With a whole slew if issues, I am limited in the number of productive hours I have each day in addition to those hours changing day-to-day. I've engaged with Disability Employment Services (DES) to help (that process was a nightmare) however the service provider continuously requests that I apply for jobs of my own accord and doesn't seem too interested in going out of their way to find something that fits my relatively unique circumstances.

I get the feeling that the DES system doesn't really understand complex mental health issues. When I look at their materials I see people with physical disabilities, visually identifiable ones such as down syndrome and more understood issues such as high-functioning autism however nothing about complex mental health. When I try to explain this to my service provider their face goes blank and they continue repeating the same script.

I've come to realise that I'm going to have to start advertising myself (which will be hell with social anxiety disorder) I have worked in IT for a long time, I have skills to use; but how on Earth can I cold canvas for possible jobs when at some point I have to tell them that while I'm competent, at the same time I'm limited in the hours I can work and can sometimes be unreliable?

[white knight]

Hi, welcome

Many people have complex or restrictive private lives that have to be worked around to achieve an extra income. Kids to collect, shopping after hours and so on. There are many doing things tough and you are one of them, I have been and I'm now retired. I did work 3 jobs for many years one of which was 42 hours a week shift work 12 hours shifts so I know.

What I can say is that in some ways you make your own luck in achieving anything. Ones outlook can be an asset. Eg sometimes employers arent interested in higher qualified people as they are the ones that dont last long as they can get higher pay elsewhere. 

Of the 90 jobs and 15 professions (I had mania) the very best was running my own one man business whether it be starting up my own lawn mowing round, building cubby houses or in private investigations. The lawn mowing was interesting- in 1992 I was unemployed and we had little money in a small town of 300 homes. I had a old beat up ride on mower and whipper snipper and trailer. I made up 300 flyers and left them in every letter box. Got home and waited, no response. My wife said "thats the end of that then" I replied "nope, I'm going to start the business up. Parked my trailer at the entry into town with a sign on it. Then knocked on every door. At the end of 2 days I had 12 clients. Word spread after a short time growing to 22. Suddenly I was supplementing my unemployment. My old back injury returned after 6 months so sold the business for a good profit. I then built bubby houses with cute attic windows. Had all my work ad bench height to assist my back. First xmas sold 14 at $600 each minus materials of $2300. 

Of course it depends on your disability. It's not what you cant do, its focussing on what you can do. I admire your tenacity, well done

These threads might help, just need to read the first post of each

https://forums.beyondblue.org.au/t5/staying-well/30-minutes-can-change-your-life/td-p/154525

https://forums.beyondblue.org.au/t5/staying-well/confidence-how-do-you-get-it/td-p/46358

reply anytime

TonyWK

[Croix]

Dear Melancholic

I"d like to join Tony WK in welcoming you here. It's not a bad place to find others that have to face similar problems.

I think you are probably right, and that obvious to the eye physical conditions are more catered for, and the  more complex issues relating ot mental ill-health are simply not understood and the old inappropriate responses keep on being trotted out.

I also think you are right that if for no other reason than your own self regard it is important to do something that is meaningful.  However this does not necessarily mean a paid job -at leat for a while. Have you considered what options there might be in volunteering?

Personally I've found the people in htat area to be far more understanding and concerned with the welfare of the person than many managers in commercial firms. Add to that many volunteering positions morph into paid work in time.

Any possibility?

Croix